Updated: 30 October 2000
by DAVID MARTIN

DAR es SALAAM, 30 October 2000 - Tanzania second multi-party elections on 29 October 2000 began as a memorable day in the life of Ben Mkapa.

As the incumbent president, he is expected to increase his majority from the 61.8 percent he obtained at Tanzania's first multi-party elections in 1995 although constitutionally he now only needs to beat his nearest opponent and not score 50 percent plus one vote as he had to do in 1995.

His ruling Chama Cha Mapunduzi (CCM) party won 186 of the 232 seats in those same elections with the remainder being shared
between four minor parties.

Over five years Mkapa has transformed Tanzania from one of the world's poorest nations to Africa success story in the eyes of international
donors. Conspicuous poverty remains evident. But inflation had been cut from 32 percent to less than 6 percent, growth is put at five percent and
tourism and mining are booming.

Zanzibar's Salmin Amour had privately indicated that he might run for a third and unconstitutional term as the island's president. Mkapa skillfully blocked this plan. Even among his detractors, Mkapa's conspicuous integrity and such achievements are acknowledged.

The main question, or so it seemed, was who would come second to Mkapa and CCM as Tanzania's quietly queued to vote on Sunday 29
October 2000.

Along with his wife Anna, Mkapa had cast his ballot at Ubungo Primary School at 0700. He spoke briefly to the assembled media expressing
optimism that the elections would be free and fair and he laughingly recalled that he had once also been a journalist.

Then the Mkapa's headed off to church as they do early every Sunday.

This time round he had a country as well as a campaign to run and after six gruelling weeks on the stomp around his almost one million square
kilometer country he settled in to some business of state.

The mood was optimistic. Early reports from "command posts" around the country indicated that unlike five years ago the poll was progressing well with few hiccups. Most of the 38,364 polling stations had opened on time,
ballot papers had arrived and by 1600 local time most of the country's 10,017,266 registered voters would have cast their votes.

Mkapa had made no secret of his anger with his
opponents on the campaign trail. One had addressed two rallies in Sikuma, the ethnic dialict of the populous northwestern areas. Such behaviour under Tanzania's old one-party state rules would have led to the candidates au