Political News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
WITH only two months to go before the October 31 poll in Tanzania, election fever has gripped the country as voter registered in record number.
This is at a time that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM} faces the stiffest challenge to its uninterrupted five decade long dominance fro a re-energized opposition that seek to combine its members to wrest control of the Tanzanian parliament.
Tanzania National Election Commission chairman Lewis Makame was last week quoted by the influential EASAFRICAN weekly as saying that about 21,210,187 voters of the targeted 22,210,187 voters have already been registered in the permanent voters register.
Justice Makame said this figure is equivalent to 94 per cent and higher by 23 per cent than the 15,919,749 voters who were registered in the 2005 elections.
A total of 55,000 polling stations will be set up country-wide for the forthcoming polls, which it is estimated will cost Tshs 60.2 billion {USD 395 million}.
At the same time news emerging from the Tanzanian capital of Dar Es Salaam says the ruling CCM party faces a spate of defections as disgruntled losers in the party’s primaries crosses over to the opposition side.
The Civic United Front {CUF}, which dominated politics of the twin Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba and the CCM, the Chama Cha Maendeleo Na Demokrasia {Chadema},which is the strongest opposition party on the mainland Tanzania, say they are confident of retaining not only the seats already held, but also of taking away a sizable chunk from the CCM, which has dominated the House for over 18 years since the introduction of multiparty democracy in Tanzania.
In the 2005 general election, CCM won 254 seats, CUF 22, in the Union and House of Representative together with Chadema and the Tanzania Labor Party took five each with the United Democratic Party bagging two seats. Seven seats were vacant.
CUF chairman, Prof.Ibrahim Lipumba was also quoted by the EASAFRICANM as saying that his party would be fielding mostly young candidates to run for parliamentary seats countrywide, with the exception of a few constituencies.
Prof Lipumba said that CUF has already nominated 120 candidates from the mainland and 50 from the Isles to vie for the Union Parliamentary seats. The party has also nominated other 50 from Unguja and Pemba to contest in the Zanzibar House of Representative. The party intends to nominate more than 200 candidates for the Union.
Political pundits say CCM is running scared given the rising anti-incumbent sentiment, alternatively chastened and encourage by the results of its just ended primary elections.
The ruling party is also grappling with the fallout from widespread irregularities, with the opposition counting on winning over veteran CCM members who have lost in the primaries but still command, a large following within CCM.
Prof.Lipumba said CUF has invited CCM members who lost in the just concluded election primaries to join the opposition.
“If there is a phrase the ruling CCM won’t like uttered, It is “the boot”. According to CUF, the opposition parties have been complaining after every election that their votes were stolen, only for CCM to scoff at them, this time the boot is on the other foot
“This time, the malady has befallen them. We hope the situation will offer an opportunity to the ruling party to address the problem of corruption in election more squarely under a free electoral commission,” said Prof Lipumba.
At the same time Dr. Willbrod P.Slaa, the Secretary General of CHADEMA, said CCM has lost the moral authority to fight corruption. He said his party’s presidential candidate, said if CHADEMA takes over the government; it would make it a priority to fight corruption. His party aims are to reach every corner of the country in its quest to win more civic and parliamentary seats. The party is currently has five elected MPs and as many special seats parliamentarians. It also has some councilors in different districts of the country.
Dr Slaa, however, warned that under the new election financing law, which requires people contributing to political parties to give their names, physical addresses and other particulars, many people giving cash would be apprehensive about giving out cash lest they are harassed by the government for supporting the opposition.
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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com