Tanzania Democracy, politics, private press

October 2010 Elections
Tanzania was heated up in the month of October, for, at the end of that month the General Elections would be held. A once-in-five-years event, the president, members of parliament and councillors get elected by secret ballot.
During the past elections the Ruling Party, Chama cha mapinduzi (CCM) had been winning president and MP elections by a comfortable margin. Their candidate, the incumbent Dr Kikwete was expected to be re-elected for the second and final five-year stint. In 2010, the strongest opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA)departed from the tradition of party chairman running for president (he would run for MP of constituency. Other parties followed suit). CHADEMA candidate for president was its Secretary General, Dr Slaa, MP for Karatu, a vocal legislator.

The campaign was heated, and, at times, violent. Charged election campaigns brought massive following and prediction that voter turnout would surpass previous election years. Voting day eventually came. Save a glitch here and there, the National Electorate Council had done a good job of availing and equipping.

As results were being called out, it did appear the opposition was headed to pick some of votes and constituencies that would have gone to CCM. Counting was going slooowly. To cut long story short, Before presidential results were announced, Dr Slaa called a press conference that he had proof there was foul play, and that the Commission should not announce results before the irregularity was straightened out. Anyways, the results were announced. The odd thing was in the percentage of registered voters who actually voted. Less than half voted! CCM presidential candidate won by 61%, a rather low margin compared to past elections.

In Zanzibar, the elections were such a bliss that many a dowager will talk about for the coming days. Having earlier voted for government of national unity, the outcome of voting was close, between the Civil United Front (CUF) candidate, Sheikh Hamad, and the CCM candidate, Dr Shein. Unlike the previous two that were marred with violence, this time around atmosphere was peaceful, and when Shein won by a narrow percentage, Hamad conceded and immediately congratulated him. Zanzibaris had managed to bury the differences that had made everyone uncomfortable for years.

The parameter that was key in these elections was corruption. It might as well be said that the opposition drumming of how it would stamp out corruption may have contributed to these funny results.

Papers, television and radio:
Most of the media are either owned by or sympathize with one of the main candidates or other. Reading or watching what was being reported had this bias that was quite an irritation.
Winners and losers
W: Dr Kikwete - President of Tanzania
W: Dr Slaa - Runner-up with more than 20% votes
W: Mr Mrema - Member of Parliament for Vunjo Constituency by Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) ticket.
W: Mr Mbowe - MP for Hai, Chadema
W: Mr Mnyika - youthful and charismatic, MP for Ubungo, Chadema
L: Mr Fahmi Dovuthwa - Presidential candidate who brought up in the rear, his unorthodox offer of his votes to CCM candidate (whatever motive) not taken
L: Mr Mbatia - Chairman of NCCR-Mageuzi party who ran for Kawe Constituency and lost to Halima Mdee
W: Ms Halima Mdee - MP, Chadema. Beat all odds to snatch Kawe, the stronghold of CCM.
L: Mr Basil Mramba - CCM, Rombo, to Chadema candidate, Selasini. Grass-eating gaffe is not forgotten by many.
W: Mr January Makamba - MP Bumbuli. I approve the approach used to unseat the incumbent. I wish more young persons would do that in their respective parties.
W: Mrs Rita Mlaki, for figuring how to get back into the parliament.

BBC's perspective of Zimbabwe power-sharing agreement. LOL!

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Some people are blindly opportunistic

Some people are blindly opportunistic--that's my conclusion when McCain picked former pageant, first-season Governor of Alaska (shiver!-what a far reach...). And a mother of five too.

At her forties, she nicely dilutes the rather heavy age of McCain of 73, yeah. Gender has been thrown in to pick what they can of the Clinton die-hards.

Soon the press got to work. We started hearing about earmark funds and the infant politician mixing herself up. A bridge she had sought earmark funds to construct sometime earlier was later named by her as a bridge to nowhere ("nowhere") happens to be an island in her jurisdiction as Governoress.

B4 dust settled, there was this teen pregnancy fiasco: her 17-year-old was carrying a love-child, four months to come). Mama explained, proudly, the child's father was going to marry her daughter. The world press needed exactly that. Media from AAustralia to ZZimbabwe carried the story. GOP felt short-changed: didn't McCain Campaign not do any vetting of potential running mates?

Whatever haste to pick a woman to make use of Clinton vacuum, I just can't picture the imagination of how a mother of five is going to cope with the demanding duties of VP. Sure some are quite grown-up, but the very task of bringing those up was a heavy-duty assignment in itself. I think the voters who have to make a decision of who the commander-in-chief shall be should something happen to the old man McCain might be a bit heavy-handed. Which works well with me, because I am all for Dems to take the White House. I can see the team of Obama and Biden bringing America to new height, winding up the affairs in Iraq amicably and not poking another arms-sale gambit in Iran.

Why Clinton can't be--shouldn't be--on Obama ticket

My back-to-back sequel post on US Elections Dems Campaigns. Odds are very much out of favour for Mama Clinton who trudges on, more to cause damage to her competitor than any hope of securing nomination.

But lust for White House she has. She lied her way down the campaign path, and last week she accidentally showed her hand (praise the Lord!) In there is hope against hope that something might happen to Barack Obama. Not merely a scandal but even a bolt of lightning. Otherwise what kind of slip of tongue referring to Robert Kennedy Assassination during democratic campaigning back in 1968?

What beats me is: for all prevailing logic, White House is the last place Mama Clinton would look forward to spending more years in. Is it happy memories? What!

I'd understand if it was Obama cliffhanging, whereby we'd dismiss it by the African blood in him, we see it with African leaders, don't we.

She is a respectable senator, and has a glittering past, but now she stands to tarnish the good track record she ever wrote with her deeds both as a practising lawyer, a First Lady and a high-profile Senator.

If Dems were to even persuade Obama to pick her as a running mate, the image of the beaten would hang around her all along--akin to going to bed with conqueror.

A tribute to Amina Chifupa

My tears flowed for the young martyr, Amina. I dedicate the Pink Floyd song Shine on you crazy diamond. It's describing her well, she aged unnaturally and just vanished.

Remember when you were young,
you shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes,
like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire
of childhood stardom,
blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target
for faraway laughter,
come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!

You reached for the secret too soon,
you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night,
and exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome
with random precision,
rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

Nobody knows where you are,
how near or how far.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Pile on many more layers
and I'll be joining you there.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
And we'll bask in the shadow
of yesterday's triumph,
sail on the steel breeze.
Come on you boy child,
you winner and loser,
come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine

Keywords: Amina Chifupa, heroine, dirty politics, martyr, Tanzania, Queen of Hearts

Zitto Kabwe, MP, gave a heart-rending one-on-one to the late Amina Chifupa.
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Subject: [tanzanet] Amina - Kwenye macho ya Zitto Kabwe

Zitto Kabwe

AMINA, umetangulia kwa Mola. Umetutoka tukiwa bado tunakuhitaji. Taifa lako ambalo ulianza kulitumikia ukiwa kijana mdogo linakulilia. Nchi imezizima, hakuna anayeamini. Safari hii ni yetu sote, wewe umeanza. Msalimie Bibi Titi. Unakumbuka nilikuwa nakwambia kupitia kwako namwona Bibi Titi? Wengi wanadhani wanakujua. Umeondoka bila kuwaonyesha kuwa wanakujua ndivyo sivyo. Kila mtu anasema chake kutokana na ama amesikia nini au amekuona katika nini. Unakumbuka ulipochaguliwa kuwa mbunge watu walisemaje? Eti hata Amina naye kawa mbunge? Utafanya nini bungeni. Haikukuchukua mwaka ukawaonyesha tofauti. Ukafanya yale ambayo wengi kwa kweli yalitushinda kufanya. Ukaanza vita kubwa na ngumu ambayo hujaimaliza mpaka unaingia kaburini leo. Hata hivyo si lazima umalize vita uliyoianza. Edward Mondlane wa Frelimo alituaga kabla hajaona mwisho wa vita aliyoanzisha ya kumng'oa Mreno Msumbiji. Kina Samora wakamaliza vita hiyo. Umeianza vita, tutaimaliza. Umetupa changamoto. Swali lako la mwisho bungeni lilihusu wizi wa mitihani. Hukupata bahati kuliuliza. Uliuliziwa na jirani yako, Ruth Msafiri, wa Muleba Kaskazini. Najua kama ungekuwapo ni aina gani ya swali la nyongeza ambalo ungeuliza. Nilikuangaza kule unakokaa sikukuona. Lakini nilijua utarudi muda si mrefu. Amina ulikuwa mwepesi kujifunza na wala hukuona aibu kuomba msaada, tena bila kujali itikadi ya chama ya unayemwomba msaada. Mimi nilikutana nawe kwa mara ya kwanza pale tulipoitwa na Mheshimiwa Spika kuhesabu kura za kumthibitisha waziri mkuu. Tukapeana namba za simu na kupoteana tukiwa tunasalimiana pale tunapoonana tu. Sikutegemea hata siku moja kama utakuwa karibu yangu kiasi tulichofikia. Niseme kweli, hata mimi nilikuwa najiuliza utafanya nini bungeni wewe, nikijisemea kuwa wewe ni kilaza tu. Rafiki yangu, na pia rafiki yako kipenzi, Omar Ilyasambe, kwa sasa yupo masomoni nchini Marekani, alinitahadharisha nisiwe kama watu wengine wanaokutafsiri kwa ujumla. Akaniambia nikupe muda wa maongezi na msaada kwa yale ninayoyajua. Urafiki ukaanzia hapo. Urafiki wa kujifunza na kujadiliana mambo mengi ya nchi yetu. Nakumbuka ulikuwa unanilaumu kwa kuwa mkali kwa serikali yako ya CCM na kwamba wakati mwingine nazidisha. Nilikwambia ndiyo kazi yangu katika upinzani. Ulinielewa. Tulijadiliana maswali yetu na maswali gani ya nyongeza kuuliza. Tulijadiliana kuhusu masomo yako na masomo gani ya kuchukua katika juhudi zako za kutafuta elimu. Tulibishana sana kuhusu ni wapi ukasome shahada yako ya kwanza. Wewe na Omar mkitaka uende kusoma nje, mimi nikitaka usome hapa hapa nchini ili pia ufanye kazi zako za ubunge. Niliwashinda na kweli ukaanza kusoma. Ukajitahidi kusoma kwa bidii sana. Walimu wako watakukosa. Amina, ulikuwa na malengo makubwa sana katika maisha yako. Ulianza kujiandaa kuongoza umoja wa vijana wa chama chako katika matayarisho ya kupata mafunzo thabiti ya uongozi. Mapema kabisa ulianza kupambana na vikwazo, lakini hadi unaanza kuumwa, zote uliona ni changamoto tu za maisha ya kisiasa. Siku uliyoanza kuumwa ulikuwa uende Lindi kufanya kazi za vijana, lakini pia kujiandaa na changamoto za uchaguzi mwakani. Masikini umeondoka na ndoto yako. Inauma sana kukupoteza. Wakati tunaokujua tukitafakari kuhusu kifo chako, hatuoni tumempoteza mbunge tu, tunaona tumepoteza mpiganaji mahiri. Mpiganaji wa mstari wa mbele katika vita ya kunusuru taifa kutokana na ubadhirifu wa mali za umma. Wakati mwingine tunaona tumepoteza kamanda mwema, mwenye uwezo wa kupata habari zote za adui na kushauri njia bora za kukabiliana na adui. Amina, maisha yako yana tafsiri nyingi. Umepitia mambo mengi sana. Ulitaka kuandika kijitabu kuhusu maisha yako ili watu wakujue vizuri. Wakati tunajiandaa kukusanya vya kukusanya, ukawa mgonjwa. Umeondoka kabla hujakamilisha azima yako. Bado watu hawakujui. Tutakamilisha kazi yako ili vizazi vijavyo vijue kuwa kulikuwa na kijana kiongozi mahiri mwenye msimamo thabiti. Amina niseme nini kukuelezea wakati tunakupumzisha pumziko la kudumu? Maneno hayaji, vidole vinatetemeka. Tutakukumbuka. Ucheshi wako na umahiri wako katika kuhakikisha unapata unachokitaka. Usiku wa tarehe 6, Mei ulinipigia simu kuniambia kuwa Mkwawa anakuita, na kwamba Mwalimu Nyerere ananipa salamu. Mimi naomba uwape salamu. Uwaambie nchi yao ipo inaendelea, na kwamba huna uhakika ndoto yao ya kujenga taifa imara itafikiwa karibuni. Waambie Mkwawa na Mwalimu kuwa siku hizi ili uwe kiongozi ni lazima upande mabegani mwa mwingine na kumwangusha na wala si uwezo wa mtu. Amina, nakutuma kwa Bibi Titi, mwambie kuwa juhudi zake za kutaka mwanamke, tena mwanamke wa Kiswahili kuonekana ana uwezo wa kuwa kiongozi, bado zinaendelea, na wewe umeziacha zinaendelea. Umefanya kazi yako, umewaachia kijiti wengine wafanye pia. Nenda Amina, nenda kapumzike. Umetuonyesha kuwa vijana tunaweza. Tumejifunza, hatutakuangusha. source : www.freemedia.co.tz

Comments on TanzanNet

On 6/29/07, Sir Nyamranga wrote:

Simba,

Hon. Amina alikuwa Amina na ndio maana watu walimpenda. Alikuwa ni average joe kama kijana yoyote wa Tanzania na ndio maana watu wengi waliona kama anawawakilisha. Wazungu huwa wanapenda kutumia msemo wa "Be Yourselff" na ndio Mheshimiwa Amina alivyokuwa hivyo.

Hakutaka kubadilika kwa vile ni mwanasiasa. Hakutaka kubadilika na kuwa kama kama lile group la wanasiasa tuliowazoea waonavaa kaunda suti na vitambili kwa sababu alikuwa ni Amina. Amina alikuwa ni new generation ya politician ambayo ingeweza kubadilisha mambo mengi sana nyumbani.

Pia sidhani kama Mh. Zitto anataka ku socre point yoyote. Kaandika nakala nzuri sana na inaonyesha ni jinsi gani vijana walivyokuwa wanasaidiana kutetea maslahi ya nchi bila kujali itikadi ya chama walichotoka.Uhusiano wao wa karibu umedhihirisha hilo.

Nilishawahi kupata nafasi ya kuongea na kufanya mahojiano na Mh Kabwe na naweza kusema ni mmoja wa vijana makini sana nchini Tanzania. Mheshimiwa Zitto hakuanzia CHADEMA tu bali alikuwa makini tangia enzi za National Youth Forum. Sidhani kama atataka kufanya hayo unayoyasema.

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On 6/29/07, Simba Yahya wrote:

Nilichangia huko nyuma kuhusu kifo cha bibi huyu "nyota" machoni mwa sehemu kubwa ya jamii ya watanzania.

Baada ya kusoma "Mmtazamo wa Zitto Kabwe" na yale yalioendelea katika kipindi kifupi cha uongozi wa Bi Amina, sina shaka kwamba hiyo haikuwa changamoto ndogo ambayo binti yule kichanga angeweza kuimudu kwa muda mrefu.

Kwa Amina, kuwa Bungeni na kuwa na mahusiano na Wabunge wengine alikuwa anaichukulia kirahisi (business as usual) na kuacha sehemu kubwa ya political mechanics (machination?) nje ya equation za siasa sio tu hapa nyumbani, lakini kwingine kokote! Lau angebahatika kuwa kama kina VITA KAWAWA, Dr. HUSSEIN MWINYI, KIPI WARIOBA na wengine ambao wamebahatika kutoka familia za wanasiasa wakongwe, naamini angepata msaada mkubwa wa kumwongoza ndai ya safu za siasa. Yaliyomfika binti huyu wala yasingemtokea....

Ni mategemeo kwamba the likes of Kabwe hawatatumia kifo hiki ku-score political points ambazo kwao zinaweza kuwanufaisha, lakini kwa kiasi kikubwa kuongeza machungu kwa familia ya Amina Chifupa!!

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