SADC observers launch Tanzania’s General Elections mission
DAR ES SALAAM: A spellbinder for Tanzania’s General Elections as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observation Mission (SEOM) today officially launched its mission in a ceremony held in Dar es Salaam.
Led by Richard Msowoya, the Chief of the delegation of SEOM for Tanzania, the mission seeks to convince the global community of just and transparent elections on October 29th this year.
Msowoya, who is also the former Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly, stated that SADC is participating in the election observation exercise at the invitation of the Tanzanian government. He emphasized that the mission will adhere to international standards, regional guidelines, and ethical principles to ensure that the election is free and fair.
He noted that Tanzania is the third country in the SADC region to hold a general election within one month, following peaceful elections in Malawi and Seychelles. This, he said, demonstrates regional solidarity in strengthening democracy.
Since the arrival of the SEOM team in Tanzania, Msowoya added, the mission has observed that election campaigns by various political parties are ongoing peacefully, indicating Tanzania’s maturity in promoting and upholding democratic principles.
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He outlined key criteria that will be used to assess the election process, including citizen participation, respect for human rights and freedoms, equal access for political parties to media platforms, and the presence of a peaceful, non-threatening, and non-discriminatory environment.
Other criteria include the integrity of electoral institutions and the legal framework, voter education and civic awareness, the freedom to contest and vote, and the importance of accepting and respecting election results.
Meanwhile, Said Shaib Mussa, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, said that the involvement of international observers helps promote transparency, fairness, and justice in the electoral process, thereby strengthening democracy among SADC member states.
The SADC-SEOM team in Tanzania comprises 80 observers from 10 member countries of the community.
