Zanzibar Women Need Capacity Building for General Elections

By Issa Yussuf

Zanzibar — WOMEN in Zanzibar are lobbying for capacity building, a move they have described crucial in enabling them participate actively in the forthcoming general elections.

The call for help was echoed by community women groups when they gathered to share ideas on challenges facing them as the 2015 general elections draws closer.

The women groups' coordinators from Shehia (wards) of ten districts of Unguja and Pemba underlined the importance of a timely training before the much awaited general elections.

"Training or capacity buildings are essential for the expected aspirants to join in the political race. We need to be prepared," emphasised Ms Zawadi Hamdu Vuai, activist and women affairs coordinator from Makunduchi, South Unguja.

She said that women are often committed people but their turn out for electoral posts remains relatively low, due to several social political hurdles which include lack of or insufficient preparations.

The women meetings were held at the Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) office, Mombasa Unguja and Gombani in Pemba and also attended by officers from the UN which has been supporting programmes to promote women's participation in elections.

"Without early preparations through capacity building, increasing women confidence, they won't realise their dreams," Ms Vuai said.

She mentioned other challenges facing women in taking part in politics as stereotype, women vying for leadership are viewed by a section of the society as prostitutes, misinterpretation of religious teachings, lack of networking and knowledge/resources to plan and execute political campaigns.

Ms Vuai argues that motivation through capacity building is the base of political ladder, but women in Zanzibar have been denied of such opportunity as a result "to date there are only three elected women out of the fifty constituencies for the House Members of Representatives."

Ms Samira Abrahman from Chambani, Chake Chake, Pemba also said that women should be equipped with the political trainings to raise their confidence level in taking part in elections.

She said for years, the Zanzibar political landscape has been shaped by male contestants in all of the strategic electoral posts and women were pushed at the special seats which fall short of activism thrust.

Source: allAfrica