Elections 2010: Social Media and Election Monitoring

The early report from Uchaguzi dot or dot tz* is hot off the press. Here is a quick glimpse at the accumulated efforts of citizen monitoring using the Ushahidi platform:

Looks like Dar is the hottest spot, but the other urbanities have really represented.

Check out the number of people who had a perfectly pleasant voting experience. Check out the number of Tanzanians who couldn't find their names on the voter roll. James Mbatia of NCCR-Mageuz0- who didn't get to vote- has some company.

In 2005, there was no Twitter. There was no 3G mobile phone network. The Tanzanian blogosphere was in it's infancy, and Ufisadi wasn't a household term yet. Look how far we've come. While every day is a good day to be Tanzanian, some days are admittedly better than others :)

If you want to keep track of events in realtime, may I recommend: TBC, ITV, Capital, StarTV, RadioOne, Idhaa ya Kiswahili (Deutsche Welle, the Beeb, VOA and Radio France International) and on the net: JamiiForums (with your grain of salt), Wanazuoni, Twitter hashtag Tanzania and the NEC website. Sorry I haven't linked those outlets, my net is slow so just use your noodle and try google.

Baptism.

It took us about two minutes to walk the wending inner streets of Mikocheni and arrive at the primary school. The room was nicely signposted, the government officials as warm and polite as one is likely to get. I got my picture taken after the nice lady told me to sit up straight and then adjusted my bra strap so it wouldn't show. Decorum. I asked the nice registration man if he was okay with me taking pictures too. He was nervous but he consented. People are kind to you when you tell them that it's your first time.

The classroom was peaceful and quiet, a civic cathedral where we all sat on the same narrow wooden pews that children would fidget on tomorrow. Someone had left a lesson on the greenboard in beautiful cursive. Kwa. Kwe. Kwi. Kwo. Kwu. It only took me ten minutes and a few questions to get inducted into the Tanzanian diocese of the Church of Electoral Democracy.

I was born in Mwanza City, Bugando Hospital, same as my four siblings. I will vote in Mikocheni, Kawe, Kinondoni- same parliamentary constituency as my three siblings and two parents*. I was handed yet another photo ID encased in hard plastic. Like so many of the best moments in life, it was wonderfully mundane.

Walking back home, the colors seemed brighter and the crows less annoying. This afternoon, I shall cook and dine with my favorite political operative and my oh-god-i-have-to-deal-with-government-hand-holder-in-chief to celebrate. While buying some brew, I asked my Duka Guy if he'd registered. He laughed and said he'd done that long ago. Everyone around me seems to have voted before, and I feel a bit silly being so terribly excited about this.

I can't wait. Have a blessed Sunday.

*That is where the similarities end. We have far too much fun twitting each other over political choices to sing from the same hymn sheet.

TEDxDAR: Maya Wegerif

Maya Wegerif: 18 years old. African. As she introduced her work as a writer, she hit on the point of voice and representation. Although she couched it in terms of stories told about Africa and Africans and incited us to claim our space, I was hearing her as an African woman who is frighteningly talented and challenging us, her sistren, to tell our stories too as best we can.

Tcha. Keep your eye on this one. We'll all be milling around her trying to get a photo op when she wins that literary prize in a couple of years. Best get your photo now ;)

And yes Maya: let's claim our stories. Check her out on her blog.

We were treated to another excellent TED Video. You can't pay for candor like that :)