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TOPIC 3: DEMOCRACY
MEANING
OF DEMOCRACY
The term democracy comes from the two Greek words, demos
which mean people, and kratos which means power. Therefore, in Greek, the word
democracy means the rule of the people, it is the system where by the
population of a given society controls the government.
Abraham Lincoln, the 19th USA’s president, defined democracy as the government of the people, by
the people for the people. Of the people means that people are sovereignty and that
the government derives its power and authority from them. For the people means that
the government is there to serve the interest of the people and by the people
means that people should have the power and right to choose leaders who are to
govern on their behalf. These leaders are all representatives of the entire
society.
Generally, democracy can be defined as the form of government in which people rule. Majority
of people have supreme (highest) political power to make decisions in the
country
Also democracy can be defined as asystem of government in which all people in a country
can vote to elect their representatives. In a democracy, the government receives
its power from the mandate of its citizens. Citizens agree to be ruled by the government
because this is apractical and convenient way of running the country for the
benefit of all.
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| John Magufuli during the 2015 election campaigns |
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY
Basic principles of democratic governments
1. Citizen Participation
Citizen participation means the involvement of citizens
of the country in different affairs, including:
- Voting in elections.
- Being informed about community or civic meetings.
- Being members of private voluntary organizations.
- Paying taxes.
- Be aware ofpublic issues.
- Discussing public issues.
- Working in campaigns.
- ontributing to political parties
- Circulating and signing petitions.
2. Equality
Democracy values all individuals equally. This means
people have equal opportunities and may not be discriminated against because of
their race, religion, ethnic group or gender. Democracy allows an individual or
groups the right to have different cultures, personalities, languages and beliefs.
3. Political Tolerance
Democratic societies are politically tolerant. This means
that while the minority of the people rules, the rights of the majority is
protected. People who are not in power are allowed to organize themselves and
speak out because they may have ideas which are different from those of the leaders. Individual citizens must
also learn to tolerate each other.
4. Accountability
Democracy makes leaders accountable to the people.
Leaders are responsible for their actions. They make decisions and work
according to the will and wishes of the people.
5. Transparency
A transparent government holds meetings and allows
citizens to attend, express their views and ask questions. In democracy, the
press and the people are able to get information about what decisions are made,
by whom and why. An accountable government makes people aware of what is
happening in the country.
6. Regular Free and Fair Elections
Electing offcials to represent people
in government regularly is a way of expressing the citizens’ will. Offcials are chosen and removed from office in a free and fair manner. Corruption and threats to
citizens during or before an election are against the principles of democracy.
7. Economic Freedom
Democratic societies allow people to have economic
freedom. The government allows private ownership of goods and services. People
are allowed to engage in any legal work. They are also allowed to join labour unions.
The government lets people debate national issues.
8. Control of the Abuse of Power
Democratic societies try to prevent any elected officials or groups of people from misusing or abusing their
power. The power can be abused through corruption or use of public funds for
their own benefit, e.g. accepting money or gifts so as to provide
services in an illegal manner.
9. Bill of Rights
A Bill of Rights is a list of rights and freedoms
guaranteed to all people in the country’s Constitution. The courts of law have
the power to enforce these rights. Democracy emphasizes the value of every
human being. Examples of rights include freedom of expression, freedom of
association, freedom of assembly, the right to equality and the right to
education.
10. Multiparty
Every democratic country allows the existence of more
than one political party. The political parties must participate in elections
and play a role in government. A multiparty system allows the party which wins
the general election to form the government. When multiparty politics prevail
in a state, they make the government constantly concerned about serving the
people. The opposition parties challenge and correct the government.
11. The Rule of Law
The rule of law is the situation where all members of
society, including the leaders, accept and respect the authority of the law. No
one is above the law.All people are equal before the law. Everyone must obey
the laws and be accountable if they abuse it. The rule of law insists that the
law be equally, fairly and consistently enforced.
12. Accepting the Results of Elections
Elections are one of the components of democracy. In any
contest, there must be winners and losers. Sometimes, those who lose in an
election think that their candidate is the best and refuse to accept the
results. Refusing the results is against democratic principles. This may result
in violence, which is also against democracy. To make people accept the results
of elections, the elections must be free and fair.
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| Edward Lowassa during the 2015 election campaigns |
TYPES OF DEMOCRACIES
There are two types of democracy; direct and indirect.
1. DIRECT DEMOCRACY OR PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
This is a political system where the people vote on government
decisions. It is called ‘direct’ because the power of making decisions is exercised
by the people directly, without representatives. All adult citizens participate
in decision-making on matters brought for discussion. Every important issue is
put before an assembly of all citizens for a vote. Direct democracy can only be
practiced in countries with a small population.
Switzerland is the only country in the world which
practices direct democracy. Every Swiss citizen votes on national matters and
can challenge laws passed as well as propose amendments to laws. In many
countries, it is impossible for every citizen to take part directly in all
governmental decision-making because of very large populations.
We can observe some of the elements of direct democracy
in our country e.g. in local governments, small communities, tribes, clans or
families. In these groups, every adult is allowed to come together and vote on
certain issues. This is direct democracy at the local level.
Features
of Direct Democracy
1. Societies have enough freedom to make their own
decisions.
2. People directly contribute to government decisions.
3. All votes have equal weight.
4. All adult citizens have the fight to vote on all
national issues.
2. INDIRECT OR REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
This is a political system whereby people elect
representatives instead of voting directly on most government decisions.
Citizens elect people to serve in parliament and executive positions. These
representatives convey the interests and desires of their constituents by
participating in governmental processes. Representation can also be in different groups in the community. Members of the community
elect persons to represent them and give them power to decide on their behalf.
In representative democracy, citizens participate
indirectly by electing village councilors, members of parliament and the
President. At the school level, students elect their representatives to the
school government. For example, a class monitor may represent his or her class
in the school government.
Features
of Indirect Democracy
1. Elected leaders or representatives are removed through
elections organized constitutionally and periodically.
2. Tanzania conducts elections after every five years.
3. All adult citizens have the right to vote or be voted
for in an election.
4. People have freedom of assembly, worship, press, opinion
and association as long as they abide by the laws of the country.
5. The elected body governs according to the wishes of
the majority.
6. There is competition among political parties.
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| Zitto Kabwe during the 2015 election campaigns |
TYPES OF INDIRECT DEMOCRACY
1. Parliamentary Democracy
This is a type of indirect democracy whereby voters elect
representatives to be members of parliament. Members of parliament in turn
choose a person to head the Cabinet. That head of Cabinet is called a Prime
Minister. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in parliament.
He or she chooses Cabinet ministers from the Parliament. The Prime Minister and
the Cabinet remain in office as long as there is majority support in the
parliament. The members of parliament have the power to force the Prime
Minister to resign through a vote of no confidence. If they vote
against the Prime Minister, then he or she must resign and a new Prime Minister
is elected by Parliament. Ethiopia, India and the United Kingdom are examples
of countries run by parliamentary democracy.
2. Presidential Democracy
This is a form of representative democracy whereby the
parliament and Cabinet are independent organs. Voters elect representatives to
a Parliament. They also elect the head of the Cabinet that is the president.
The president holds office for a fixed item. In a presidential democracy, the president does
not directly control the parliament so the two can check each other’s power. This
is called a system of checks and balances. In this type of democracy the
President may come from one political party while the majority members of
parliament come from another political party. Tanzania follows this system.
3. Combined Parliamentary and Presidential Democracy
This is the type of democracy whereby the president is
elected by the people while the prime minister is elected by the members of
parliament. An example of a country which has combined parliamentary and
presidential democracy is France. Tanzania is a parliamentary system which is
described as, ‘hybrid’ between the America presidential system and the British
system of parliamentary democracy. The advantages of this system are that the branches
of the state checks and balance each other; hence there is clear separation of
power.
The
Implementation of Democracy in Tanzania
Tanzania is a country which implements democracy in
various ways, including the following:
1. Political freedom - Tanzanians who qualify to vote may
stand for election. In addition, citizens attend community or civic meetings
and are members of political parties.
2. No discrimination - There is no discrimination of people
due to their race, religion, ethnic group or gender. We are all equal.
3. Tolerance - The opposition parties are tolerated and
protected. Citizens are also required to be tolerant of each other.
4. Free and fair elections - There are fair and free
elections. Elections are held regularly, after every five years.
5. Economic freedom - From 1985 to date, the government
of Tanzania has allowed freedom of economy and private ownership. Individuals
are allowed to own property and businesses. People are allowed to choose their
own work and join labour unions.
6. Multipartism - Multiparty politics was reintroduced in
1992. Since then, many political parties have been established which
participate in different political affairs.
7. Legal rights - In democratic elections, the losers
respect the results. In case there is dissatisfaction, one may demand his or
her rights through a court of law.
8. Equality before the law - In Tanzania, no one is above
the law. People are equal before the law. If there is violation of any law,
people are allowed to demand justice through a court of law
9. Rule of law - Tanzania controls abuse of power. The
government has established organizations to facilitate the rule of law.
Examples are the Human Rights and Good Governance Commission and the Prevention
and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB). These organizations help to protect
people against abuse of power. Therefore, the rights and freedoms of the people
are guaranteed.
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| Maalim Seif during the 2015 election campaigns |
Weaknesses
of Democracy
Democracy has shortcomings to individuals and the society
as well. The following are some of the weaknesses of democracy:
1. Unfairness. This can come about through the
implementation of the majority’s decision and leaving out the minority’s
decision. Sometimes, the minority’s decisions are also good.
2. Poor representation, Delegation and representation are
elements of democracy. Sometimes, those elected to represent others are
incapable of dealing with technical issues. The result will be poor
representation.
3. Need for literacy, Some members of society are illiterate;they
do not bow their rights, especially those rights which are denied by their
leaders. Illiterate people do not know the power limits of their leaders. Such people
may elect rulers who are incapable under the umbrella of democracy. Those who
are in power take advantage of the ignorance of these people to mistreat them.
4. Time-consuming, In the democratic societies, much time
is spent to reach decisions even though the matter in discussion may need a
quick solution.
NON-DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
These are forms of government which do not exercise
democracy. The rulers exercise their power without limits. Dictatorship is the
ruling system whereby all powers rest in the hands of a few people or one person.
Dictatorship governments have similar characteristics but there are slight differences in the way they operate in different countries. The following are some of the forms of
dictatorship:
1. Autocracy is a type of dictatorship in which a
single person has unlimited power. He or she can do whatever he or she wants.
In this form of dictatorship, the judiciary is not allowed to function
independently and the people do not enjoy civic liberties. Political power is
monopolised by one person or a small group of people. The rule of the elite is
justified only on the basis of traditions, force or a coup.
2. Totalitarianism is a type of government in
which all powers are in the hands of one political party which dominates every
aspect of human life. Those who are in power believe that no citizen has any
right to challenge their authority. Leaders control power and all
administrative apparatus. The services of secret forces and intelligence police
are used to find out those who try to raise their voice of dissent from
official views. Examples of dictators of this type were Benito Mussolini of
Italy and Adolf Hitler of Germany.
3. Caesarism is a government that is controlled
by military or imperial dictatorship.
4. Fascism is a government with strict and severe
rules. It suppresses the opposition through tenor and censorship.
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| Dictators Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler |
Differences
between Democratic and Non-Democratic Governments
Democratic Government
1. Respects human rights.
2. Decisions are made by the majority.
3. There is political competition.
4. Citizens delegate their power to their representatives
willingly.
5. The state is accountable to the citizens.
6. Rulers remain in power for a specific period of time.
Non-Democratic Government
1. Human rights are not respected.
2. Decisions are made by the minority Or one person.
3. There is no political competition.
4. The citizens’ power is grabbed by the minority
forcefully.
5. The rulers are in power for their personal interests.
6. Rulers remain in power for a longtime, even for life.
MULTIPARTY
DEMOCRACY
Multiparty democracy is a political system in a country where
many political parties are operating legally. Each political party has the aim
of taking power through democratic election and forming the government.
A political party is a group of people legally
organized and registered for the purposes of forming a government.
In order to have a multiparty democracy, more than one political
party must participate in elections and play a role in government. A multiparty
democracy allows an opposition party to win the election.
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| John Magufuli during the 2015 election campaigns |
The Features of Multiparty Democracy
1. Citizens express their political views openly. The
national Constitution states the right to form opposition political parties and
encourages the citizens to express their political views openly.The
opposition parties act as a watchdog over the ruling party.
2. Human rights are respected so citizens are free to
express themselves. There is freedom of press, freedom of association, freedom
of worship and the right to join political parties of one’s choice.
3. Public accountability and transparency is promoted.
Multiparty democracy is one way of checking the abuse of power in government.
4. Multipartism is tolerant. It tolerates group’s and
individuals’ views.
5. There is a high level of citizen participation in
political affairs. They can vote and be voted for.
6. Citizens are allowed to form pressure groups or
nongovernmental organizations(NGOs).
7. The actions of the state are kept constantly
responsive to social and political needs.
Historical
Background of Multiparty Democracy in Tanzania
Our country reintroduced multiparty democracy in 1992.
This is not first time our country is experiencing this system of
politics. At the time of resisting colonial rule, Tanganyika had multiparty
democracy. The political parties that existed at that time were United
Tanganyika Party (UTP), African National Congress (ANC), All Muslim National
Union of Tanganyika (AMNUT) and Tanganyika African National Union (TANU).
It was the same in Zanzibar. Before her partial
independence in 1963, the political parties in Zanzibar were Afro-Shiraz Party
(ASP), Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP), Zanzibar and Pemba People’s Party
(ZPPP) and the short-lived UMMA party.The parties were well-organized, strong
and very active in both Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Every political party was
doing what was expected by its members.
The 1965 constitutional changes created a one party state
in both Tanganyika and Zanzibar. In Tanganyika, TANU was the only political
party while ASP was the only party in Zanzibar. From 1965 to 1992, Tanzania did
not have a multiparty system. Now, we have the following registered
political parties in Tanzania:
1. Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM)
2. Civic United Front (CUF-Chama cha Wananchi)
3. Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA)
4. Tanzania Labour Party (TLP)
5. National Convention for Construction and Reform
(NCCR-Mageuzi)
6. United Democratic Party (UDP)
7. Chama cha Halci na Ustawi (CHAUSTA)
8. Jahazi AsiliaProgressive Party of Tanzania
(PPT-Maendeleo)
9. Democratic Party (DP)
10. Tanzania Democratic Alliance (TADEA)
11. Sauti ya Umma (SAU)
12. National League for Democracy Party (NLDP)
13. National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA)
14. Demokrasia MakiniForum for Restoration of Democracy
(FORD)
15. Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD)
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| Tundu Lissu with Freeman Mbowe during the 2015 election campaigns |
How a Student can Participate in Democratic Activities in the Society
Participation in democratic activities is the right and duty of everyone. Students’ participation can
make a difference in how democracy works in their country. Students’
participation in democracy may take many forms including:
1. Standing for election, e.g. for school or club
leadership positions.
2. Voting for leaders or issues in school or club
elections.
3. Students who qualify should also participate in civic
and national elections.
4. Joining a political party, if one qualifies to do so.
5. Taking part in the work of a political party.
6. Staying informed about what is happening in
Parliament.
7. Participating in youth organizations in the community.
8. Debating matters relating to democracy.
9. Helping to educate the community on their democratic
rights, e.g. through skits and songs.
10. Attending community or civic meetings.
11. Expressing their opinions, e.g. in their peer groups
or schools.
DEMOCRATIC ELECTION
Election is the process of choosing a person by vote,
especially for political positions. During elections, citizens are given an
opportunity to choose a person to lead them.
Democratic elections
are elections where participants are treated equally, electoral laws are fair
to all contestants and there is political tolerance. People are free to give
their views, take part in campaigns, assemble and share ideas. Sometimes,
political parties and the government do not tolerate the political activities of
others. In this situation, free and fair elections cannot be achieved.
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| Seif Shariff Hamad with Ibrahim Lipumba during 2010 election campaigns |
Indicators of Democratic Elections
1. Free and fair election campaigns
2. The government allows freedom of expression, freedom
of assembly and freedom of association.
3. Election campaigns are a series of political meetings designed
to win voters for a certain candidate, political party or proposal. In these
meetings, candidates present their policies, promises and programs.
4. In free and fair election campaigns, citizens are free
to ask questions on issues that need elaboration from the contestants. This
enables them to make the right choices in the election.
5. Political parties should not disrupt each other’s’ campaigns
and the government should allow opposition parties to hold campaigns freely.
6. All political parties are given equal opportunities
7. The political parties and their nominees must be heard
equally.
8. The mass media gives equal coverage to all candidates
of different political parties. TV and radio stations air the
views of candidates equally. The print media, e.g. newspapers and journals,
also publicize the policies of political parties.
9. The government in power allows opposition parties to
operate freely.
Code of
Ethics for Elections
This is an agreement between the National Electoral
Commission (NEC), the government and political parties. The purpose of this
agreement is to sustain fairness, mutual understanding and tolerance among
stakeholders, and guarantee peace and tranquility throughout the electoral process.
Three areas are addressed in the code of conduct. These are:
1. Ethics for political parties
2. Candidates
Things to be done by Political Parties and Candidates
during the Campaign:
1. All should respect the right of other parties and candidates
to exist and to conduct campaign meetings.
2. All should adhere to programs laid out by the NEC and
its agents for the coordination of political meetings.
3. Public meetings should be conducted between 8.00 am,
and 6.30 p.m.
4. Loudspeakers should only be used between 7:00 a.m. and
7.00 p.m.
5. Campaign material and publications should be vetted by
the NEC (for presidential candidates) or returning officers (for other
candidates).
6. Parties and presidential candidates should use the
procedures and modalities laid out by the NEC when using the public media.
7. Party leaders must make plans to educate and supervise
supporters so that they do not disrupt peace.
8. Parties and their supporters should respect the
environment when posting or distributing materials.
9. Campaign meetings should be peaceful and without
religious, tribal, ethnic or sexual discrimination. They should be conducted in
Swahili and a translator used where Swahili is not understood.
10. Parties should not use religious sites to hold
meetings or solicit religious leaders to campaign on their behalf.
11. Meetings should be used to publicize policy and not to
create hatred, confrontation or division among the Tanzanians.
Opposition leaders, from left, Prof Ibrahim
Lipumba (CUF), Freeman Mbowe (Chadema), James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi), and
Emmanuel Makaidi (NLD) came together in a bid to form a coalition (UKAWA) that
will take them through the battle intended to remove the ruling Chama Cha
Mapinduzi (CCM).
Opposition leaders, from left, Prof Ibrahim
Lipumba (CUF), Freeman Mbowe (Chadema), James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi), and
Emmanuel Makaidi (NLD) came together in a bid to form a coalition (UKAWA) that
will take them through the battle intended to remove the ruling Chama Cha
Mapinduzi (CCM).
Democracy allows people to vote. It is therefore the
responsibility of every qualified citizen to vote. People often vote because they want
to bring about change. Electing a different political party or
candidate to office can change the type of government.
The following are reasons why democratic elections are
important:
1. They enable people to choose officials in political
parties, and the central government or local governments.
2. Elections strengthen democracy in a country as the
leadership is changed peacefully.
3. The country gets an acceptable government.
4. Through elections, the most popular representatives
and party are put in power.
5. Through referendum, people vote for or against
specific issues. This helps to decide on important issues in the country
6. They guarantee continuous representation and accountability
of elected leadersto the society
The
Indicators of Free and Fair Elections in Tanzania
A) ELECTIONS
1. Elections in Tanzania are held after every five years
as per the Constitution.
2. There are many political parties that compete in
elections for different vacant seats in the local and central governments.
3. All these parties are treated equally.
4. Every citizen has a right to vote if she or he
qualifies.
5. Voting is done secretly. There is no one who is forced
to vote for a candidate against his or her choice.
6. There are electoral campaigns in Tanzania. All
contestants are given enough time to visit their areas of election. They
publicize their policies and allow citizens to ask questions.
7. There is civic education for voters. This enables voters
to be aware of their constitutional rights in voting.
8. There is political tolerance.
9. Results are respected. Those who have not won respect
the results of the elections.
10. Election petitions are allowed. This is a means by
which the election of a member of parliament or a councilor may be challenged
in a court of law
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| Thousands of CCM supporters attending a campaign rally in Dar Es Salaam |
B) ELECTION PROCEDURES
In Tanzania, there is an electoral commission which is
responsible for general elections. Its main duties are to:
1. Supervise and coordinate the registration of voters in
presidential, parliamentary and civic elections in the United Republic of
Tanzania.
2. Supervise and coordinate the conduct of the
presidential and parliamentary elections.
3. Review the boundaries and demarcate the United Republic
into various areas for the purposes of parliamentary elections.
4. Perform other function in accordance with the law
C) CONDITIONS FOR CANDIDATES IN GENERAL ELECTIONS
Candidates are citizens who contest a seat in the
elections. The candidate must qualify as per the provisions of the national
constitution.
i) Conditions for Presidential Candidates
1. Be a citizen of the United Republic of Tanzania by
birth.
2. Have attained the age of 40 years.
3. Be a member of and a candidate nominated by a political
party be qualified to be a member of parliament or a member of the House of
Representatives.
4. Should not have been convicted by any court for the
offence of evading tax.
5. Be nominated by 200 supporters who are registered
voters from each of ten regions, two of which must be in Zanzibar.
ii) Conditions for Parliamentary Candidates
1. Be a citizen aged 21 years or above, and can read and
write in Kiswahili and English.
2. Be a member of and sponsored by a political party
3. Have not less than 25 sponsors who are registered as
voters in the relevant constituency
4. Make a statutory declaration that he or she has all
the qualifications required for being a candidate.
5. Deposit TSH 50,000 with the National Electoral
Commission.
6. Should not have been convicted by any court for the
offence of evading tax.
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| Supporters of the opposition CHADEMA party |
iii) Conditions for Voters
1. Be a citizen of Tanzania.
2. Be registered as a voter.
3. Be 18 years or above.
4. Be a person of sound mind.
5. Not have been detained in lawful custody within the
preceding five years.
Demonstrating
a Spirit of Tolerance by Accepting Constructive Criticism and Defeat
BEFORE
ELECTIONS
Registration is the process of being identified as a voter. A voters card must be obtained before
voting. The purpose is to make sure that no one votes twice and that each voter
is eligible to vote. Tanzania introduced permanent voters’ registers in
January, 2000. Before voting the citizens register themselves in the voters’
registers so as to be assured of voting on the voting day. In this process,
citizens should allow all people qualified to register as voters
in a given area to do so. They should not try to stop some people from
registering for fear that the said people will not support their
candidate.
Campaigns are carried out as part of the initial election
activities. During this time candidates of different parties hold
meetings to tell people about their party and convince people to vote for them.
This is one of the most charged stages of the election period. Citizens should
accept that people hold diffeerent opinions and ideas. They should not try to force
their ideas and opinions on others as this might lead to conflict. In case they disagree with the opinions and ideas of
others, then they should express this peacefully.
POLLING
DAY
Polling day is the day on which people vote in an
election. The following takes place on polling day:
1. Once voters arrive at the polling station, they present
their voters’ cards. Their names are checked in the voters’ register
2. Voters are given the ballot paper on which they cast
their votes. They go into the voting booth. This is the place where they make
their mark on the ballot paper.
Voters
carefully read the ballot paper and place a mark (usually √) next
to the party or candidate for whom they wish to vote for:
1. All votes are secret in the voting booth. There is no
one allowed to see where the voter marks the ballot paper.
2. Voters place the folded ballot papers into the sealed
ballot boxes.
3. The voters’ fingers are marked with a dye by an
official. This is to make sure that
each person votes only once.
The voters show tolerance by obeying the orders and
procedures of voting. They do not quarrel with each other even if they support
different political parties or candidates. They do not, in any way try to stop
any genuine voter from voting.
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| Supporters of opposition CUF party |
VOTE
COUNTING
When voting is over at the polling stations, counting of
votes begins. A designated official breaks the seal of the ballot box and opens the box
in front of political parties’ agents and neutral monitors. Sometimes international
monitors (observers) are present. Each ballot paper is examined and counted by
a ballot clerk with the monitors watching and checking on the counting. The
spoilt ballot papers are kept aside.
Tolerance is shown during this stage when the monitors
and agents do not unnecessarily disrupt the counting process. As long as the
process is transparent, the officials should be allowed to carry out the counting without
disruptions. In case of a dispute, this should be solved amicably without using
force or violence.
DECLARATION
OF THE RESULTS
The results are announced on the spot. Party agents sign
special result forms to confirm they have witnessed the vote counting process and
accept the result. A copy of the results is posted outside the polling station.
This is done to ensure transparency and avoid the possibility of election
rigging. All results from the polling stations in a constituency are worked on
by the area returning officer. He or she tallies them and announces the winner
Results for presidential elections are announced by the chairperson
of the National Electoral Commission.
In the spirit of tolerance, defeated candidates should
accept the results. Their supporters too, should accept the results. They should
not engage in any form of violence against the winner and his or her supporters.
The winners should also be humble in their win and avoid angering those who
have lost.
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| President Magufuli's inauguration in 2015 |
BY-ELECTIONS
These are elections which may be held to fill parliamentary or councilors seats which become vacant
between general elections. By-elections are conducted when any of the following
takes place:
1. A Member of Parliament or councilor dies.
2. A Member of Parliament or councilor resigns.
3. Parliament is dissolved before the end of its
lifetime.
4. A member of parliament fails to dischage his or her
duties.
may the functions of National Electoral Commission be posted please, for further guidance. thank you.
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