SADC praises Dar over elections

FATMA ABDU

NEC Chairman Judge (retired) Damian Lubuva

MEMBERS of Electoral Commission of Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries has applauded the way the 2015 Tanzania general election was held.

They say that the poll was free, fair and open despite the intense competition that existed. Speaking to reporters in the city yesterday, NEC Chairman Judge (retired) Damian Lubuva said that the members of the commission also commented on the election saying that it was also credible and transparent.

“The eighteenth Electoral Commission Forum (ECF) of SADC countries was held from August 22 to 26 this year in Gaborone, Botswana. More than 14 member nations of the Electoral Commission in the SADC region participated with the aim of sharing experience and improve co-operation in the SADC region.

Judge Lubuva added that the Forum recognises the responsibility placed on Electoral Management Bodies in the quest to ensure that the environment in which elections take place is conducive to the requirement of credible elections.

He pointed out that the main objective of the forum was to exchange experience in connection with the recent elections in the member states including Tanzania.

He called upon Tanzanian to understand that NEC was performing its duties by sharing experience with other Electoral Commissions in the SADC region in order to improve the integrity of polls for the benefit of all.

Judge Lubuva said that among of the things NEC learned from the forum was the need fro improvement in some areas in the coming general elections. The Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC), is an independent organization in which each country in the SADC region is represented by its electoral management body.

The ECF- SADC members include the electoral management bodies of 14 SADC countries including Angola, Botswana, DRC Congo Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

The Forum has been in place since July 1998 and has played an important role in ensuring that the management of elections in the SADC countries is improved and in building the capacity of election management bodies to fulfill their roles.