Elections 2010 Tanzanians ready for change – Slaa

[The Informer]

Tanzanians ready for change – Slaa

By ThisDay Reporter

28th September 2010

THE presidential candidate of the opposition Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Dr. Willibrod Slaa, has declared that there is a shift in Tanzania’s political landscape in the run up to the general election, with voters ready to end the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s 50-year rule.

Amid signs that CHADEMA’s campaign rallies are generating a surge in support for the opposition party, Slaa insisted that people were starting to believe that a prosperous “Tanzania without CCM” was finally possible.

The comments come as there has been growing public support for the opposition leader, with the October 31 general election just a month away.

“The first phase of our election campaign has been highly successful. The majority of Tanzanians - even those in the villages - are yearning to see real change of national leadership and in the way their country is being run,” Slaa told THISDAY in an exclusive interview after returning to Dar es Salaam briefly last week from a whirlwind campaign trail.

“The people have shown a lot of enthusiasm to end CCM’s rule, regardless of the dirty tactics being used to try and stop citizens from attending our rallies.”

Slaa said unlike CCM, which has been using television comedy actors and musicians to lure members of the public to its rallies and hiring trucks and buses to provide free transport to people attending its meetings, CHADEMA has been drawing huge crowds with the message of change.

“Thousands of people in towns and villages have been attending our rallies voluntarily. They will not be intimidated by the heavily-armed riot police who come to our rallies to try to threaten our supporters to stay at home,” he said.

Slaa said he was confident of becoming the fifth president of Tanzania despite opposition concerns that the conduct of the vote would not be free and fair.

He said CHADEMA expects to excel in the presidential and parliamentary polls because it is offering voters a clear choice, thanks to its people-centred policies and a pool of “highly qualified” candidates.

“We are confident of winning the election because the people see us as a viable alternative. Voters are fed up with decades of rampant corruption, poverty and underdevelopment under CCM’s rule,” he said.

“When you see influential people such as former district commissioners, engineers, lawyers and other educated people voluntarily joining CHADEMA and running for public office through our party, this means that the country is ready for change and time has come to end CCM’s rule.”

On his campaign trail, the 62-year-old Slaa has pledged to clean up corruption among politicians, tackle poverty, restore public trust and improve social services such as providing free education and health if elected president.

He has also promised to review all mining contracts and make Tanzania self-sufficient in food within three years in order to “end the humiliation of having to beg for food from donors while the country has vast tracts of fertile land.”

“The majority of Tanzanians are needlessly living in conditions of extreme poverty in both rural and urban communities after 50 years of independence,” he said, noting that neighbouring Rwanda has achieved more progress than Tanzania despite its negative history and lack of natural resources.

Slaa described Kikwete’s five-year rule as “disastrous” and said Tanzania has become a laggard nation, while other neighbouring countries in the East African Community were making progress.

He said three quarters of the nation’s budget was being squandered in recurrent expenditures such as buying luxury cars for government officials, allowances and other wasteful spending, while important sectors such as health, education and infrastructure were starved of resources and made reliant on donor aid.

“The people are ready to make Kikwete a one-term president and vote for change on October 31,” he declared.

He urged voters to turn out in huge numbers and give the opposition party a decisive win at the ballot box to end the ruling party’s rule and bring about change to solve the country’s problems.

 

[Babuyao]

Safi sana!

 

[MzeePunch]

Ni kweli Watanzania wapo tayari kwa mabadiliko makubwa yatakayoanzisha matumaini mapya baada ya kukandamizwa na mafisadi kwa muda mrefu. Ndio maana Oktoba 31 itabaki kuwa siku ya kukumbukwa daima katika taifa hili pale nguvu ya umma itakapouangusha na kukomesha kabisa utawala dhalimu wa CCM.

 

[MANI]

Lets hope for the best. God bless us people of Tanzania

 

[Nyange]

Huo ndo ukweli. Hapa hatuvikani vilemba vya ukoka. Sema kweli bana! Tena wanakata vipande vya mikutano mikubwa il kudanganya public.

 

[AK-47]

Eee mwenyezi mungu zilinde kura za watu wako watanzania....uwape ujasiri wenye dhamana ya kusimamia uchaguzi kutorubuniwa kufanya udanganyifu...taifa linahitaji mabadiliko sasa na si baadae.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

A vote for chadema is a vote for changeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Nyunyu]

Mbadiliko yapo, kuna wakati hapa watu waliwahi kusema changes will happen this election, we are getting hopes, really!!

 

[Raymond M.M]

Ni vizuri watanzania wenzangu tukapima mtu kwa vitendo alivyovionyesha! Dr Slaa ni tunu chache katiika ulimwengu wa sasa uliojaa tamaa, ubinafsi, rushwa, na kutokujali wanyonge.
Labda tujikumbushe harakati za Mwl J.K Nyerere katika kutafuta uhuru, watu walithubutu kumuunga mkona bila kusita na kutishwa na wadharimu ndo maana tukafanikiwa kutoka kwenye ukandamizaji wa wakoloni. Sasa ni wakati muafaka wa kumuunga mkono Dr Slaa kwa matumaini makubwa na nia thabiti bila kuwa na Dora aliitetea maslahi ya wanyonge dhidi ya Mafisadi!
CCM imeshindwa na kuendelea kukumbatia Mafisadi na kudiliki hata kutofuata sheria kwa kuwaambia wezi wa kodi za wananchi walizokamuliwa wakulima na wafanyakazi wanyonge kupitia wizi mkubwa wa EPA, Rada nk wazirudishe na wasamehewe bila kupitia mikondo ya sheria.
Jamani tunahitaji kukombolewa kama tulivyokombolewa wakati wa Uhuru, Tunahitaji Uhuru mpya dhidi ya mafisadi na wezi wa Rasilimali zetu, mafisadi hawa wameweza kijikaita ktk siasa(Chama tawala) sasa ni dawa na nafasi 1 tu tuliyonayo kutunusuru, KURA.
KURA ndiyo njia sahihi na salama bila kumwaga damu.

Rai yangu kwa watanzania wenzangu tunahitaji kuamua kwa dhati! Kuwa jasiri kuangalia fursa mbadala kwa CCM. Ambayo kwa mtazamo wangu imejaa kiburi, dharau, na ulaghai
PEOPLES POWER...........!

 

[The Dreamer]

Yes I am ready for and hope YOU TOO are ready for change..this is a defining moment in our history.. we are a new generation and the destiny of our country can be determined now. Yes we can

"When you see influential people such as former district commissioners, engineers, lawyers and other educated people voluntarily joining CHADEMA and running for public office through our party, this means that the country is ready for change and time has come to end CCM's rule" Dr. Slaa

Yes, Peoples power simply means every vote counts and it is a vote that will bear the fruits for our and next generation. If so we wish, we can vote in a favour of Building the Nation. Go people go...Definitely I will vote come 31st OCt

 

[Raymond M.M]

Yes I am ready for and hope YOU TOO are ready for change..this is a defining moment in our history.. we are a new generation and the destiny of our country can be determined now. Yes we can

"When you see influential people such as former district commissioners, engineers, lawyers and other educated people voluntarily joining CHADEMA and running for public office through our party, this means that the country is ready for change and time has come to end CCM’s rule" Dr. Slaa

Yes, Peoples power simply means every vote counts and it is a vote that will bear the fruits for our and next generation. If so we wish, we can vote in a favour of Building the Nation. Go people go...Definitely I will vote come 31st OCt

Thanks,
Naomba nitoe mapendekezo, tusiishie hapa! Kampeni na ya sisi wote tunapenda mabadiliko! Uwe ofisini,hosipitali,kwenye viombo nya usafiri,maskani mbali mbali, zungumza na kuwajaza watu confidence for change. Kura peke yake haitatosha.zimebaki siku chache.malengo kila mtu ashawishi atleast watu 100 wapige kura for CHADEMA.kwa siku zilizobakia ni wastani ya watu 4 kila siku. Mnalionaje wadau?