Women lobby for gender equality in nomination of candidates

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The TWCPP coordinator, Ave Maria Semakafu

 The Tanzania Women Cross Party Platform (TWCPP) has
appealed to the country’s political parties to be gender sensitive when nominating candidates for various posts in the coming General Election.

 

It also challenged all women to push for gender equality in the process in order to have a democratic system in the country. This will enable equal representation of both men and women in decision making organs, it said.

   

It made the appeal in a press statement availed to The Guardian yesterday by the TWCPP coordinator, Ave Maria Semakafu.

 

The statement said any political party cannot have true democracy if its operations lack gender equality.

 

“Most political parties have failed to put women in top positions within them, even when they are able to hold such positions…It is high time for women to lead in various posts  instead of remaining  as onlookers as the situation is now,”  Semakafu said.

 

She explained that as the country was heading towards the General Election, the TWCPP has come up with the theme “Women and Elections” to encourage more women to turn out and contest for various posts. They include the presidency, Members of Parliament and councilors that are sought through their respective political parties.

 

Semakafu called upon party leaders to support women who are capable of standing for various leadership posts in their parties.

 

She commended political parties which have been providing opportunities to women in promoting democracy. She said as a result their female members have also turned out in big numbers to pick up nomination forms for the presidency.

Semakafu mentioned them as Dr Asha-Rose Migiro,  Ambassador Amina Salum Ali and Dr  Mwele Malecela, 

 

“After the women returned nomination forms and fulfilled required conditions what remains is for the CCM central committee. This will pick five names that it will submit to the National Executive Committee for further screening. Later three names will be submitted to the General Conference in order to obtain one candidate,” Semakafu said.

 

She commended women from CCM  and Chadema who showed their intention to contest for various posts in their parties.

 

 Semakafu further called upon CCM to consider the gender issue when nominating five candidates and taking other procedures which would follow