Zanzibar Chief Minister calls Tanzania CSOs to participate in election monitoring

The Chief Minister of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Honourable Shamsi Vuai Nahodha has urged members of the civil society to participate in monitoring elections as part of enhancing democracy in the country.

Hon. Nahodha made the call on Friday 28th May 2010 during the official closing of a two-day Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Annual Forum held at Bwawani hotel in Zanzibar.

He said that Tanzania CSOs should be at the frontline in election monitoring as they are the ones who know their country quite well unlike foreigners.

“You should be at the fore front in building your country. Democracy will develop roots if it is monitored by citizens themselves,” he said.

He told members of the civil society that they should not just help foreign organisations to undertake monitoring of elections as that was in agreement to a saying that “he who pays the piper calls the tune.”

He reminded CSOs that they were crucial in strengthening democracy because they are close to people and part of them.

In addition, the Chief Minister reminded people about the criteria to use in getting good leaders, especially during this period prior to the general elections of October 2010.

He asked people to avoid talking about names of people for leadership, but instead to talk about the qualities of good leaders.

He mentioned some qualities of a good leader as integrity, trustworthiness, patriotism and working for people.

“You should neither be caught into a trap of talking about names of people nor their ages, but you should talk about the agenda for good leadership. Being young or old is not a quality of good leadership, but just the number of years,” he cautioned.

The Annual Forum was attended by about 350 representatives of CSOs from all over Tanzania and its theme was “The Role of CSOs in Enhancing Democracy in Tanzania.”