While three political parties so far already have launched their campaigns, others have officially fixed dates for the event ahead of the General Election next month.

Among the first parties to launch their campaigns were the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Civic United Front (CUF) and the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema).

As the political parties' campaigns hot up, non-governmental organizations and civic societies, including the ones working for the special needs persons, are busy preparing potential voters in those groups for the election.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) conducted a two-day workshop last week to sensitize and educate people with disabilities on the forthcoming General Elections.

The workshop, which attracted about 100 special needs representatives from all regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, mainly dwelt on the Rights, Responsibilities and Roles of Voters in the country's fourth multiparty election.

The UNDP election support project manager, Mr Oskar Lehner, said the government was duty bound to ensure special needs voters were equally involved in the entire election process.

Each Tanzanian, according to Mr Lehner, should accept and respect special needs persons and that the government should ensure disabled persons enjoy equal treatment in both political and social-economic issues.

The Project Manager said UNDP conducted the workshop through ESP to deliberate on the disabled persons' fate in political leadership and the forthcoming election.

He called on print and electronic media houses to consider publishing some educational information to sensitise persons with disabilities for them to speak up their minds and demand their rights.

The ESP manager said: "The media must provide a platform for voters with disabilities to air their views and share ideas for the future of the country."

The UNDP conducted a similar workshop before the previous General Election in 2005.

The chairperson of the Tanzania Federation of Disabled People's Organizations (Shivyuawata), Ms Lupi Maswanya, observed, however, that the number of the participants to the workshop did not reflect true representation of the marginalized group in the country.

According to Ms Maswanya, poor environment prevented persons with disabilities from participating fully in election processes, as the majority of them were sidelined during the voter registration processes.

She said: "Only one million out of four million disabled persons were registered. It's high time media houses and activists advocated for the improvement of voter registration process to accommodate all legible voters to exercise their right in future."

"We experienced similar hitches in the 2005 General Election, yet no serious measures have been taken to empower disabled persons to vote freely and fairly this year," Ms Maswanya wondered.

The Shivyawata Chief was optimistic that the UNDP seminar would educate them on their rights and roles in political issues.

The Chairman of the Albino Association of Tanzania, Mr Ernest Kimaya, told Election Platform that the disabled persons were not fully engaged in this year's General Election.

"I plead with the government to take heed of international and human rights agreements, which ask all governments to consider involving us in decision making and political leadership," Mr Kimaya said.

Ms Josephime Miwa, a development officer with Shivyawata, told Election Platform that people with disabilities were entitled to take part in politics just as others are, as they also needed competent leaders to solve their problems.

She said: "These people need representatives, who are conversant with their problems and basic needs."