Tanzanian students abroad cry for voters register
By Staff Writer
The students who are studying abroad have urged the government to review its
decision and allow them the opportunity of registering in the newly established,
permanent voter register system through the Tanzanian High Commission offices
abroad.
The students most of whom are pursuing studies in; Germany, Netherlands, Norway
and other parts of the world, wrote their grievances and posted them through
email saying;
"If we Tanzanians living abroad have anything to fear, then it is the fear of
being denied the opportunity of registering ourselves in the permanent voter
register which denies us the right to participate in the forthcoming general
elections!".
The e-mail messages were sent by one Mfundo Peter Mfundo, the Secretary general
of the overseas student forum known as Kilimanjaro-de, insisting that the
government should come up with a clear programme to ensure all Tanzanians living
outside the country are registering either through her embassies abroad or
otherwise.
"If our request will be taken into consideration, actually it will give us
relief here because we shall be confident that whenever we come back to our
root, we shall participate full in the national activities without any form of
being sidelined" reads part of the message.
Mfundo said that the government's move to exclude Tanzanians living abroad from
being enlisted in the permanent voters register was against both their rights as
citizens and the constitution which calls for equality of all Tanzanians before
the law.
They demanded to be given equal opportunity like other Tanzanians back home
(here) "After all, we are studying abroad for National interests not ours."
"We may be living abroad but we are the sons and daughters of our motherland
Tanzania and no one will deny us this fact," reads part of the message.
The chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Judge Lewis Makame, was
earlier on recorded as saying that, Tanzanians who live outside the country will
not be registered as voters for the next general election.
Speaking at a workshop for parliamentarians on the preparation of the permanent
voter register recently, Judge Makame said the law does not allow registration
of Tanzanians living outside the country as voters.
"We have neither plans nor legal authority to register Tanzanians living outside
the country in the permanent voters registry," Makame had explained when
reacting to queries raised by MPs.
Likewise, Judge Makame said NEC would not include in the register people who are
under legal custody such as prisoners.
Clarifying on the registration exercise, Dr Sist Cariah who is the NEC -IT
manager said
that the data in the permanent voters register would be computerized and voters'
particulars listed in the digital Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) forms.
NEC plans to spend about Tsh 36.6 million for the preparation of the register
and exercise to enroll voters which has already taken place in Arusha, Tanga,
Manyara and Kilimanjaro. The exercise is currently going on in other regions.
Most of the funds would be used to purchase facilities such as cameras, film,
OMR forms, lamination pouches and payment of registration officers.
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