Nairobi — It has taken a mere 14 years and three general elections to demonstrate fairly well that representative democracy is an endangered species in Tanzania.

Unless and until drastic action is taken to remedy the situation, the country may find itself in a political upheaval that would surprise many.

Hitherto, Tanzania has enjoyed the rarest of reputations in the world: That of being among the handful of African countries with demonstrable socio-political stability and security, as well as maturity and solidarity within the comity of nations.

If this were to change for the worse -- for we have failed to see and utilise representative democracy for what it is: One of the better political systems available in the world today -- then this would reduce Tanzania to just another statistic on the roll of failed states.

Matters went awry for the country in earnest early in 2008 when the prime minister Edward Lowassa and two former energy ministers, Ibrahim Msabaha and Nazir Karamagi, resigned.

Although the truth has never been told in full, the three resigned to take responsibility for a June 23, 2006 emergency power purchase agreement with Richmond Development Company that turned out to be a dubious transaction. The controversy still rages.

All this came out in the open after parliament took upon itself the unprecedented task of asking the executive the right questions.

If this was being done in the spirit of the checks and balances doctrine, "then it were good that it were done quickly."

Unfortunately, the executive has not taken kindly to what it sees as effrontery on the part of wenzetu, our bosom colleagues, across the aisle in the august House.

Remember: In the last (2005) elections, the ruling party won 70 per cent of the 10,829,513 valid votes cast and holds 264 of the 323 parliamentary seats.

The head of the executive, Presi-dent Jakaya Kikwete -- who also doubles as CCM chairman -- won the presidential vote by 80 per cent. He is also the appointing authority for much of the judiciary.

The president can nominate 10 MPs at will, and appoints ministers from serving MPs.

When all is said and done, CCM dominates the nation's life in many ways. This is not a bad thing in itself.

More worrisome, however, is that the party and its government spend most of the available but meagre resources on clinging to power come what may.

At election time -- be it general or by-elections -- the country is thrown into a fractious, sometimes acrimonious, hurly-burly.

Those in power strive by hook and by crook to remain there; those wanting a taste of power (the opposition) are forced -- mainly for lack of resources and a Constitution loaded in favour of the rulers -- to remain on the outside looking in through wishful' spectacles.

One has only to see how blatantly undemocratic the October 25, grassroots government elections were to realise that representative democracy is very much on the wane in Tanzania.

They were a negation of democratic norms and practices.

Karl Lyimo is a freelance journalist based in Dar.