China upbeat on smooth elections in Tanzania

 Dar es Salaam. China’s ambassador to Tanzania Wang Ke yesterday expressed her satisfaction with the ongoing election campaigns, stressing her country’s noninterference policy with the local affairs.

 Ms Wang, who spoke at a briefing after inspecting the newly built Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School, said Tanzania’s experience of holding peaceful elections created a belief that even the coming elections would be successful.

“We have seen smooth, open and orderly campaigns since the end of August as per the laws governing the process. China is upholding the principle of noninterference policy in other country’s internal affairs. Tanzania is a land of peace. It has a long history of peace, security and tranquillity. So, we believe that Tanzania has strong wish, system and capability to conduct free, fair and peaceful elections,” she said during the ceremony also attended by CCM supporters from around the college surroundings.

 “We have seen in this election that major political parties are actively participating, you have recorded the numbers of registered voters and you have the largest number of presidential candidates,” she said.

“We are committed to strengthening the relations between China and Tanzania and of course between CCM and CPC, which I also rep- resent. Our relationship is based on four principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and noninterference to each other’s internal affairs,” she said. Ruling party’s secretary general Bashiru Ally and the China envoy had visited the leadership school for final inspection.

Dr Bashiru said the visit was part of commemorating the death of Tanzania’s founding President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere whose death is marked every October 14.

 “I’m here with China’s ambassador as part of commemorating Mwalimu Nyerere whose contribu- tion to liberation of Africa is out- standing,” said Dr Bashiru.

 The two led party supporters to go through the modern structures of the school expected to host about 200 learners altogether. The Sh90-billion school located at Kibaha was cofounded by six par- ties in southern Africa. The parties include Tanzania’s CCM, the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, Mozambique’s Liberation Front (Frelimo) and the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Swapo Party of Namibia and the Zimbabwe Afri- can National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) of Zimbabwe.

The six parties cooperated with the Communist Party of China (CPC) whose company CRJE constructed the school. “The party to party relations are very important part of relations between two countries and their people,” said Ms Wang.

Dr Bashiru said CCM was implementing its policy of having leadership colleges which would instill pan-African philosophy among its leaders. He said the college would train

public servants and political party leaders with the Pan-Africanism thinking even if they are from the opposition.

CCM has two other leadership colleges: Ihemi in Iringa and Tunguu in Zanzibar.

“These are liberation parties formed in 1960s and challenges have changed in our countries. So, these schools will help to prepare our leaders to tackle challenges of the time by properly learning the history,” said Dr Bashiru.

 He said the curriculum for the school was already prepared and  would be commissioned after the October elections and after other countries have stabilized from Covid-19.