AfricaPress-Tanzania: LOCAL news outlets, including ours, are currently awash with news items and commentaries on issues related to Tanzania’s General Election slated for October this year.
And since, metaphorically put, Tanzania is not an island detached from the rest of the world but part of it, and to which the “world is a global village” characterization is pegged, foreign media outlets are also demonstrating considerable interest in the goings on in the Land of Kilimanjaro.
The interest, at home and beyond the borders, is understandable, because it is from the election that every democratic country gets men and women who compose the major components of the machinery that is at the core of national governance.
It is the election that produces the President, who is head of the executive, and members of parliament who compose the legislature.
Lately, one of the issues on which much attention is focused is the emergence of several individuals who are picking forms for seeking the endorsement of the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) to become flag bearers in polls in various constituencies.
The turnout is phenomenal. This is alright as it is the democratic right of every member who wishes to become a flag bearer of one’s party to participate in the exercise.
What would follow, however, are processes under CCM’s officially endorsed machinery, whereby, the applicants would be duly screened, and ultimately, it is those who would be deemed to be best suited to facilitate the party’s victory in the finals, who would get its blessings.
Of course those who would not pass the test wouldn’t get the opportunity to forge ahead. This, by way of a reminder, is what democracy is all about – to give chances to all interested applicants.
It is a credit to CCM, which has been manifested throughout the period that Tanzania has been under the multi-party political dispensation.
It may be recalled, for instance, that, during the 2015 election season, more than 40 aspirants eyed the presidential seat, and no-one was laughed off as a joker!
However, the figure was trimmed in various stages, the process ultimately zeroing in on three top contenders, from which one candidate, Dr John Pombe Magufuli, emerged, and proceeded to emerge as the victor.
To its credit, CCM is very transparent, a credible attribute from which the opposition constituency should pick lessons, more-so those who project themselves as champions on that front but are in reality the extreme opposite.
