TANZANIA: Bishop Amani Warns About Corruption During Forthcoming General Elections
Sarah Pelaji
The Archbishop of Arusha Archdiocese Most. Rev Isaac Amani, has called on National Electoral Committee (NEC), to co-operate with various state governing bodies including Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), religious leaders and the police force in controlling corruption during the upcoming October 28, 2020 general elections
He said this on August 19 this year, after Senior officials of NEC met with various General Election stakeholders including heads of PCCB, Police force, religious leaders and political parties in the country.
Archbishop Amani has cited corruption as a source of disruption in the country. “It is a good thing to meet with various religious leaders who have special role to play in achieving free and fair elections and maintaining peace. If we do not fight to control corruption there will be no peace. Religious leaders can preach much about peace, but if there is corruption, the citizens will be overwhelmed with anger, hatred, revenge, oppression and other ills,’ he said.
“The national commission must continue to administer justice and make sure that electoral procedures, rules and laws are observed transparency,” insisted Archbishop Amani.
He explained further that it is impossible to preach peace if citizens continue to ask for bribes while candidates give bribes.
“Let us follow the laws and rules where electoral procedures are violated. Using force, and intimidation is the beginning of violence. Peace comes from justice, every candidate should be given his or her right and all should be free to express their policies so that the people can make proper decision,” he continued.
He also said that there should be no group of people who feel that they have all rights to be heard, express their policies, ideologies than other. If this will happen it will be the beginning of violence.
He noted that religious leaders may preach peace but stakeholders including NEC government, commissions, political parties, PCCB, police force and others must work together for justice for all groups especially candidates, media and the citizens.
He urged candidates and political parties to be tolerant of each other, urging candidates to explain their policies instead of insults.
“Let us organize ourselves for the benefit of our nation, let us maintain peace by upholding justice and truth, let us be patriots of our nation,” he concluded.
However, he expressed pleasure with NEC on how it has been open, transparent while giving opportunities to meet with various groups in the country to share and discuss the election procedures. Among those groups are vulnerable groups, women representatives, youth, police force, PCCB, religious leaders, media and political parties.
The chairman of the Electoral Commission Judge Semistocles Kaijage said the election expenses will be 100 percent paid by the government through the General Treasury. However, at a meeting between the NEC, security forces, religious leaders and the PCCB, the chairman acknowledged that corruption was still a challenge. He therefore took the opportunity to call on the anti-corruption body, PCCB, to come up with an alternative to that challenge.
On his part, the Director of the PCCB Brigadier General John Mbungo told the conference that corruption is the enemy of justice and that PCCB could not turn a blind eye to this issue but act against any candidate who would be known to perpetuate the practices with the intention of buying citizens’ rights.
“Corruption undermines free and fair elections,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Simon Sirro has also warned politicians against the use of inflammatory language and criminal conducts. He pledged that the police force will be guided by electoral laws in the run up to and during the elections. He assured participants that the police force is ready to enforce all laws pertaining to the conduct of the election.
