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Kenyan elections all so relevant to Tanzanians
2007-12-26 09:37:31
By Edit
It is General Elections day in Kenya tomorrow. It is a decisive event of great value and relevance to Tanzanians as well.
Tanzania and Kenya have belonged and struggled together for as long as one can remember.
They still belong and struggle together under the auspices of the enlarged East African Community and in various other ways.
There is little that can happen in either country without affecting the other in some positive or negative way. This is why we feel obliged to wish the Kenyan people the very best as they go to the polls.
Much as one would wish otherwise, elections as crucial as the ones our northern neighbours will be holding tomorrow are unlikely to be conflict-free. The countdown to Kenya\'s upcoming polls has attested to this.
However, election violence is indefensible because it can`t lead to fair, free, and peaceful polls that nations need to mould genuine democracy and good governance.
The media have been awash with reports confirming that the run-up to Kenya\'s big day tomorrow has been unnervingly rough.
But there has lately been a silver lining on the dark cloud on the horizon - and clear indications that peace will prevail, with Kenyans ultimately weathering the storm and going on to promote social and economic development while also ensuring human dignity and promoting peace.
It is worth noting that this positive scenario has not been automatic or self-induced but is the work of political leaders and wananchi who have seen the importance of making the elections a meaningful exercise that will earn Kenya a good name.
All the three main presidential candidates signed a pre-campaign peace charter under which, among other things, they promised to promote peace by upholding the values of truth, integrity, tolerance, transparency and accountability before, during and after the elections.
They further promised to desist from engaging in incitement and violence as a political mobilisation strategy and to uphold the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of gender, race, tribe or religion.
Additionally, the candidates promised not to engage in inflammatory or hate speech along gender, racial, religious, ethnic, political party or other lines.
They all subscribed to the motto: ``We choose to promote peace. Join us. This year vote for peace.``
Even separately, the candidates and their parties preached peace. One declared: ``I promise to equally share all economic and social development opportunities so as to build a society that is cohesive, secure and tolerant.``
So there is evidence that political will bent on fostering peace and national unity has not been a scarce commodity in pre-election Kenya. That is a huge plus.
That things have not run as smoothly as expected is unfortunate but is by no means the yardstick one could use to dismiss Kenyan politicians and the Kenyan people as irredeemably undemocratic or irreversibly violent.
General Elections are serious business. Tanzanians know this for a fact. That\'s why we wish our Kenyan sisters and brothers the very best on their big day tomorrow.
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