As election campaigns intensify countrywide with political parties' presidential, parliamentary and civic candidates competing to woo voters to their side, some of the parties that enlisted to contest are yet to hit the road.

The marked absence from the campaign trail by presidential candidates from parties such as UPDP, NCCR-Mageuzi, APPT-Maendeleo and TLP since the whistle was blown nearly two weeks ago is raising concern over their real intentions in registering and declaring their interests to vie for the highest political office in the land.

There have also been questions over whether these peripheral parties would marshal the necessary machinery and financial muscle to mount credible challenge to the pace setters.

Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) and the Civic United Front (CUF) candidates, President Jakaya Kikwete, Dr Willibrod Slaa and Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, in that order, are way ahead in the contest. The three have been mounting huge rallies in several parts of the country in their endeavour to win the General Election.

Sections of the electorate, political commentators as well as media practitioners are now raising concerns about what they say is lacking in strategy, and even concrete policies, with which to interrogate all the candidates, especially those seeking the presidency.

Other parties such as DP and SAU had their presidential aspirants, namely Reverend Christopher Mtikila and Dr Paul Kyara respectively, barred by the National Electoral Commission while Jahazi Asilia, Demokrasia Makini and NRA were a complete no show as the deadline to return nomination forms elapsed.

In efforts to establish these parties candidates' whereabouts and highlight some of the challenges they were facing in the race if any, some officials defended their lackluster record while others vowed to come into the picture soon and "with a bhang."

But despite their apparent missing in action, the APPT-Maendeleo presidential candidate, Mr Peter Mziray, yesterday claimed his party had already launched its manifesto and was already campaigning.

Asked why he had not invited the media to the launch of his manifesto or any campaign meetings, Mr Mziray turned the blame on the media, claiming that reporters were only attending meetings of political parties that were paying for their costs.

However, this claim was immediately dismissed by at least two news editors with two leading daily newspapers who said past efforts to reach some parties failed as no one knew where and how they were campaigning.

Mziray said APPT launched its general election campaigns on the same day that the ruling party, CCM, held theirs in Dar es Salaam's Jangwani grounds.

According to him, he was at Zakiem grounds in Mbagala and said he would today be in Segerea and Buguruni to sell his party's policies and campaign for other candidates. He noted that over the weekend he was in Morogoro Region. It was however not clear if he travels with any entourage.

"We have decided to go directly to the voters and come back to the media later for coverage," said Mr Mziray who is the chairman as well as the presidential flag bearer of APPT-Maendeleo.

TLP and NCCR-Mageuzi officials said the holy month of Ramadhan had held them back. They said the public would see them as soon as the fasting ends.

TLP's deputy secretary general Hamad Rashid Tao said his party would start election campaigns soon after the Eid El Fitr celebrations.

"You need to know that most of our party members are fasting. We can't subject them to yet another punishing schedule," Mr Tao said, adding that they would launch their journey in Dar es Salaam in mid September and later proceed to the Lake Zone.

Asked if they were facing shortage of financial resources, Mr Tao said: "Those who have started ahead of us will feel our presence because we will also deploy a helicopter. We will see them at the ballot box."

The NCCR Mageuzi head of organisation and election campaigns, Mr Faustine Sungura, said the party's presidential candidate Mr Hashim Rungwe would on September 11 launch his bid at Kawe Constituency where the party would also be drumming support for the area's parliamentary candidate, Mr James Mbatia.

He said, however, that it would be unfair to say they were not in the picture because Mr Rungwe unveiled his manifesto on Sunday at Msimbazi centre. The fact that the event was low key did not bother the party supporters, he added.

Mr Sungura said campaigning during the Ramadhan "is a sign of disrespect for the Islamic faith."

Commenting on the issue, a political scientist at the University of Dar es Salaam, Mr Bashiru Ally, said smaller parties cannot afford to mount campaigns all over the country with the kind of financial difficulties they were facing.

"Political campaigns are very expensive and parties that do not get state subsidies cannot compete on equal footing with their big brothers," said Mr Bashiru who never the less faulted the system which he said could not nurture democracy.

The don said it was time to take stock of whether there has been any grounds made since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1992.

He said political parties declare their interests in elections because they are required under the law to show interest to take over power or risk deregistration.

The Tanzania Media Women Association executive director, Ms Ananilea Nkya, said the public expected more from anyone showing presidential ambitions.

"Wananchi would tell which party is serious from the campaigns to sell promising manifestos," Ms Nkya said.

However the parties missing in action got some support from Prof Chris Peter Maina, a law professor at the University of Dar es Salaam. He said presidential aspirants who had not started campaigns should be given time.

"My hope is that they will use their democratic right to sell themselves as expected," Prof Maina said.

A political analysts and a Journalism lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Mr Ayoub Rioba, said a serious party would be seen through its policies, statements and acts.

"Vying is their constitutional right but if they have opted to keep quiet expecting to win votes through other means it is wrong and could cost them dearly," Mr Rioba said.