Kikwete sworn-in as 4th president

Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who won a landslide victory in last week’s presidential elections in Tanzania, was sworn-in on Wednesday at a colourful ceremony in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam. "I am proud to become president of this beautiful, peaceful and united nation, with people who are friendly and proud of their country," he told some 30,000 spectators at the ceremony, among them heads of state and government from at least 15 countries. Kikwete, 55, pledged to deliver on his electoral promises. One of these was to root out poverty and speed up the economic reform programmes adopted by his predecessors. "We are not going to turn back," he said. "Those who are dreaming that we will reverse the economic reforms are damn wrong," he said in apparent response to critics of his socialist background and his close links with the country’s founding president, the late Julius Nyerere. He commended all his predecessors – Nyerere, Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa for laying a solid foundation for the nation's advancement. Kikwete also vowed to improve the country’s relations with its neighbours and those far away. He did not speak on the volatile political situation in Zanzibar. He was also silent on the question of graft which is one of the issues that the administration of President Benjamin Mkapa was accused of failing to check. According to official results announced Tuesday by the country’s electoral commission, Kikwete, of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (the Revolutionary Patry), scooped 9.1 million votes, equivalent to 80.28 percent of 11.365 valid votes cast. Ibrahim Lipumba of Civic United Front emerged second with 1.3 million or 11.68 percent of the vote. Freeman Mbowe of Chama Cha Demokrasi Na Maendeleo (Chadema - Party of Democracy and Progress) gathered 668,756 votes or 5.88 percent. Augustine Mrema of Tanzania Labour Party got 84,901 or 0.75 percent; Edmund Mvungi of the National Convention and Reform got 55,819 votes or 0.49 percent; Christopher Mtikila of the Democratic Party got 31,083 or 0.27 percent; Emmanuel Makaidi of the National Leagues for Democracy collected 21,574 or 0.19 percent. Anna Senkoro of People’s Progressive Party of Tanzania, the only woman candidate, got 18,783 or 0.17 percent; Leonard Shayo of Demokrasia Makini got 17,070 votes and Paul Kyara of People’s voice got 16,414 votes. According to the electoral commission 16.4 million Tanzanians had registered for the polls of whom 11.87 million voted on 14 December. There were 510,540 spoilt ballots.