US stirs up NEC debate as clock ticks

Dar es Salaam. The push for Tanzania to reform its electoral system dominated debate yesterday following a meeting between Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation minister Prof Palamagamba Kabudi and United States’ top diplomat for Africa Mr Tibor Nagy on Friday.

A tweet by Mr Nagy who is the Assistant Secretary of State, Department of States Bureau of African Affairs revealing the nature of his talks with Prof Kabudi attracted huge interest locally as netizens engaged the US diplomat on the state of local politics on his account.

Tanzania is due to hold a General Election later in October and both local and international actors have recently raised the ante on related matter as the clock ticks away.

Yesterday, a statement by the foreign affairs ministry said Prof Kabudi had delivered President John Magufuli’s special message to his US counterpart Donald Trump. Prof Kabudi also held talks with the World Bank’s managing director Jennifer “DJ” Nordquist over the bank’s funding of Tanzania’s development agenda.

According to the statement, after receiving President Magufuli’s message, Mr Nagy who was accompanied by US ambassador designate to Tanzania, Dr Donald Wright, promised that the US will continue to enhance its long term relationship with Tanzania. The statement did not reveal the content of the message to Trump.

But it was the tweet later after the meeting by Mr Nagy that set his page alive, as Tanzanians of different ilk poured their hearts out on the subjects of his dialogue with Prof Kabudi. The US’s restated position on the need for a free and fair General Election in Tanzania appeared to attract more interest.

“Met yesterday with Foreign Minister Kabudi to reinforce the importance of countering violent extremism in the region and improving #Tanzania’s business environment. We welcome President @MagufuliJP’s commitment to holding free and fair elections in 2020,” wrote Mr Nagy on his twitter handle, with a picture showing him receiving a portrait of Mount Kilimanjaro from Prof Kabudi.

Prof Kabudi’s visit to the US came in the backdrop of recent diplomatic activity that saw the US wade into the elections debate as well as include Tanzania in President Trump’s controversial immigration curbs targeting African countries.

Tanzania was blacklisted from participating in the popular US visa lottery that allows up to 50,000 winners around the world to win green cards annually and get the right to enter and work in the US. The Trump administration also banned the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda and his wife from the US over acts of rights abuse.

The US government blamed the visa ban on Tanzanians as well as that of Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Kazakhstan and Myanmar on alleged failure by the countries to meet strict US security standards and passport technology and also failure to share terrorism related information. Tanzania government has not publicly responded to the ban and the ministry’s statement yesterday did not also indicate it was a subject in the discussions.

Mr Nagy’s mention on the elections was the second after that of the US embassy on January 31, welcoming President Magufuli’s pledge to hold a free and fair elections. The US then said it was a welcoming pledge made during the address during a sherry party at the State House.

The President’s pledge came two months after the US and UK embassies separately expressed concern over the local government elections where the ruling party won over 99 per cent of seats, saying the vote lacked credibility. The November 24 polls were boycotted by the opposition, citing violence, intimidation and outright rigging out of their candidates.

Yesterday. Most of those who commented on Nagy’s post on social media wanted the US to leverage its diplomatic influence to ensure that Tanzania reformed the National Electoral Commission (NEC). They were skeptical that President Magufuli and the government were sincere about the pledge to deliver on their promises.

Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe told the US diplomat that the President could not guarantee his word as he would be a candidate in the same race. “Just a reminder Mr @AsstSecStateAF with due respect, President @MagufuliJP is a candidate, he has no business with holding a free and fair elections. ONLY an independent electoral commission can assure us a free, fair and credible election.

We appreciate your efforts to that end,” said Kabwe who leads ACT-Wazalendo party and is MP for Kigoma Urban.

Goodluck Haule said; “The question is why Prof Kabudi went to the US to “promise” a free and fair election while here at home the government is not yet ready to meet all the oppositions to discuss a “Independent Electoral Commission?”

Junior Misiko had a different view, writing; “Tanzania has been conducting free and fair election after every 5 years and this is our tradition, we have been a good example not only in Africa but worldwide.

There (are) some few individuals who want to put us in trouble like @zittokabwe don’t rely on what they brought to you.”

Said Fundikira, and independent public health physician said the only way for the government to show commitment by deed is by immediately putting in place a truly independent body to run the elections.

Others said it will be a day dream for Tanzania to hold a free and fair election basing their arguments on CCM Secretary General Dr Bashiru Ally’s recent remarks on how ruling parties use State apparatus to cling to power.

A social media user who identified himself as Horus @TheConsumer15 said; “We are confident that you are privy to the nuances of our political landscape, just yesterday (Friday) the ruling party’s Secretary General said they have every right to use the police and courts to ensure they stay in power, adding that it would foolish to do otherwise.”

Mr Nagy’s tweet had by 9pm yesterday garnered 148 comments, 194 re-tweets and 1000 likes - mostly by Tanzanians.