Life after election: unity, peace, stability
As Tanzania was reaching the climax of its multiparty democratic electoral processes this year – and whose voting countrywide was conducted on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 – the need to stress unity, peace and stability clearly manifested itself.
This year’s elections were the sixth in the quinquennial series since the nation statutorily returned to multiparty politics in 1992, largely on the back of the Justice Francis Nyalali Presidential Commission’s findings and subsequent deliberations of the veteran ruling party’s highest institutions.
Formed by President Ali Hassan Mwinyi in 1991, the Nyalali Commission reported on December 11, 1991 that 80 percent of the Tanzanians it polled nationwide wanted the country to continue with the mono-party political system, while only 20 percent called for a radical change to multiparty politics.
However, after deep thinking that involved the founder of Tanzanian nationalism and Father of the Nation, the Late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere (1922-1999), the ruling party and the Government of the Day sided with the 20 percent Tanzanians – and just as soon legislated multi-partysm into existence 1992.
The Commission also recommended that only political parties which were earnestly steeped in national unity – and taking into account the best interests of the two parts of the Union across the Zanzibar Channel – should be formally registered and allowed to operate.
As we noted in a report published in our edition of May 6 this year titled “Nyalali Commission recommends restoration of multiparty politics”, the general idea was “to build a political culture that would bolster and maintain our country’s peace and serenity” – even as political parties competed on a level playing field to lead Tanzania to new and sustainable socioeconomic development heights.
Re-adoption of multipartyism
In due course of time and events, the CCM congress held in Dar es Salaam February 18, 1992 unanimously accepted the proposal on the formal re-adoption of the multiparty political system.
What with one thing leading to another, the first multiparty elections under the new system were conducted on October 29, 1995.
Thereafter, the country has unfailingly conducted elections at five-yearly intervals involving more than a dozen political parties. The latest such multiparty elections culminated with polling day last Wednesday.
Happy to say, all the sixth multiparty elections were conducted peaceably – thanks be to the Lord God – and, hopefully: all is well that ends well.
We indeed, are sorely tempted to draw a parallel in the fact that October 31, is National Unity Day in India [‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’], a date that has been celebrated annually since 2014 in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Oct. 31, 1875-Dec. 15, 1950).
Lionised as ‘The Iron Man of India,’ Sardar Patel played a major role in the integration of India (‘Ek Bharat’) from over 560 Princely States in his lifetime.
We can do no better than quote him here in a truism that also befits Tanzania post-the-2020 elections: “By common endeavour, we can raise the country to a new greatness – while a lack of unity will expose us to fresh calamities.”
