AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIANS will tomorrow exercise their constitutional right to vote for political leaders, namely the President, Members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors to lead the country in the next five years. The general election marks the end to a two-month campaign, with 15 candidates for presidency, the number which is the largest in the country’s history.
It’s time for eligible Tanzanian voters to use this unique opportunity to elect leaders who will represent and work on their behalf to bring about economic development in the country.
Voting gives citizens an opportunity to have their say and through it they express their will to vote for leaders of their choice.
In tomorrow’s general election, 29.84 million citizens are eligible to vote, the number that sees an increase of nearly seven million new voters from 2015’s 23.16 million voters.
Statistics show further that at least 7.3 million Tanzanians will be firsttime voters, which is about 31 per cent of all 29 million voters in the voter register.
The new voters will take part in this year’s general election and shape decisions that affect their lives in the next five years.
During the two months of political campaigns, candidates vying for various positions, there have been appeals from religious leaders and other stakeholders to hold a peaceful and corruption-free general election – that’s a free and fair election.
It is through this democratic election that voters make elected leaders accountable to the people when they will be discharging their duties.
The general election is an important event in a democratic society for it gives citizens to participate in the political governance of their country.
However, Tanzanians should realise that patriotism comes first in matters of public interest and the rest may follow because after voting life must continue.
Since independence, Tanzania is known and has been an exemplary country on African continent and the world in general for having free, fair and peaceful elections.
Political leaders, voters and all citizens should keep in mind that what we have in common is more important than what divides us.
Furthermore, Tanzanians should have in mind that where there is no peace, it is difficult to achieve any meaningful development in the country.
Therefore, after listening to election pledges from political candidates vying for various posts, let us go and vote peacefully to select the leaders of our choice who will lead our country in the next five years.
