Politics in Tanzania and Uganda

According to sister, when she was in Tanzania 6 years ago, no one really talked to her about politics. On this trip, however, a lot of people began telling us about Tanzania politics without us even asking.

Chadema, the opposition in Tanzania

Sam, our porter on Mt Meru, had strong political convictions. 'Tanzania has a lot things, we have gold, Tanzanite, Kilimanjaro and the Sarantetti, but the people, they don't see the benefit' (all quotes here are paraphrased). He blamed this on corruption, and was convinced that Chadema, the opposition to the ruling CCM would remedy that.

Doctors' strike in Tanzania

Sam also told us that the doctors were on strike and that the leader of 'the doctors own party' (doctors union, we assumed. Others called him 'the doctors strike ringleader') had been beaten almost to death by what everyone assumed was the government. Several other people brought up the same event with us. Our friend Gody told us that him and his wife Christina had been expecting a baby earlier this year, but due to the doctors strike they had been unable to get health care, and the baby had died. Still, Gody told us that he understood the doctors reasons for striking: wages not paid on time, wages too low, no resources in the hospitals. And he too believed that the government was obstructing the doctors union.

Same Chadema story

As we continued our travels in Tanzania we found that everyone we talked to about politics delivered an almost identical speech. Chadema has clearly been effective in delivering their message. We learnt to identify the flags for Chadema and they were quite abundant. You could also spot an occasional CCM flag, but they were a minority.

It was difficult to find out more specifically what Chadema wants, aside from the people seeing the benefit of Tanzanias resources. We asked everybody who talked to us about Chadema why they thought that the opposition would be less corrupt than CCM if they were voted into power. Our guide in Tengeru said he was convinced Chadema would not also be corrupt because 'If you really want something to be true, and you believe it will be true, it will be true'. Others said 'we have to be aware and stop it if they are'. Others seemed to not understand our question and just repeated the speech about Tanzanias many problems, as a country rich in resources but with a people living on poverty, and how Tanzania 'needs change'. We didn't feel find anyone who was critical of Chadema's politics.

Uganda: the story of the President

In Uganda, we have only had a chance to talk politics with one local, our guide Brian. He was very careful not to give any opinions of his own.

'I don't talk about politics, I just decide who is the best, and then I vote when it is time to vote. When people talk about politics, always they are fighting. In Kampala last week, on the streets, they were fighting'.

Brian did mention problems with corruption and tribal favourotism in ugandan politics, and he gave us his take on the history of Ugandan politics:

'This president, he did not come into power by voting, it was by fighting. The reason for the fighting was that the previous leader (Idi Amin), he was very bad for the country, he killed a lot of people, and a lot of people were dying. But after the president now had power, the people said 'why we cannot vote for who we want as our leder?', so the president said 'ok, we will vote', and the president won the election. Then the people said 'why we cannot vote every 5 years who we want as our leader, and the president said 'OK, we will vote every 5 years. He has won every election and had ruled for 25 years, and now some people say for the next election, nobody should be allowed to be president for more than 25 years. The young people, they want change, but the older peopld they remember the old leader and they are afraid that with a new leader, it will be the same. So they say 'let the president rule until he say he is finished', and that is why they vote for him.'

The next election is in 2016, better start campaigning. 

Vote NRM, vote Museveni.