Tanzania Votes in Closely Contested Election
26 Octobre 2015 - 2:10AM
Dow Jones News
NAIROBI—Tanzania went to the polls Sunday in the most closely
contested election in its history and the first that poses a
substantial challenge to its one-party rule.
East Africa's most populous country and second-largest economy
has been ruled by Chama Cha Mapinduzi, or CCM, whose uninterrupted
dominance since the late 1970s is now challenged by a cluster of
opposition parties, the biggest of which is Chadema.
Polls suggested CCM, led by John Magufuli, was still going to
clinch a victory over Edward Lowassa's Chadema, albeit at a
diminished share of the 239 parliamentary seats. But the majority
of the country's registered voters is younger than 35, and Ahmed
Salim, senior analyst with Teneo Intelligence, said the youth vote
could still hold surprises.
Results weren't expected until late Tuesday or Wednesday.
The demographic makeup of the Tanzanian voters could hold
lessons for politics across a young and dynamic continent ruled
overwhelmingly by old men. Some 57% of registered voters are aged
between 18 and 35, according to the Tanzanian National Electoral
Committee, and their preferences for better employment prospects
and more state services will have to be addressed.
Tanzania's transition into a more contested election is a bright
spot in African elections, where recently incumbents have been
trying to fiddle with constitutions to stay in power longer.
Departing President Jakaya Kikwete, 65 years old, is leaving his
position according to the constitution, having served two five-year
presidential terms since 2005.
CCM has dominated Tanzanian politics for more than half a
century: The party was formed and started ruling in 1977 and has
won every election since multiparty elections were held in 1995.
Over the past year, a scandal related to the energy sector chipped
away at CCM's popularity, boosting Chadema's chances. But CCM is
now led by a new candidate, Mr. Magufuli, 56, who earned a
reputation for being effective as minister for works and is so far
untarnished by graft allegations.
Chadema's presidential candidate, Mr. Lowassa, 62, once served
as prime minister with CCM but defected to the opposition when CCM
didn't put him on the presidential ticket.
In the weeks leading up to the elections, climaxing on Saturday,
tens of thousands turned out at colorful rallies dominated by
younger voters, song and dance.
Analysts still stressed risks of tensions flaring up in some
parts of the country, especially the semiautonomous island of
Zanzibar, where opposition was pre-emptively challenging the
electoral results if the incumbent wins, and promised to fight
back.
Creating jobs and keeping up a healthy growth rate of 7% or
higher will be the biggest challenges the new government will
face.
The country has been moving toward the ballot box partially in
the dark, as the past few weeks have seen prolonged power cuts in
one of Africa's biggest sources of natural gas. The country doesn't
produce enough energy to cover its needs, while its grid is badly
managed. In recent weeks, droughts have halted electricity
production in hydroelectric plants, leading to mass energy
shortages.
Managing relationships with major oil-and-gas companies
operating in Tanzania, such as Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Exxon
Mobil Corp., will be a key challenge for the new president. Both
candidates have campaigned on a promise of carving out a bigger
stake for the state from the gas sector. But this would likely
require renegotiation of the exploration contracts in place, and it
isn't clear that the winner would deliver on those promises and
risk rapture with the companies.
Write to Matina Stevis at matina.stevis@wsj.com
Access Investor Kit for "EXXON MOBIL CORP"
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US30231G1022
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 25, 2015 20:55 ET (00:55 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juin 2024 à Juil 2024
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juil 2023 à Juil 2024