Tanzania warns businessmen against financing politicians ahead of general elections
Tanzania’s anti-corruption watchdog on Friday warned businessmen in the east African nation against financing politicians seeking elective posts ahead of the October general election.
John Mbungo, director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau, said businessmen should neither fund political parties during the electoral process.
“Businessmen financing politicians during elections are with the intention of getting favors from the government when the politicians get leadership positions,” Mbungo told a meeting of election stakeholders in the business capital Dar es Salaam to discuss ways of controlling corruption ahead of the polls held .
“There are politicians seeking elective posts that are financed by wealthy people, and after the elections the politicians have to repay by favoring their financiers by offering them hefty business deals,” said Mbungo, adding that wealthy politicians bribing voters was also not allowed by laws of the country.
According to the National Electoral Commission, over 29 million Tanzanians have registered to vote in this year’s elections, compared to about 23 million voters registered in 2015. Tanzania has a population of about 57 million.
