Africa-Press – Tanzania. ANALYSTS and activists have applauded President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s call for women to join forces to ensure a female presi- dent is elected in Tanzania’s 2025 General Election.
President Samia’s speech to commemorate the International Day of Democracy was greeted with tremendous applause and ululations, while the attendees mostly women sang a song to show their faith in her leadership.
The event, which was organised by Tanzania Women Cross Party (TWCP) – Ulingo platform, was held to celebrate the country’s first female president. Reacting, several analysts and activists who spoke with the ‘Daily News’ opined on how political parties’ practices, policies and ideals have a significant impact on women’s political engagement and representation.
Political parties, according to the activists, are the major and most effective framework through which, women become politically engaged and elected. However, they argued, gender equality is rarely mentioned in their internal governance documents.
President Samia stated that women played a key role in the fight for freedom and the growth of the country’s politics and that time is ripe now for them to seize the opportunity to ensure that a woman candidate wins the top post in 2025 polls.
TWCP National Coordinator, Dr Ave Maria Semakafu, said for efforts to promote women’s equal and full political participation to be effective, political parties must include strategies to ensure their constitution, structures, processes, and financing are gender-responsive and inclusive.
“Political parties must encourage women’s participation and incorporate gender equality into their policies and programmes, to ensure that everyone is heard,” Dr Semakafu added.
She went on to say that most political parties’ constitutions are silent on gender equality issues, preventing women from fully participating in politics.
Equal participation of men and women in politics, according to Dr Semakafu, is a necessary condition for efficient democracy and good administration. She added that aside from strengthening and enhancing the democratic system, more women participating in political decision-making has several good benefits on society that can assist women and men live better lives.
A lecturer at the Centre for Foreign Relations (CFR), Mr Innocent Shoo said closing the gender inequality gap remains an economic challenge and necessity across the world.
“A lot of effort is being put into the gender agenda by governments, the private sector and other institutions to narrow this disparity. Women political participation is one of SADC goals, which seeks to allow or pave the way for a woman contribution to Africa economic growth and development,” he said.
Tanzania, according to Mr Shoo, has signed on to the UN Women Initiative on Gender Mainstreaming, whose major goal is to strengthen and prepare the way for bridging the gender gap around the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ms Tike Mwambipile, Executive Director of the Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA), noted that while women are members of political parties, the majority of them do not get elected to senior positions within their parties.
She stated that political parties should evaluate their constitutions and policies to guarantee that women are given opportunities to take key positions in their parties.
According to her, women make up the majority of voters in most elections, and — have long complained about men performance in leadership roles; now is the time for them to change.
Director for Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF), Ms Anna Kulaya said that for President Samia’s goal to be realised, women must join political parties and ensure that they run for senior positions.
