Writes Leo Odera Omolo
INFORMATION emerging from the multiple sources in the Tanzanian city of Dar Es Salaam are all indicating that the majority of Tanzanian citizens are closely watching the unfolding political events inside their northern neighboring state.
All the indications that leaders of the various political parties, the ruling CCM party and its ach-rival the CHADEMA are said to be keenly watching events in Kenya.
President Jakaya Kikwete is reported to be neutral and keeping his cards to his chest. He has yet to sent a personal congratulatory message to Kenya’s president – elect Uhuru Kenyatta. However, junior cadre of CCM leadership including member of parliament are said to be leaning towards the Jubilee side of Kenya’s political divide, while Chadema leadership is said to be sympathetic to the CORD alliance.
The CCM stand on the Kenya’s election dispute is said to have been prompted by unfounded rumor that CHADEMA has been covertly cultivating close working relation with the CORD ALLIANCE.
Chadema is reported to have donated several motor vehicles to the CORD alliance during the recently concluded electioneering campaign in Kenya. It has also been reported that President Paul Kagame of Rwanda is another regional leader who has yet to offer any comment about the election despite in Kenya. Rwanda is another important trade partner of Kenya. Lie the other land-locked countries, which depended entirely on the Kenyan port of Mombasa or their export and import.
From the neighboring Uganda the current presidential election results dispute between the h . . .
Uganda was embroiled in a mega financial scandal involved the reported theft of millions of dollars from donor nations meant for its development in the North. The money is said to have been siphoned with the Office of the Prime Minster in Kamala.
Although it has its own sea port of Dar Es Salaam, its northern parts of the country as well as western, especially towns and gold mines , which are allocated around the LAKE Victoria also depended on Kenya for supplies via Lake Victoria.
The mayhem that broke out following a similarly the disputed presidential election of Dec. 2007 had impacted negatively to the economies of both Tanzania and in particularly when the political goons in Nairobi uprooted the rail LINE LINKING THE Kenyan port of Mombasa and Uganda at a section in Kibera within Nairobi suburbs.
The incident sparked off the fuel shortage in Uganda and other land-locked nations in the hinterland and almost crippled that country’s economy.
These are some of the valid reasons why Tanzanians and Ugandans, particularly the big business people would not entertain seeing Kenya collapsing into a distasteful conditions.
A correspondent operating in the northern Tanzania town of Arusha described the recently concluded presidential election in Kenya a sham and not credible enough to convince the neighboring states that it was held in good faith.
However, we love Kenya and its people and as such would go with their wishes, said the TANZANIAN WRITER, ADDING THAT IT WAS TIME Kenya learn how to organize its elections and put only the most credible people to the task of overseeing the elections.This time around people tasked with the handling of the elections in Kenya were not sufficiently qualified for the task.
One Tananian politician commented that the time is ripe or those organizing elections in Kenya to put aside their monetary interest and make sure that such elections are helped in a better manner for the prosperity of the country and its future generation. Must be strictly devoid of corruptive deals.
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