Tanzania dissolves parliament ahead of general election
Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:07 GMT
* Vote expected on October 31
* Kikwete expected to win second term
DAR ES SALAAM, July 16 (Reuters) - Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete dissolved parliament on Friday ahead of a general election in the east African country slated for October.
Kikwete pledged to continue with economic reforms, foster political reconciliation in the volatile Zanzibar archipelago and tackle corruption.
"Based on our achievements of the past five years ... I am confident that the people will acknowledge our work and give us a fresh mandate to rule," he said in an address to parliament.
"This is the time for the people to decide," he said, pledging a peaceful, free and fair election.
Kikwete said among his government's achievements was the fight against graft, saying it had greatly increased the number of anti-corruption prosecutions.
"In the past five years, we have taken 780 corruption cases to court. This is much greater than all the total 543 cases taken to court in the 20 years to 2005," Kikwete said, adding they had won 160 of those cases compared with 58 won in the 20 years before.
"And the fight continues."
Kikwete won the election by 80.3 percent of the vote in 2005. The 59-year-old president has ruled Tanzania for the past five years and is expected to easily win re-election in the October 31 vote. [ID:nLDE66B1PD]
"I now adjourn parliament until the President of the United Republic of Tanzania reconvenes the National Assembly," said Parliament Speaker Samuel Sitta after the president's speech.
The president is elected by popular vote, alongside elections for the parliament.
Later this month, the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar will hold a vote on whether to change its constitution to allow rival parties to form coalition governments, meant to end decade of bitter party politics. [ID:nLDE64E07B]
"I congratulate members of the Zanzibar Council of Representatives for allowing a referendum to be held ahead of the elections," Kikwete said.
(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala, editing by George Obulutsa and Jon Hemming)
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