Dar es Salaam. Politics is the bridge of development, but its foundation is good leadership.
This statement carries the weight of the entire election concept. During the campaign, citizens get a unique opportunity to understand the characteristics, vision and strategies of the leaders who are running for various positions.
But are we using campaigns for the right purposes, or are we rushing to be swayed by short-term promises that are not based on real progress?
In this article, we will analyze in detail the importance of the campaign as a platform to know the right leader.
In every election cycle, the campaign is like an open lesson that every citizen should attend.
While leaders are bidding for their policies, citizens should ask questions. Are these policies compatible with the needs of my community? Is this a visionary leader or someone following the political wind?
According to the 2022 African Democracy Research Report, 68 percent of Africans admitted that campaigns are the main source of knowledge about candidates.
However, 45 percent of Tanzanians seemed to be influenced more by the languages of the candidates instead of the evaluation of their policies, according to the Tanzania Electoral Performance Report for 2022.
The campaign is an opportunity to analyze the qualities of the right leader.
The measure of a good leader is to know if he has a long-term vision and vision because development is not the result of one day. Does the leader have a five-year plan or plans to improve future generations?
Another quality is integrity and responsibility, because good leadership requires honest people.
Statistics show that 38 percent of local government leaders found guilty of corruption in the country were lacking transparency in their policies during the campaign, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General's Report (CAG) in 2021.
Also, the leader should respect the laws and principles of democracy.
A leader who cares about the development of the people will respect the decisions of the majority and defend the rights of everyone.
The importance of analyzing commitments
Promises are the main part of the campaign but not every promise has truth in it. The report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2020, showed that 60 percent of the promises made in the 2015 election campaigns in the country had not been implemented by the year 2020.
For example, promises to improve rural infrastructure were not fully implemented despite being an important part of changing the lives of the people in those areas.
Citizens should ask if these promises are possible with the existing budget? Are they based on community priorities? What are the records of the implementation of the previous promises of this leader?
How do you know the right leader?
A report by Transparency International in 2021 showed that 15 percent of voters in the country were bribed with money or gifts to vote for a certain candidate.
This situation reduces the chance of citizens to make the right decisions by following the policies and qualities of the leaders.
In this age of technology, fake news has become a weapon to mislead voters. According to the Tanzania Communications Authority (TCRA) in 2023, 27 percent of voters in the country received misleading information through social networks during the 2020 campaigns.
Betrayal language, feed
Instead of discussing policy, some candidates use the campaign to attack each other with insults and insults.
This situation reduces the chance of citizens to get accurate knowledge about the policies of the candidates.
How to use the campaign to elect the right leader
When the party releases its election manifesto, it is the duty of every voter to read and understand it. The manifesto is a development vision that explains what the winning leader will implement.
Campaign meetings are an important class for voters. This is where the candidate gives the opportunity to answer the questions of the people. In the 2020 campaign, 45 percent of voters attended campaign meetings in the country, but only 30 percent used the opportunity to ask basic questions according to INEC in 2021.
The media has a great responsibility to spread correct information about the candidates.
Citizens should use radio, television and newspapers to follow policy debates and candidate interviews.
The campaign is a unique opportunity for citizens to understand the capabilities of leaders who are competing for leadership positions. But this opportunity should be used very carefully to ensure that the best leaders get the chance to bring about change.
Citizens should not be influenced by empty promises, gifts or attractive language but should analyze the policies, records of the candidate and his visions carefully.
As a society, it is our time to use the campaign not only as an entertainment program, but as a classroom to know the right leader for the future of our nation.
In the process of choosing the right leader through the campaign, it is also important to evaluate the ability of women in building social cohesion.
Good leadership depends not only on development policies and commitments, but also on the leader's ability to unite people from different groups to work together to achieve social and economic goals.
Statistics from the United Nations Development Organization (UNDP) in 2022, show that countries with leaders who encourage solidarity and unity are more likely to achieve development projects quickly, compared to those with political and social divisions.
The need for detailed analysis
Citizens should use the time of the campaign to make a detailed analysis about the ability of the candidates to cooperate with various institutions.
The best example is from regions with successful development projects with the cooperation of government leaders and the private sector.
The World Bank report in 2023, shows that Mbeya Region was among the fastest growing between 2015 and 2020, due to the efforts of regional leaders to cooperate with investors in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
This was due to the elected leaders having a good record of cooperation in practice, a situation contributed to by their open campaigns that clearly showed their plans.
The campaign should also be a time to test the candidates' ability to deal with conflicts in society.
The right leader is not only the one who knows how to make promises but also who can solve the challenges that arise quickly and wisely.
In the 2019 local government elections, some villages in Kigoma Region were challenged by land disputes, but leaders who had the reputation of mediation were elected and brought sustainable solutions according to the Tanzania Land Use and Dispute Resolution Report of 2021 .
Managing leadership values
Citizens should realize that the right leader is the one who lives by leadership values.
These values include integrity, humility, and responsibility to the people who elected him.
In the 2020 general election, 42 percent of voters admitted to voting for candidates who had a history of accountability according to INEC in 2021.
This shows that citizens understand the importance of a leader having a record of respect and transparency, although efforts to increase this understanding are still needed.
Campaigning is more than political promises and motivational speeches. It is a platform to achieve real change by choosing the best leaders who will manage the welfare of society.
Citizens should participate fully, make a detailed analysis of policies and make sure they vote for leaders with vision, values and the ability to bring development unity.
This is the responsibility of each of us for the benefit of the present and future generations.
