20101030
Nation

Tanzanians go to the ballot on Sunday, with some 19.6 million registered voters expected to elect the country's next president, 239 MPs and over 3,300 councillors.

Voters will decide who between President Jakaya Kikwete of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) -- who is widely expected to retain his seat for a second five-year term -- Dr Willibrod Slaa of Chadema and Prof Ibrahim Lipumba of the Civic United Front (CUF) triumphs.

Their verdict will also bring to an end one of the most fiercely contested political race in recent times, with the incumbent's re-election bid facing a stiff challenge from Dr Slaa whose sudden entry into the race and his campaign for change appeared to strike a chord with the masses.

It is the fourth General Election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1992. According to the National Electoral Commission officials, polling centres will be opened as early as 7am and they expect the exercise to end at 4pm.

Union parliament

Some 407,658 voters in Zanzibar are also electing their 50 representatives to the union parliament and house of representatives in what is largely expected to be a peaceful exercise, with CCM's Dr Ali Mohammed Shein and CUF's Seif Shariff Hamad the leading contenders to succeed President Amani Abeid Karume.

The two leaders are also expected to share power in a new constitutional dispensation to end perennial election violence. Zanzibaris approved a government of national unity in a referendum early this year.

Tight security is expected in all the 53,000 polling centres with authorities saying it was necessary to keep the peace and guard against acts of lawlessness, especially in areas that have lately experienced bloody battles among the competing political parties.

Most constituencies had received election materials by on Saturday even though reports that had not been officially confirmed from Kagera and Zanzibar said voting may be delayed in some areas due to logistical and technical problems.

In Kagera region, information indicated Nkenge constituency may be affected due to a hitch with the ballot papers that required to be replaced.

On Saturday, the main parties held their last campaign meetings, with former president Benjamin Mkapa the main attraction at CCM's rally at Jangwani grounds in Dar es Salaam where he rooted for President Kikwete's re-election.

It was the first time that he has publicly campaigned for the ruling party's candidate. President Kikwete, 60, seeking a second and final term, received a rousing welcome at the venue, waving from a convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles as the enthusiastic crowd surged forward.

"Our party will win. I have no doubt about that," he told the crowd. "We began our campaign on the basis of our good record and we have fulfilled our pledges. We still have a long way to go but our objectives are very achievable."

Kikwete called the opposition parties "a collection of bitter people who bandy around insults". "Why should you bother with photocopies while there is an original? CCM is the original party," he told the crowd.

Kikwete has pledged to boost education, health and infrastructure in this east African country, where many live in poverty, depending mainly on subsistence agriculture.

Dr Slaa was in Mbeya town where he appealed for a large turnout, saying that that was the only way of kicking out CCM. His ecstatic supporters chanted in praise of Chadema's promise for change reminiscent of US President Barrack Obama's "Yes We Can" campaign slogan.

Prof Lipumba closed his campaigns on Thursday. Several observer missions from the African Union, European Union, the Common Wealth and the regional EAC are already in the country to monitor the election.

President Kikwete had said on Friday that Sunday's vote would be credible. He also dismissed claims of vote rigging by the opposition. Unlike its neighbours Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania has enjoyed political stability.