Mr Mwakibete, how big a price for independent candidates?

What you need to know:
- When I look at for example, the young and courageous musician turned politician in Uganda, Bobi Wine, one can only imagine the headwinds he would have had to endure had he chosen say to challenge the long-standing opposition leader to President Museveni, Kizza Besigye.
Following on from a recent article I wrote posing the question if Tanzania is a multi-party dictatorship as a consequence of its continued denial of independent candidates, The Citizen on Sunday columnist Erick Mwakibete put forward his thoughts on the vitally important matter. It is most unfortunate though that he either misread my piece or deliberately chose to mislead the readership. Whichever the case let me discuss some issues here.
Most of my article dwelt with the words of the ex-Registrar of Political Parties, John Tendwa, from way back in 2005. I would have at the very least expected that Mwakibete would have been intrigued with the candid views of a former government functionary for what they were worth. Tendwa could not surely have said what he did by accident.
Putting him aside, Mwakibete would have noticed that I also wear a hat of a political party official, which gives me a crucial vantage point of things. I can state without any hesitation that ALL political parties in Tanzania as they stand do not practice any modicum of internal democracy. There is absolutely no space for dissent. Try and differ with the party supremo and you will be toast!
Part of the reason for that is they know the member has nowhere else to run to and have an impact. Essentially the parties are safe havens for characters hell-bent on having their avaricious ways.
That is where Tendwa enters the fray with his pertinent remarks on “very able Tanzanians who can qualify for elective offices but would not like to be associated with any existing parties.”
Indeed, one can most aptly apply this statement to the tragic scenario around the countless parliamentary and local government by-elections since the era of former President John Magufuli. We’ve seen the leading opposition parties boycott them continuously and in the process leaving the voters with just the CCM option. Even under single-party there were two names to choose from unlike the nonsense we’ve been subjected to of unopposed people. If we had a provision for private candidates no doubt some would have take the plunge with gusto regardless of the result.
Mwakibete would also dismiss as having made little or no difference the few African countries which Tendwa cited as permitting private candidates. This could actually be the case for a host of reasons but it is also a rather simplistic outlook that borders on the perverse. Until one surely opts to be a serious independent there are many considerations to make, especially the higher you go.
When I look at for example, the young and courageous musician turned politician in Uganda, Bobi Wine, one can only imagine the headwinds he would have had to endure had he chosen say to challenge the long-standing opposition leader to President Museveni, Kizza Besigye. He may well have been told he has to ‘respect’ his elders. He rightfully chose to become an independent although he now has a party.
For Mwakibete to comprehend just how much the denial of independent candidates has been torturous and a terrible blight on our political history, he needs to turn to none other than the late businessman, Reginald Mengi, who underwent needless tribulations.
To quote him: “Granted, there are media owners in the world who have aspired and even attained political office, but I do not think that this is the norm. Despite this, my name has often been associated with an aspiration for the presidency in Tanzania. I find the assumed connection between my being an influential media personality and having political ambitions is quite absurd but that has not stopped my being viewed by the political leadership as some sort of political threat. This perception took a dramatic angle in the periods leading up to the 1995 and 2005 general election when the issue about independent candidates in national elections became heightened in the public domain.
It would be recalled that in 1993, a political activist by the name of Reverend Christopher Mtikila (pictured), filed a case in the High Court challenging the prohibition of independent candidates from standing in presidential, parliamentary and local council elections. The case was successful and the High Court rendered a judgement declaring that there was nothing in the constitution which barred independent candidates from standing for elections.
The government quickly reacted by moving a motion in Parliament to amend the constitution through its 11th Constitutional Amendment Act No. 34 of 1994. The amendment nullified the High Court decision.
It is on record that Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was astonished by the nullification of the court decision through an amendment to the constitution.
To me, that was a case of a clear conflict between what was democratically desirable and what I regard as a ridiculous and undemocratic position by the powers that be.
Reverend Mtikila’s efforts to bring independent candidacy into our political process did not end there, and the government’s attempts to thwart this development also continued.
I am making reference to this legal circus mainly because there was a perception in some political and government circles that I was involved in promoting Mtikila’s cases because I was desirous of standing as an independent presidential candidate. Yet, there I was, wondering and puzzled about the misconceptions and groundless rumours
After rumours about my supposed presidential ambitions became too much to bear and began affecting my business and family life, I decided to approach a high-level political leader whom I trusted as a friend to help me debunk the rumours. He agreed to assist me promising that he would also make it clear to other political leaders that I did not harbour any presidential ambitions. I left the discussion relieved that at last the rumours would be swept away and that I could continue with my life.
After the expiry of the deadline for all those vying to become presidential candidates, I happened to meet the high-level leader and thanked him for his assistance. To my shock, he confessed to me that he had not done anything about my request because even he had not believed that I was telling the truth about not harbouring presidential ambitions!”
Andrew Bomani is a political scientist and the acting publicity secretary of UDP: [email protected]