According to recent opinion polls, the two parties are the front runners in the general election that will take place this Sunday.
Four parties namely Alliance for Democratic Change (ADC), Alliance for Change and Transparency - Wazalendo (ACT-Wazalendo), Chama cha Ukombozi wa Umma (Chaumma) and TLP participated in the event that was broadcast live.
The organizers the CEOs Roundtable Tanzania, Tanzania Media Foundation (TMF), Tanzania Media Women’s Association (Tamwa) and Twaweza said while Chadema sent an apology citing “tight campaign schedule”, CCM cancelled their confirmed participation at noon “without explanation”.
“We have received an apology from Chadema but we have not heard from CCM ,” said the debate moderator Maria Sarungi.
The main talking points on which the candidates were grilled by the audience were corruption, economy and social services.
Asked if they will gracefully accept the results in the event that they lose, all candidates said they will. However when asked about the independence of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) all the four candidates expressed doubts arguing that the body needs to be reformed further and its commissioners be appointed by an independent body.
Asked if they will gracefully accept the results in the event that they lose, all candidates said they will. However when asked about the independence of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) all the four candidates expressed doubts arguing that the body needs to be reformed further and its commissioners be appointed by an independent body.
ACT-Wazalendo candidate Anna Mghwira said the only reason corruption has become part and parcel of public service is poor remuneration of workers and the only remedy is to improve the benefits of those who serve in the corruption-prone areas such as police, health and judiciary.
The first female candidate to run for presidency since independence promised that in order to get much needed cash to cater for the wage bill, if elected, her first priority will be to plug all tax holes including tax evasion that deny the government billions of shillings every year.
“Revenue collected through taxes now stands at 11 per cent of the GDP but my government will up it to 25 per cent,’ she said.
Asked about industrialization she promised to bolster. ADC candidate Chief Lutalosa Yemba promised that areas with natural resources will get more money from the national cake and more factories will be built in various regions depending on the availability of natural resources.
“The revenue from resources such as gas and minerals will be enough for my government to pay for social services such as health and education,” he said adding that with the kind of wealth that Tanzania is endowed with, the poor citizens should not pay a penny for such services.
Chaumma candidate Hashim Rungwe warned that rampant corruption has led uneven distribution of the national cake with minority living lavishly and majority languishing in abject poverty. That has put much-talked-about peace at stake.
“There can only be justice where and when there is peace,” he said promising that if elected his number one priority will be to root out corruption.
TLP’s Maximillian Lymo said his government would do more to fight for the rights of the minority and vulnerable groups especially people with disabilities.
“So far the fight against killers of people with albinism has been targeting the small fish; my government will go for the big fish,” he promised.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments :
Post a Comment