The race to Ikulu, Tanzania’s State House, kicked off last week with the official launch of the presidential campaigns.

The start of the campaigns coincided with yet another high-profile defection of former Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye from the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Dr John Pombe Magufuli of CCM launched his campaign drive with a promise to transform Tanzania into an industrial hub and to revive the national carrier.

Edward Lowassa, the opposition group, Ukawa, presidential candidate has been using public transport and visiting markets to identify with ordinary Tanzanians.

The defection of Frederick Sumaye, the country’s longest serving prime minister who held the docket for the 10 years President Benjamin Mkapa was in power, surprised many party members. Mr Sumaye, however, did not reveal which opposition party he would join.

Sources within the opposition said he would join NCCR-Mageuzi party. However, he would not become the party’s presidential candidate since all parties have nominated their candidates.

Mr Sumaye’s defection gave currency to rumours that politicians from northern Tanzania, where the main opposition party Chadema enjoys strong support, were all joining Ukawa.

However, Mr Sumaye said his decision had nothing to do with Mr Lowassa’s region of origin: “I want to use my administrative experience to speed up people’s development soon after the October election,” he said.

Political scientists and observers are raising concern that the country’s politics could be structured along religion and regional lines.

According to Dr Benson Bana, a political scientist and lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, the two issues could divide the country.

 “We don’t talk about them yet they are key issues that people use to make voting decisions,” Dr Bana said.

Dr Magufuli comes from Mwanza in the Lake Zone region, which has about 10 million out of the 23 million registered voters while Mr Lowassa comes from Northern Tanzania where Chadema enjoys strong support.

 CCM presidential candidate Dr Magufuli officially launched his presidential campaigns last Sunday. He has consistently talked tough on corruption, saying he would establish a special court on corruption to speed up all corruption related cases.

Mr Lowassa was expected to launch his campaigns at the weekend. His Ukawa group has accused the government of trying to sabotage its campaigns after the municipal council denied it the opportunity to use the Jangwani grounds in Dar es Salaam to launch the campaigns.

Ukawa co-chairman and NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman, James Mbatia said the opposition was concerned by the frequent interference by the security organs in their programmes and asked the National Electoral Commission to intervene.

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has asked presidential aspirants using helicopters in their campaigns to ensure safety of people on the ground.