*Brother Mussa, This is what Ugandans back home say about developments from Zanzibar. ===========* Zanzibar election shows aggression is needless By Augustine Ruzindana (email the author <javascript:void(0);>)
Posted Wednesday, August 18 2010 at 00:00 There are two developments in Tanzania which could offer useful lessons for the next elections in Uganda. The first development was the Marudhiano (Reconciliation) in Zanzibar between Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Civic United Front (CUF) which created a conducive environment for electoral agreements, formalised through a referendum, leading to a coalition government after the next elections. The last three elections in Zanzibar were marred by violence, intimidation, misuse of security agencies and allegations of rigging and divided the two main islands of Zanzibar into political party territories, Pemba for CUF and Unguja for CCM. The reconciliation between CCM and CUF therefore brings to an end this unfortunate era and ushers in a period of tranquility and fairness in Zanzibar. The second development is the massacre of the old guard in the just concluded CCM primaries. In both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, senior CCM leaders have been eliminated. Mzee John Malecela, former prime minister, former minister, former ambassador to so many countries, MP for Mtera for 35 years, but more importantly, a kingmaker in CCM, lost to a district youth secretary. The loss of Mzee William Shelukindo, MP for decades, was the most humiliating; Shelukindo: 1700, Yusuph Makamba: 14,612. A total of 90 MPs were voted out including Joseph Mungai, an MP for decades and six ministers such as the current chair of the East African Council of Ministers, Dr Diodorus Kamala and the most senior CCM official in Zanzibar, the Deputy Secretary General, Saleh Feruzi. There were irregularities countrywide, such as dishing out money but there were no reported incidents of the use of guns and other forms of force or intimidation. These results may result into some of the defeated CCM members moving to the opposition. What are the lessons for Uganda? The reconciliation in Zanzibar could show the NRM that the use of force and intimidation are not necessary tools in elections. There is no need to regard opposition parties as enemies. I was recently in a team of eminent East Africans that studied the “kero za muungano” (problems of the union) between Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland and one of the problems we found was a state of tension created by electoral violence between CCM and CUF in every election. The leaders have decided to end this situation and there is now a peaceful environment in Zanzibar. The lesson for the NRM is that they need to accept that the Opposition will not disappear and therefore the permanent attempt to destroy it should be abandoned so that meaningful talks on a level playing field can take place. The ongoing preparations for violence such as the training of armed vigilantes by the army, disguised as cadres, would become unnecessary and the opposition protests against unfair electoral processes and institutions would not be suppressed by use of the police in conjunction with stick wielding hooligans. The NRM would then become a normal party delinked from the State so that RDCs and other government functionaries are not involved in its activities. Thus an environment for discussions would be created between a legitimate ruling party and legitimate opposition parties. The other lesson relates to the conduct of primaries of a ruling party. The NRM primaries were marred by a multitude of irregularities, but most ominously the use of fire arms. What came out is that the use arms is not a monopoly of the State as it should be in a normal country. This is very dangerous. How will the opposition, in addition to numerous other hurdles, compete fairly with NRM opponents whose candidature was procured by use of arms? There must be evidence of a change if there is going to free and fair elections. *The writer is the FDC Deputy Secretary for Research and Policy*
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