TANZANIA is going to general elections on October 31, 2010 and Elections are a process. It is important to bear in mind that what takes place on the polling day is a conclusion of struggles, campaigns and debates that have been going for quite some time.
Like a ‘Judgment Day’, the polling day is about decisions that have been long in the making. Even judging an election whether is free and fair or not, is not the matter of what happens on voting day, but what has been happening all along.
Obstacles to free and fair democratic elections
Among the most common obstacles are abject poverty, inequality, ignorance, electoral corruption, unethical polities, total despair, extremism, lack of courage, apathy, imposed political culture, discrimination, marginalization and political oppression.
1. Electoral Corruption is a threat to free and fair elections because it leads to wrong choices of leaders and, eventually, to a government, central or local, that is corrupt.
2. Poverty and Inequality- rich candidates might buy poor voters’ votes.
3. Political Oppression –forcing people to vote for a candidate they would have otherwise not elected, as results are not free and fair.
4. Apathy-non participation in election due to lack of provision of civic and voter education to people.
5. Extremism- priorities are distorted and choices clouded.
6. Discrimination and Marginalization-normally include people with handicaps, the physically challenged, and small indigenous groups such as hunter-gatherers.
