TOUR OF DUTY

The two senoir lecturers from Saint Augustine University (SAUT)  of Mwanza, Thomas Masanja (R) and Mataba (C) interviewing the Chief Editor for Country FM Radio, Ahemed Meena (L) in Iringa region as part of assessement program towards the implementation Election Reporting for Radio Journalists training workshop conducted the past few months by Tanzania Episcopal Council (TEC) in conjuction with SAUT/RUCO funded by the UNDP.
Country FM radio journalists were one the beneficiaries of training and among other from the Souhern Highlands Zone, they wanted found out whether training have an impact on journalists reporting election process of 2010.

MKUTANO WA TUME NA VYAMA VYA SIASA NGAZI YA MKOA

 The European Union Election Observation Mission General Elections-Tanzania 2010, from (L-R) is Diana Ferrari, Zanda Marinuka (long-term observers) and Mawazo Shitindi interpreter during National Electoral Commission and political parties leaders meeting in Iringa region.

 From (L-R) is Barbanas Ndunguru a Regional Election Coordinator for Iringa, Joseph David a Chief Internal Audtorof NEC, National Election Commissioner Hilary mkate and Geroge Kashua an Election Officer for Central Zone (Dodoma, Singida, Tabora and Kigoma). 

A cross section of political party leaders who attended the one day seminar between NEC.



THE Nation Electoral Commission (NEC) has assured the political parties, voters, candidates and other electoral stakeholders in the country that the elections will be successfully and conducted in calm and peaceful manner come October 31 this year, it has been disclosed.



The called was made on Monday by the national electoral commissioner and former judge, Hilary Mkate during a one day round table meeting on election preparation process between the commission and political party leaders held in Iringa Region.


He said that NEC is committed to make that the elections were successful, peaceful, calm, and responsible and urged political parties, media, candidates and voters to do their bit to ensure that it is done well without any problems.


However, he assured the political parties, candidates and voters that the electoral materials including the ballot papers have already arrived in all respective council headquarters and constituencies which will be later distributed to various polling stations which will not exceeding at least 500 voters on each polling station before the Election Day.


Adding that this year ballot papers were a little bit different from the previous one, whereby the picture of candidates are on the left hand side of ballot paper and the box where to put a tick is on the right hand side, unlike the previous one which had the picture of candidates on top and the boxes where to put the marks were underneath the picture of candidate.


“Political parties should help the national electoral commission to take voters education their party members who are eligible voters about the new designed ballot papers so that will not make mistakes and destroy the ballot during Election Day,” the commissioner urged.


The general elections this coming October 31, 2010 will be the fourth election to be conducted in Tanzania since the introduction the multiparty democracy.


There are a total of 19,694,416 electorates on the permanent voter register who are going to be participated this year general elections of presidential, parliamentary and civic polls.


Furthermore, there are total of seven l of presidential candidates, 1,041 parliamentary candidates and 7,932 civic candidates out of 18 registered political parties respectively.


The commissioner made precaution that NEC was only mandatory body that have been entrusted to announce election results not anybody else.