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Analyst Predicts âPreparedâ Electorate, Competitive Tanzanian Election

   Peter Clottey 13 October 2010

   A  Tanzanian  political  science  professor  has  told  VOA the entire
   population seems well-educated and equipped to make informed decisions
   in the upcoming general election scheduled for 31^st October.

   Professor  Xavery  Lwaitama,  a  lecturer  at the University of Dar-Es
   Salaam,  said the âmilitancyâ of the population will serve as a strong
   warning  to all participating political parties that there would be no
   business as usual in this election.

   Incumbent Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete

   âThe  population  this time round has been prepared, especially by the
   civic  education programs that have been offered by different agencies
   educating  the  population about the importance of using their vote to
   register  their  preferences,  and  also to register their displeasure
   with how things have been going.â

   Local  media  reports  that  the  electoral  commission, civil society
   groups  and  non-governmental  organizations  have  launched a massive
   civic education campaign ahead of the vote.

   Lwaitama said the civic education has been successful.

   âThis  is  showing itself as a bit of a surprise both to the electoral
   commission, I suspect, and to the political parties themselves because
   the political parties did their homework, I suppose, and the electoral
   commission  (members)  maybe did their homework. But, I think the most
   important  thing  is  that, previously, the population was not usually
   prepared.â

   He  further  said  Tanzanians  have not often been made aware of their
   rights  and  encouraged  to be part of a process of âeither confirming
   the  legitimacy  to  govern of those particular set of people who were
   governing  or  removing them from power. Previously, this was not made
   clear to them,â Lwaitama said.

   Analysts  say,  despite  a  stiff  challenge  from opposition parties,
   incumbent  President Jakaya Kikweteâs ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party
   will win the vote.

   But,  Lwaitama said the October election will be much more competitive
   than previous ones.

   âWhatever  the various technical procedural sorts of gaps, even policy
   sort  of  shortcomings,  you  can  see  clearly that the population is
   determined  to  assert  itself and is determined to make some stand to
   make  the politicians and all parties aware that they are not going to
   continue to be the same sort of people that they are used to.â

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