Author: LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE landslide victory by incumbent President, Dr John Magufuli in this year’s General Election is a reflection of his outstanding performance that earned him public trust in the first term of his leadership, analysts have said.
According to them, efforts undertaken by the fifth phase government to spearhead social and economic changes enhanced people’s confidence in Dr Magufuli. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Friday declared CCM presidential candidate, Dr Magufuli the winner of this year’s General Election after garnering 84.4 per cent of all valid votes, defeating his 14 opponents who took part in the presidential race.
Dr Magufuli was followed by opposition Chadema’s Tundu Lissu, who collected a total of 1,933,271 votes, an equivalent to 13 per cent of all valid votes, with former Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Membe, who vied on ACT-Wazalendo ticket, managing 81,129 votes, or 0.5 per cent.
The fifth phase govt directed efforts on infrastructure development, such as construction of roads, flyovers, railways, bridges as well as improving other sectors, all these things are visible.
Prof Joseph Matumaini of St Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) told the Sunday News yesterday that during his five years of leadership, Dr Magufuli had done a lot of things which are visible. “The fifth phase government directed efforts on infrastructure development, such as construction of roads, flyovers, railways, bridges as well as improving other sectors, all these things are visible.” he said.
He added: “All these things have backed him in his presidential race because he has built public trust, that if given a second chance, he can do wonders.” Prof Matumaini further noted that the mechanism used by the ruling party to organise his campaign was also among the factors that led to the victory of Dr Magufuli. “CCM conducted scientific campaigns accompanied by policies which touched people’s welfare .
Dr Magufuli was also supported by parliamentarian candidates who campaigned for him… all these cleared his way to victory,” he added. University of Dar es Salaam lecturer, Dr Lucas Kisasa said that a huge difference in the number of votes collected by Dr Magufuli against his opponents followed public recognition of the work and capability of Dr Magufuli during the first tenure of his leadership.
“The first five years of his leadership has enhanced the people’s confidence in him to lead the nation for a second term,” he said. He explained that when Dr Magufuli took over the highest office in 2015, his party’s image had been tarnished, adding that he made efforts to restore its reputation and regain people’ trust. “Dr Magufuli had shown his capability in leading the nation, including safeguarding interests of the poor and spearheading economic development, a situation that contributed a lot to his landslide victory,” he said.
He added that the performance of Dr Magufuli had also backed other party candidates for parliamentary and councillorship seats. Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Secretary General, Fr Dr Charles Kitima said that he had no doubt with the victory of Dr Magufuli because what he had done had given him credit.
“What has been done so far in the country was giving the president credit in his presidential race to win the election,” Dr Kitima said. Tanzanians went to the polls on October 28 to elect the president, parliamentarians and councilors in the sixth general election under multiparty system. In the results announced by NEC, CCM scooped 256 legislative seats out of 264, with only eight seats taken by three opposition parties, ACT- Wazalendo, the Civic United Front (CUF) and Chadema
