“IMAGINE a football game where one team controls the referee, the scoreboard, and even the rules of the game. Before the match starts, they’ve already decided they must win, no matter what. The opposing team trains hard and plays their best, but the referee keeps calling fouls only against them, ignores their goals, and gives penalties to the ruling team unfairly.
Even when the opposing team scores clearly, the referee cancels it. Over time, the opposing team’s players and fans feel like the match is pointless because the result is predetermined. That’s what elections feel like in Tanzania since 2019—campaigning and voting seem futile because the process is controlled to guarantee victory for the ruling party.”
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“HEBU fikiria mechi ya mpira wa miguu ambapo timu moja inammiliki refa, ubao wa matokeo, na hata sheria za mchezo. Kabla mechi haijaanza, tayari wameamua kuwa lazima washinde, vyovyoteiwavyo.
Timu pinzani inajitahidi kujifua na kucheza kwa bidii, lakini refa anapendelea upande mmoja – anaona makosa (tena ya kulazimisha) kwa timu pinzani tu, anakataa mabao wanayofunga, na anatoa penalti kwa timu “yake” bila sababu za msingi.
Hata timu pinzani ikifunga mabao ya wazi, refa anayabatilisha. Kadri muda unavyopita, wachezaji na mashabiki wa timu pinzani wanahisi kama kucheza mechi hiyo haina maana, kwa sababu matokeo tayari yameamuliwa kabla.
Hivi ndivyo serikali ya Tanzania ilivyonajisi uchaguzi wa serikali za mitaa na serikali kuu tangu mwaka 2019. Kampeni na kupiga kura vinaonekana ni kazi bure kwa sababu mchakato unadhibitiwa ili kuhakikisha ushindi kwa chama tawala.
Ni bahati kwamba watawala hawatazami mbali! Muda mfupi ujao, tutajuta wote.
