Political analysts query credibility of election observers

Deus Kibamba, Chairman for the Tanzania Constitutional

 Political analysts have questioned the credibility of poll monitors for only assessing the actual election, saying it makes it hard to know whether the process was indeed free and fair.

 

 

They have therefore urged for the establishment of a special fund to finance independent parties and NGOs so as to permanently follow-up the conduct of the electoral process on the basis of national legislation and international election standards.

 

Long-serving political science Prof Mwesiga Baregu told ‘The Guardian’ in an explicit interview yesterday that election observers are supposed to cast their eyes on the process, record and report on ground.

 

Bad enough, he said, is when most observers, notably international ones, spend less than two weeks to produce their overview reports.

 

“In Tanzania, for example, they are supposed to monitor the process right from the start - Biometric Voters Registration process - pre nomination - candidate nominations - campaigns during and after the poll,” the political don said.Most often, he said, election monitors take the electoral process as a mere event. “Those who participate from the beginning are at better position to release a powerful and profound report on a country’s election,” he added.

 

For her part, Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba, Legal and Human Rights Centre Executive Director, said observation would be ‘meaningless’ and ‘shameful’ if it ends up by monitoring a poll. “it should go beyond the pre-election, election and post election framework.” 

 

Kijo-Bisamba whose organisation is down the road - closely monitoring the ongoing voter registration process, said observers should be actively involved in the screening of the voters’ roll before an election.

 

She also admitted that shortcomings in the ‘pre-process’ are often not well checked and yet it is unfortunate that observers would present their report concluding that the election was free and fair. “These are the same people who would come just one day or rather a week before election,” she said. 

 

She explained that the presence of observers in putting to check any irregularities would help the organisers of the election and other players fairly get involved in the process.

 

Concluding she said that depending heavily on financial support from international organisations and foreign countries was a big dent to domestic election monitors. 

 

“It’s vital for the government to consider setting-up a special fund for the purpose. The idea is positive for the government to promote democratic election but I am equally concerned that such a thing would never happen in Tanzania,” she said.

 

“The government has always been keen to ensure that its agencies are fully treated to the extent that they cannot humiliate it … a very live example is with the Human Rights Commission. The government failed to disburse enough funds to it so it would appropriately accomplish its duties,” she noted.

 

Deus Kibamba, Chairman for the Tanzania Constitutional Forum was of the opinion that international election observers and domestic election monitors have not been cooperating with one another to the extent that the election monitoring professional often becomes undermined.

 

He attributed the factor that often contributes to this as financial barrier, lack of information due to language problems and “negligence”.

 

He said most of election observers even after their arrival in the country, they opt to remain in international hotels either in Dar es Salaam or Arusha instead of visiting various communities who form the bulky of the voters in the country.

 

“At the end they would release their overview report, sometimes earlier than the election results. There are a lot of issues going on in the country - seriously there are issues to observe after the election also,” he added.

 

He explained that for the few elections he has observed in African countries, it took him time to go around several divisions to assess the conduct of an election in those countries.

 

He said about 40 organisations have expressed interest to work with the forum in monitoring the Tanzania General Election slated for October 25, this year. Unfortunately most of them, he noted, will be visiting the country during the election week and leave thereafter.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN