DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has expressed great concerns over moral decline among a section of politicians, who aspire to become future leaders of the country.
Dr Samia said unethical politicians, who cared less about political parties' codes of conducts, were tarnishing the political field.
"There are people like us who are the products of political parties and there are those who just aspire to be leaders through political parties, these are the ones who disturb us," she said when gracing the opening of the special meeting of political parties' council and stakeholders in Dar es Salaam.
The meeting, which was organised by the Registrar of Political Parties. was aimed to evaluate the state of politics in the country and implementation of recommendations by the taskforce formed by President Samia to look into the state of politics in the country.
"The current generation has come with social media. What we are seeing on social media, if those are the ones to take over the country's leadership in the future, it is very sad, there is serious moral decay," Dr Samia stated at the fully-packed Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC).
Dr Samia traced the challenge of immorality back to childhood, blaming it on the community's role of raising children, particularly during this digital era.
She insisted that the issue of moral values has to be imparted at childhood and not to a mature person.
President Samia warned that democracy should not be used as an excuse for way-ward and unethical politicians.
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She pointed out that democracy has no single formula.
"Democracy goes in line with the country's values; our tradition and customs. We may follow similar principles but differ the way we align it with values and moral; standards differ," Dr Samia stated.
"You can't take democracy from other parts of the world and want to apply it here. Even those countries that taught us democracy also differ the way they apply it due to their difference in values," she stressed.
She criticised politicians who stand on podiums and insult others under the umbrella of democracy, saying that is not democracy but indiscipline.
Dr Samia, therefore, used the platform to remind the political parties of their codes of conduct ahead of the upcoming elections in 2024 and 2025.
Among others, the codes of conduct require political parties to respect the country's laws, respect personality and protect peace and tranquility and refrain from telling lies.
