Author: LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has called upon Tanzanians to ensure that the forthcoming general election is conducted peacefully to allow the country to attain its intended goals.
The PM said that political parties were currently conducting primaries to elect aspirants who will vie for parliamentary, councillorship and house of representatives seats in the October election.
“Our country is scheduled to commence political campaigns in the near future which will be followed by the general election… most Tanzanians have shown interest to contest for various posts during the primaries; thus we should ensure that the process is conducted peacefully in order to attain our objectives,” PM Majaliwa said.
Premier Majaliwa made the call during the Idd- al-Hajj Baraza held at Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Dar es Salaam. Muslims in Tanzania yesterday joined fellow worshippers worldwide to mark the crucial event.
The celebrations remind Muslims how Ibrahim had passed a difficult test when he was told by Allah to sacrifice his son Ismail but due to his obedience, Allah gave him a ram and sacrificed it instead of Ismail.
The event also marks the end of Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims are obliged to undertake once in their lifetime.
Premier Majaliwa said that President John Magufuli had assured Tanzanians of free and fair elections, calling upon religious leaders to continue praying for the exercise.
He said contestants should avoid seditious statements and abusive language in their campaigns and market their parties’ election manifestos.
“I believe that religious leaders continue to pray for our nation so that we can conduct peaceful elections … we should avoid seditious remarks and abusive language… contestants should tell voters what they are going to do for them,” Mr Majaliwa said.
The PM, however, called upon Muslims in the country to avoid remarks that may lead to the breach of peace amongst themselves, stressing on the importance of unity and cooperation with other Islamic institutions.
Mr Majaliwa further commended religious leaders and Tanzanians for praying for the nation during the corona virus outbreak.
He said that through prayers, God saved Tanzania from the respiratory disease and other catastrophes such as cyclone Kenneth and swarms of locust which were reported in neighbouring countries.
Mr Majaliwa called upon Tanzanians to continue praying and taking preventive measures as directed by experts to ensure that the novel virus does not recur in the country.
For his part, Tanzania’s Chief Sheikh, Mufti Abubakar Zubeir bin Ali, said that the forthcoming polls were for all Tanzanians and they should thus elect leaders who will meet their expectations.
“We should all unite to build our nation by conducting peaceful elections… there is no need of causing unnecessary chaos,” he said.
Mufti Zubeir further appealed to Muslims to avoid wrangles and divisions among themselves because the acts were against Islamic teachings.
“Islamic teachings calls for sobriety, tolerance and understanding among all Muslims … if we continue fighting we will be wasting our energy and fail … we should unite and be patriotic to our nation,” he said.
