AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE National Electoral Commission (NEC) has once again stated that it will deliver a free, fair, transparent and credible election, come October 28, 2020.
NEC’s Vice Chairman Judge (rtd), Mbarouk Salum Mbarouk, gave the assurance here during some stakeholders’ meeting, which brought together various groups including People with Disabilities, media professionals, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) religious leaders and representatives of the youth, among others.
According to Judge Mbarouk, the commission was well prepared to supervise this year’s election according to the requirements of the constitution, regulations and all-important guidelines, further insisting that all stakeholders should play their role so that citizens get their constitutional right to vote for leaders of their choices.
“The commission wants to assure all voters with special needs like disability groups, pregnant women and those with babies, sick persons and elders, that we have already directed our officials at all polling stations to give them priority.
“For those who can not read and write, they will be allowed to go to polling centres with people they trust, who will help them to cast their votes, and, this time round we will have tactile ballot folders for visually impaired persons,’’ he pointed out.
However, he asked all aspiring candidates vying for various positions to observe the law, rules and regulations guiding electoral processes and as well avoid unethical words and rebukes during their campaign rallies.
“As NEC continues coordination and supervision of electoral processes by considering the Election Act, political parties, their candidates and the general public are hereby advised to remember that during this period, other laws of the country are still enforceable, therefore, they should avoid any act(s) or inflammatory statements that are likely to cause chaos,’’ he stated.
NEC is currently rolling out a countrywide voter education programme that is expected to be completed on October 7, 2020, according to the electoral body’s Director of Information and Voter Education, Giveness Aswile.
