VETERAN political leaders yesterday called for dialogue to mend the nation’s ways and find solutions to on-going tension in the political environment as it threatens peace and national unity.

Judge (rtd) Joseph Warioba said at a conference organised by the Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD) to examine the state of democracy in the country that it is important for all stakeholders to come together to find solutions lifting the nation out of confusion.

He said that democracy is about the people, and for it to be effective it must resonate with them, while in the past decade people feel less inclined to vote compared to the era of single-party rule.

He affirmed that the government's role in overseeing local government elections is not new as elections have historically been managed by the government while opposition parties have regularly secured various positions.

He commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for establishing the Criminal Justice Commission which did excellent work in addressing fundamental issues related to criminal justice procedure and conduct of state organs.

Civic United Front (CUF) chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba appealed to political leadership as a whole to sit down and discuss ways to stop planned protests.

Sitting together and seeking consensus will be beneficial for all Tanzanians, he said, while Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe told participants that the party has been in mourning for a month owing to kidnappings and even murder of a senior cadre.

Mbowe, also the current chairperson of the centre, said that the growing trend of abductions of party officials will not make the party back down in defending justice in the country.

“If we want to move forward, we must be courageous enough to stand up and speak the truth,” he passionately asserted, urging the creation of independent bodies to investigate these alarming incidents.

John Cheyo, chairman of the United Democratic Party (UDP), said that the country has a problem with democracy. “We initiated the centre during challenging times and struggled to find common ground, which is why TCD was established,” he stated.

“The country should not allow criminals to disrupt the peace. People must unite and protect themselves. While it is not wrong for people to demand their rights, it should be done wisely. The table for dialogue is essential, which is why TCD was created,” he pointed out.

The government should investigate the killings and make its findings public as such incidents will undermine the peace, he added.