Challenges for the Democratisation Process in Tanzania: Moving towards consolidation years after independence?

7. Sphere 3: Political Parties—challenges for the opposition

219 7 Sphere 3: Political Parties— challenges for the opposition1 In democratisation theory, the development of a healthy and vigorous opposition is a crucial part of a liberal democratic framework (Carothers, 2006; Diamond and Gunther, 2001; Gunther et al., 2002; Lindberg, 2007; Ware, 1996). A multiparty system needs by definition reasonably well functioning parties, at least more than one. In this chapter we will make an analysis of the main political parties in Tanzania and the challenges that they are facing, in order to better understand to what extent Tanzania is moving towards consolidation of a multiparty-democracy. In our analytical framework in chapter 2, it is the sphere “political society”, with the two main institutions “viable multiparty system” and “Free and fair elections” that will be dealt with in the two coming chapters, which we have reproduced in figure 9 below. As the political society is in focus of the study, the account for the political society is given more space and is divided in two chapters, one on “viable multiparty system” and one on “free and fair elections”. The political society is crucial from an accountability perspective, as the political parties are in the intersection of horizontal and vertical accountability. The elected party members in respective representative assembly on various levels hold the executive 1 I have in this chapter chosen to have longer extracts from various interviews in order to bring out the political parties own views. It should also be noted that it is the perception of the parties, where the views at times of course differs strongly between the opposition and the governing party. 220 JONAS EWALD CHALLENGES FOR THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS IN TANZANIA accountable, horizontally. There is, according to the theory, a two-way relationship between representative assemblies and political parties. Well-organised parties, party caucuses and parliamentary committees, strengthen the role of the parliament and councils, vis-à-vis the executive, and hence strengthen horizontal accountability, and the efficiency of parliament and councils. Strong parliaments and councils in turn strengthen building of political parties, as the parties are perceived to have an influence (Burnell, 2006; Carothers, 2006). In democratic theory, the parties are also the major mechanism for aggregating the citizens views and expressing their interest as well as mobilising, educating and developing visions and policies for short and long term development , through the parties internal structures as well as outside the parties—and to hold leaders on various levels accountable, and hence an important vertical accountability mechanism (Rakner and Svåsand, 2002; Randall and Svåsand, 2002). Strong parties hence have the potential to strengthen democracy, through horizontal and vertical accountability and participation. A challenge is to understand which social base and interests various parties represent, the internal democratic processes and of course what ideology and polices the party pursues—and hence what democratising effect the introduction of multiparty system has for a substantial democratisation. In the vast literature on transitions to democracy one useful terminology are the distinctions between elite continuity, where elites from the pre-democracy era, often within in government structures start new (opposition) parties and challenge the ruling party, and at times become a new incumbent party or continue as opposition party - most often based on a rightist ideological position. Party continuity regards the situation where the party identified with the pre-democratisation era transform and adapt to a multiparty environment and manage to maintain power. Elite and party discontinuity refers to a situation where a transition to multiparty democracy brings about a break down of previous elite’s controls and a fading away of parties and actors connected to the pre-democratisation process regime (Morlino, 2009). Until recently not much research was done on the political parties in Africa (Basedau et al., 2007), notably exceptions are (Salih, 2003; Olukoshi, 1998), but the few years a number of studies has taken on the political parties. In Tanzania the department of political science have done several studies on the political party, among theme Max Mmuya who did a number of studies of the political parties in the early years of the introduction of the multiparty system (Mmuya, 1998; Mmuya and Chaligha, 1994). 221 7 SPHERE 3: POLITICAL PARTIES—CHALLENGES FOR THE OPPOSITION Figure 9 “Sphere 3”The political society Balance opposition—ruling party Election campaigns Viable multiparty system POLITICAL SOCIETY Free and fair elections External constraints for political parties Relation ruling party—state...