AfricaPress-Tanzania: PERIODIC elections constitute one of the most crucial exercises for any country.
This is because the major affairs of that entity are managed and monitored by men and women who are entrusted with managing, monitoring and fixing problems that may arise.
It may be recalled that, what is today Tanzania is a combination of what were initially two separate entities – Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
It was after they merged in 1964 that a new entity – Tanzania – was formed; hence the name United Republic of Tanzania, to reflect the combination of what were two separate geo-political entities.
Since Tanzania is not an island, but part of the family of nations, which is captured by the expression “global village”, there came a time when the wind of change that was blowing across the world, compelled the people of this country to pose and ponder the issue seriously.
Thus it was that, with Father of the Nation Mwalimu Julius Nyerere as the prime mover, Tanzania embraced the multi-party political system, on the basis of which elections were held in 1995.
Before that, though, a referendum was held to determine whether or not the existing single party system should be retained. Most people were in favour of retention.
However, the typically farsighted Mwalimu Nyerere felt that, embracing the multi-party system would be the more realistic option. Thus it was that, we held the first multi-party elections in 1995.
Not surprisingly, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has all along emerged victorious.
Granted, CCM has judiciously applied the vast experience drawn from incumbency, as well as, especially under the current National Chairman, President John Magufuli, to positive, earth-shaking reforms.
The move, plus Dr Magufuli being a strict, results-demanding, lethargy- intolerant administrator, has earned the CCM-led government tremendous popularity.
The popularity is not only internally generated, but has touched many people across many countries worldwide.
The strides the Magufuli-led government has recorded over the first five year term that will climax ahead of the October 2020-scheduled General Election, are immensely awe-inspiring.
Yet since elections have to be held at five-year intervals, in compliance with constitutional demands, CCM must be subjected to the electoral test. Hence the current campaigns to that end.
Our appeal – the latest in a series – is that, the campaigns must be peaceful and rational.
Insults and lies, plus trivialising the achievements the CCM-led government has scored so far, are childish and certainly not vote-producers!
