Top Democratic states in Africa; Tanzania hata top ten hatupo!

[Manda]

Kwa wale tuliozoe nyimbo tamu masikioni mwetu from our political leaders, this can sound awkward to them. Lakini huo ndio ukweli, Tanzania tumepitwa na Uganda as well as Kenya katika kuwa na demokrasia ya kweli katika nyanja mbalimbali kama walivyo ainisha hao Wajerumani.

Source; New Vision; www.newvision.co.ug


Uganda 8th most democratic in Africa
Monday, 24th March, 2008 E-mail article Print article

By Barbara Among

UGANDA is one of the 10 most democratic countries in Africa, according to a survey by a Germany research firm.
The German Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index put Uganda at number eight out of 38 African countries.

The firm analyses the quality of democracy, market economics and political management in 125 developing countries across the world.

Areas examined are political participation, the rule of law, stability and democratic institutions, political and social transformation as well as economic performance, competition, currency and price stability, welfare regime and sustainability.

“It is beyond dispute that the government has achieved an extensive reconstruction and economic recovery following an almost complete economic collapse,” the report notes.

“The government has been relatively successful in liberalising the economy and establishing the basic foundations of a socially integrated market economy.

This has enabled the country to reach fairly satisfactory macroeconomic growth, achieving growth rates between 5 and 6% per year, and to also make notable progress with respect to key social programmes, although genuine and sustainable poverty reduction and structural changes remain rather limited.”

As a result, Uganda has received a lot of aid as well as generous debt relief. However, it points out that political analysts tend to reach different verdicts on Uganda from that of the aid agencies and economic observers.

“Until recently, analysts have evaluated with some ambivalence Uganda’s political role in a region continuously grappling with armed conflict.”

“On the one hand, Uganda has promoted economic cooperation, particularly in East Africa, but on the other hand, it has been engaged in dubious confrontations with its neighbours such as the DR Congo, Rwanda and Sudan,” the report added.

The contradictions, it says, are reflected in the way various external observers characterise the country, which has been praised for its exemplary reforms by some and criticised as an authoritarian political regime by others.

On democracy, it said constitutional changes resulting in the lifting of restrictions on political parties represented a step in the right direction.

It, however, points out that the new constitutional and political framework still favours the ruling authorities and does not provide a fair “level playing field” for all political actors. It also notes that Uganda’s military continues to be an influential background factor.

Freedom of speech and of the press is tolerated to a fairly large extent, the survey found.

“Surprisingly, critical public discussions and statements in the media, including private FM radio stations, are normally the rule of the day, but from time to time massive intimidation campaigns are also carried out by state authorities,” according to the report.

“All in all, the political climate is characterised by a carefully balanced fusion of relatively open and independent discussion, on the one hand, and of nevertheless keenly-felt control and sometimes even intimidation on the other.”

The foundation notes that corruption continues to be a major problem in Uganda.

“While there have been many investigations into corrupt practices and subsequent dismissals or other actions in proven cases, there is still a widely prevalent perception that, in a lot of other cases, no stern action is taken and corruption is implicitly allowed to continue to a significant extent right up to the highest political levels.”

It also notes that politicians and society as a whole have been slow in understanding and considering the value of environmental concerns.

In the rest of southern and eastern Africa, the survey found most countries stagnating in their economic and political growth. “Although many have made significant strides on the road to democracy and a market economy, the vast majority are characterised by very little significant change.”

The countries which have progressed more in their political and economic transformation are Mauritius, followed by South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Ghana and Benin. Somalia scores the worst, followed by Eritrea, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In East Africa, Kenya came below Uganda at position 12, followed by Tanzania. Burundi is at position 21, while Rwanda is 27th.

 

[Sir Leem]

Hawa watu wametumia vigezo vipi hata kuonekana Uganda ina demokrasia Kuliko hata Tanzania?

Museveni aliyeingia madarakani kwa mtutu wa bunduki tangia 1986 hataki kuachia madaraka anaelezewa na demokrasia?

Huo utafiti ujinga mtupu!

 

[Manda]

Soma paragraph ya tatu na nne wameainisha vigezo vyao walivyotumia.

 

[Bongolander]

Hawa watu wametumia vigezo vipi hata kuonekana Uganda ina demokrasia Kuliko hata Tanzania?

Museveni aliyeingia madarakani kwa mtutu wa bunduki tangia 1986 hataki kuachia madaraka anaelezewa na demokrasia?

Huo utafiti ujinga mtupu!

Heshima mkuu, conclusion yako imenisikitisha sana,mimi naona utafiti huo hauko umbali na ukweli naweza kusema kwa kiasi fulani tumependelewa. Democracy haiangaliwi kwa kigezo kimoja tu cha namna ya kuingia madarakani kwa rais. Kuna uwezekano mtu akaingia kwa mtutu lakini democrartic institutions zikawa zinafanya kazi vizuri sana. Tanzania unajua tulivyo hodari wa ku rig elections kama tulivyofanya Zanzibar mara mbili tatu, kuhonga waandishi wa habari, kuwadanganya wananchi na mengi tu ambayo yanatufanya tusiwe na democrasia ya kweli. Au naweza kusema tuna democracy of deception, democracy Tanzania ni as long as CCM inashinda!

 

[Manda]

Am some how familiar na nchi kama Uganda na Kenya, binafsi nilipata shida sana kukbaliana na utafiti wao, even though walitoa vigezo vya utafiti wao, tuchukulie kigezo cha utawala wa sheria, i dont think kama nchi kama Uganda wapo juu yetu ukichukulia yale yanayotokea/yaliokwisha tokea.
For instance last year kikundi kilichokuwa kinajiita ''black mamba'' (hawa si polisi wala wanajeshi ila ni kikundi tu kinachosadikika kuwa cha chama tawala NRM) walivamia court na kuwateka watuhumiwa na treason ambao walikuwa ni wafuasi wa FDC bila amri ya mahakama, even though mahakama ilkuwea imewapa bail, na it was not their first time!!, end result ikawa ni kwa majaji wote kugoma, the rest of the story is just History.
Nakubaliana kimsingi kuwa for state to claim is democratic is a very complex thing na mara nyingi sio kweli, demokrasia ya kweli inahususha mambo mengi, within and without tha state boundaries

 

[Manda]

Am some how familiar na nchi kama Uganda na Kenya, binafsi nilipata shida sana kukubaliana na utafiti wao, even though walitoa vigezo vya majibu ya utafiti wao. Tuchukulie kigezo cha utawala wa sheria, i dont think kama nchi kama Uganda wapo juu yetu ukichukulia yale yanayotokea/yaliokwisha tokea.
For instance last year kikundi kilichokuwa kinajiita ''black mamba'' (hawa si polisi wala wanajeshi ila ni kikundi tu kinachosadikika kuwa cha chama tawala NRM) walivamia court na kuwateka watuhumiwa na treason ambao walikuwa ni wafuasi wa FDC bila amri ya mahakama, even though mahakama ilkuwea imewapa bail, na it was not their first time!!, end result ikawa ni kwa majaji wote kugoma, the rest of the story is just History.
Nakubaliana kimsingi kabisa kuwa for state to claim is really democratic is a very complex thing, kama ilivyo kwa ''free and fair election'' to be not the only determinant for government to claim is democratic, kwaio basi demokrasia ya kweli inahususha mambo mengi, within and without tha state boundaries as well as government conducts ambazo ni sustainable, mfano nchi kama Marekani ambayo ina claim kuwa most Democratic, the fact inaweza kuwa ndio violater mkubwa wa basic human rights duniani.
In a nut shell, the way forward towards achieving real democracy kwa nchi zetu hizi is very long to go, demokrasia ya kweli haiishia kwenye midomo ya wanasiasa majukwaani bali kwenye matendo halisi mtaani.

 

[Mtanzania]

Hivi kweli anayejua democracy Afrika anaweza kusema Uganda wako mbele ya TZ?

Hiyo report inaongelea progress na sio level of democracy, kitu ambacho ni tofauti kabisa.

Soma report yenyewe na wala sio hiyo habari ya Waganda kujipigia debe.

Inawezekana TZ hatujapiga hatua kubwa tokea mwaka jana lakini hii haina maana tuko nyuma ya Uganda.

Angalia mfano huu hapa chini:

In a global comparison, the Eastern and Central EU accession states have once again shown great progress. The Czech Republic, Slovenia and Estonia top the ranking followed by countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, Chile, Croatia and Costa Rica. The index gives Chile the highest score for political transformation management, followed by Estonia, Botswana, the island of Mauritius and Slovakia. The big losers of the last few years include Poland because of the polarizing government of Kaczynski and Venezuela under Hugo Chávez. The worst level of development towards democracy and a market economy was judged by the experts of the foundation to exist in North Korea, followed by the People's Republic of Congo, Sudan, Eritrea, Myanmar and Somalia.

About the Transformation Index:

The Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) is the global ranking of the quality of democracy, the market economy and political leadership in 125 developing and transformation countries. It measures the successes and relapses on the road to democracy under the rule of law and with a socially responsible market economy. Detailed country reports provide the basis for evaluating the level of development as well as the capability of political actors to implement reforms in a consistent and targeted manner. The BTI is the first international comparative index which measures the quality of governance with self-collected data and provides a comprehensive analysis of political and economic transformation.



Je ni kweli nchi kama Poland democracy yao iko chini ya nchi kama Chile au Botswana?

 

[Nemesis]

M'bado sijakubaliana na utafiti huo, huenda hiyo firm ya ujerumani inajambo na Mseveni. Nimeifuatilia habari hiyo hadi kwenye sorce www.newvision.co.ug

Nimeviona vigezo vilivyotumika yaani Areas examined are political participation, the rule of law, stability and democratic institutions, political and social transformation as well as economic performance, competition, currency and price stability, welfare regime and sustainability.

Ukitazama kwa umakini kigezo cha kukua kwa uchumi ndicho kilicho kuwa na weight kubwa. sasa hiyo siyo Demokrasia. Ghana ilikuwa kwa kasi sana kiuchumi wakati inatawaliwa na Dikteta, likely what is happening in Uganda.

Naomba mwenye ripoti nzima (Research Report) aimwage hapa ili tuone research methods waliyoitumia.

 

[Pundit]

Huwezi kuwa na demokrasia kama huna elimu, hapo ndipo tunaposhindwa.

Tunaweza kuwa tunawashinda wenzetu katika nyanja nyingi (hususan uhuru wa vyombo vya habari) lakini kama tunaandika tunavyotaka (mwingi utumbo kwa sababu hatuna elimu) na hamna mtu anayesoma (only 3% of Tanzanians read newspapers) basi tunaonekana uhuru wetu wa vyombo vya habari hauko effective kwa sehemu kama Uganda ambao nafikiri hawatufikii kwa uhuru wa vyombo vya habari per se, lakini ule mdogo uliopo unakuwa effective kwa sababu watu wanaandika makala zenye akili na wasomi wengi.

Huu ni mfano tu wa kwa nini nchi kama Uganda inaweza kutushinda kwenye demokrasia licha ya jitu kama Museveni kuwa dikteta la kutupwa.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Basi kama ndio hivyo hili neno la demokrasia halina maana tena....linahitaji redefinition...

 

[Manda]

Ni kweli kuwa tafiti nyingi ambazo zimekuwa zikiendeshwa na mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali ya nje, tafiti zao zimekuwa quite subjective, na huenda wanakuwa na goals flani flani.
Kama nilivyo bainisha awali, democracy is a very complex phenomenon, hivyo basi binafsi naamini so far hakuna unique definition ya democracy ambayo italeta maana moja kwa mmoja.
Uhuru wa vyombo vya habari inaweza kuwa ni ishara ya demokrasia, lakini yenyewe isijitosheleze. Inshu kama za how much accessible is mass media ni mhimu kuzingatiwa pia then kuna inshu ya content kubwa ambayo inabebwa na hivi vyombo vya habari, je ni pumba au mchele?
Mfano tuu ni kweli Tanzania tunaongoza kwa kuwa na magazeti mengi kwa siku/wiki, lakini ukweli ni kwamba mengi yamejaa blah blah tu!

 

[RR]

Hapa naomba kupata maana ya demokrasi....kwa mitizamo tofauti tofauti.

Sijawahi kusikia Marekani wakisema kwamba Uganda au Rwanda hakuna demokrasi....Saddam Husein alikua anasema yupo madarakani kudemokrsia.

 

[Bin Maryam]

Ni kweli kuwa tafiti nyingi ambazo zimekuwa zikiendeshwa na mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali ya nje, tafiti zao zimekuwa quite subjective, na huenda wanakuwa na goals flani flani.
Kama nilivyo bainisha awali, democracy is a very complex phenomenon, hivyo basi binafsi naamini so far hakuna unique definition ya democracy ambayo italeta maana moja kwa mmoja.
Uhuru wa vyombo vya habari inaweza kuwa ni ishara ya demokrasia, lakini yenyewe isijitosheleze. Inshu kama za how much accessible is mass media ni mhimu kuzingatiwa pia then kuna inshu ya content kubwa ambayo inabebwa na hivi vyombo vya habari, je ni pumba au mchele?
Mfano tuu ni kweli Tanzania tunaongoza kwa kuwa na magazeti mengi kwa siku/wiki, lakini ukweli ni kwamba mengi yamejaa blah blah tu!

Manda:

Acha uzalendo. Vitu vipimo vingine ni estimate tu. Na katika estimate hizo ni lazima nchi zipangwe. Kwenye kuzipanga nchi, nchi zilizopitana kwa nafasi chache kama vile tano hazina tofauti kubwa sana.

 

[KakindoMaster]

Watanzania wana demokrasia ya amani na utulivu ambayo huwa tunaihita jadi yetu. Siku moja niliona Uganda kitu ambacho inawezekana Tanzania hakipo kulikuwa na Mgomo wa Makerere, ulikuwa unaweza kuandika katika makala fulani kuuliza kitu chochote kesho yake unajibiwa kutoka ikulu.

Watanzania demokrasia tunafikiri kuwa tuko mbali lakini pia kama wengine walivyosema inawezekana iko more complex, na nafikiri tanzania demokrasia tulionayo imetawaliwa na woga sana. Tulicho nacho kinaweza kikawa siyo demokrasia hila ni woga. kwa hiyo professionals wakiwa wanafanya evaluation wanaweza waone kuwa inawezekana siyo demokrasi hila ni woga kwa hiyo tusichanganye hivi vitu viwili.

Nasema hivyo kwa sababu kuna baadhi ya wabunge walishapigiwa kelele za kukataliwa na wananchi(demokrasi hiyo) mwisho wanashinda mpaka hata wananchi waliopiga kura wanashangaa (tanzania ni kawaida), kenya wanapigana, uganda ngeu mtindo mmoja(sijui wapi kuna demokrasi). Hiyo ni dimension mojawapo ambayo kama kuna expert ameweka vigezo atanyamaza lakini reporting yake itakuwa kitu kingine.

 

[KakindoMaster]

Hivi hapa tulipojaribu kudiscuss hili suala wakati tunazungumzia kuwa tanzania tuna demokrasia kuliko nchi nyingine, tuliondoa Zanzibar ktk discussion?

 

[George Kahangwa]

Leo hii ungeniuliza kama watanzania tunahitaji kujenga demokrasia ya kweli,ningejibu haraka haraka kwamba ndiyo. Japo hilo ni hitaji letu lakini si kana kwamba tunalenga tumzidi fulani au fulani(nchi jirani) ila ni heri majirani nao wakiwa na demokrasia ya kweli maana matatizo yatokanayo na ukosefu wa siasa ni kama ugonjwa unavyoweza kusambaa bila kujali mipaka.

Kama hao wajerumani hawajatu-rank amongst the top 10,basi ni changamoto kwetu kwamba tujitizame tujirekebishe. Unajua wakati mwingine hata habari ya kupewa A score kwenye mtihani inaweza kumfanya mtu abweteke.

Demos cratos,yaani watu kuamua na watu kutaka,kuna viashiria vyake ambavyo tunaweza kuvitumia na kujitathmini hata sisi wenyewe.Wa nje wafanye tathmini zao nasi tufanye zetu ndani. Matharani,tuitazame demokrasia ya Tanzania kwa viashiria hivi:

• Ushiriki wa watu katika maamuzi na utekelezaji.
• Muafaka,uwepo wa hali ya kuafikiana miongoni mwa makundi yenye mitizamo tofauti.
• Uwazi
• Utawala wa sheria
• Ukweli
• Utamaduni wa ushindani
• Uwezo wa kiraia- civic competence
• Uadilifu - as opposed to ufisadi
• Fursa sawa kwa wote

.
Ukianza kuichambua Tanzania kwa kiashiria/kigezo kimoja kimoja hapo utagundua kwamba kwa kweli kidemokrasia we are yet to do quite well.

 

[Njowepo]

Hebu tuangalie nini maana ya Democracy!
The word democracy derives from the ancient Greek dēmokratia (δημοκρατί&#945 (literally, rule by the people) formed from the roots dēmos (δημο&#962, "people," "the mob, the many" and kratos (κρατο&#962 "rule" or "power"
In political theory, Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practiced is competitive elections. Competitive elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and some degree of rule of law. Civilian control of the military is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference with political affairs. In some countries, democracy is based on the philosophical principle of equal rights.
Majority rule is a major principle of democracy, though many democratic systems do not adhere to this strictly—representative democracy is more common than direct democracy, and minority rights are often protected from what is sometimes called "the tyranny of the majority". Popular sovereignty is common but not a universal motivating philosophy for establishing a democracy.
No universally accepted definition of 'democracy' exists, especially with regard to the elements in a society which are required for it.
Many people use the term "democracy" as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include additional elements such as political pluralism, equality before the law, the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances, due process, civil liberties, human rights, and elements of civil society outside the government. In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a supporting attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant philosophy is parliamentary sovereignty (though in practice judicial independence is generally maintained). In other cases, "democracy" is used to mean direct democracy.
Though the term "democracy" is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles are also applicable to private organizations and other groups. Democracy has its origins in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Europe, and North and South America [2] but modern conceptions are significantly different. Democracy has been called the "last form of government" and has spread considerably across the globe

 

[Manda]

Hebu tuangalie nini maana ya Democracy!
The word democracy derives from the ancient Greek dēmokratia (δημοκρατί&#945 (literally, rule by the people) formed from the roots dēmos (δημο&#962, "people," "the mob, the many" and kratos (κρατο&#962 "rule" or "power"
In political theory, Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practiced is competitive elections. Competitive elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and some degree of rule of law. Civilian control of the military is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference with political affairs. In some countries, democracy is based on the philosophical principle of equal rights.
Majority rule is a major principle of democracy, though many democratic systems do not adhere to this strictly-representative democracy is more common than direct democracy, and minority rights are often protected from what is sometimes called "the tyranny of the majority". Popular sovereignty is common but not a universal motivating philosophy for establishing a democracy.
No universally accepted definition of 'democracy' exists, especially with regard to the elements in a society which are required for it.
Many people use the term "democracy" as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include additional elements such as political pluralism, equality before the law, the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances, due process, civil liberties, human rights, and elements of civil society outside the government. In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a supporting attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant philosophy is parliamentary sovereignty (though in practice judicial independence is generally maintained). In other cases, "democracy" is used to mean direct democracy.
Though the term "democracy" is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles are also applicable to private organizations and other groups. Democracy has its origins in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Europe, and North and South America [2] but modern conceptions are significantly different. Democracy has been called the "last form of government" and has spread considerably across the globe

From above comprehensive definition of Democracy kwaio what i see is like...kila nchi inakuwa na tafsiri yake ya demokrasia, simply the way Mmarekani atakavyo tafsiri the word Democracy ni Tofauti na vile M-Palestina atakavyo define!, [abstract noun?]

 

[Mpalakugenda]

Uchochezi umeanza zamani.

 

[Rohombaya]

Dah... Kikirstu!