“TO BOYCOTT ELECTIONS IS DEMOCRACY” – TANZANIA PRESIDENT

Tanzania President, John Magufuli, addressing residents of Isaka village in Shinyanga region yesterday

By Staff Reporter, Shinyanga TANZANIA

The President of Tanzania, John Magufuli, has applauded Tanzanians for participating in the just ended local elections that saw his ruling party scoring landslide victories in almost all of more than 330,000 local leadership positions.

The country’s opposition parties boycotted the 24 November elections citing irregularities carried out by election officials who overwhelmingly excluded opposition candidates by nullifying their applications.

More than half of opposition candidates were told they could not stand because of spelling mistakes, blank spaces on forms and other bureaucratic errors.

“I thank those who participated in the elections and those who boycotted, because to boycott elections is also democracy.” He said adding that to win an election is democracy like losing.

Addressing residents of Isaka in Kahama district yesterday, Magufuli congratulated his party Chama Cha Mapinduzi for winning the elections urging unity for prosperity. “Elections are over, our party has sailed through, now let us unite for development. “ He said.

The elections’ credibility and fairness have been questioned by the United States and British challenging the unfair election process that excluded almost all opposition parties.

In a statement issued yesterday by the US embassy in Tanzania showed deep concern of the US over reports of irregularities in the process.

“This troubling development calls into question the credibility of the election process and results.” Read the statement adding that the government of Tanzania's refusal to provide observation accreditation in a timely manner to credible, experienced organisations in addition, eroded confidence in the process.

On its part, the British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Sarah Cooke, said that coordinated disqualification of opposition candidates and their decision to boycott elections have all denied all Tanzanians the opportunity to decide their local leaders in a free, fair and transparent manner.

File: British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Sarah Cooke (L) talk to Tanzania President, John Magufuli at State House Dar es Salaam

“We are deeply concerned about the handling of the civic elections; the lack of accreditation for credible domestic observation, coordinated disqualification of opposition candidates and their decision to boycott elections have all denied all Tanzanians the opportunity to decide their local leaders in a free, fair and transparent manner.” Insisted the High Commissioner.

Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), the main opposition party, said earlier this month it would not be taking part in the elections because of alleged government manipulations, including the mass disqualification of its candidates. Several other smaller parties also joined the boycott.

"Our party believes it is wiser not to support such electoral cheating," Chadema Chairperson, Freeman Mbowe said in November. "To continue to participate in elections of this kind is to legitimise illegality."

He said it was now the time for a free and independent electoral commission to be established to steer the democratic process away from partisan interests that jeopardise the wellbeing of nationhood. 

Local observers worry that this new development sets a bad precedent ahead of general elections next year. - Africa