President Kikwete's supporters held a big rally in Dar es Salaam on Saturday Voters in Tanzania are going to the polls to elect the East African country's president and parliament.
President Jakaya Kikwete, who has been credited with boosting the nation's economy, is seen by many as a favourite to secure his second and final term.
His main opponents are Willibrod Slaa, a former priest, and university professor Ibrahim Lipumba, who say the government has failed to tackle widespread poverty.
Voters are also electing 239 lawmakers.
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More than 19 million people were eligible to cast their ballots when the polls opened at 0700 local time (0400 GMT).
A total of 18 political parties are competing, with seven candidates vying for the presidency.
President Kikweke, of the governing CCM party, was elected with more than 80% of the vote in 2005 and is now expecting to win again.
On Saturday, thousands of his supporters danced and cheered during a rally in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
Opposition candidates like Ibrahim Lipumba accuse the president of reneging on pledges Mr Kikweke promises to reduce poverty, improve health, education and transport, says the BBC's Josphat Makori in Dar es Salaam.
But Mr Kikweke's critics accuse his government of not living up to similar pledges during his first term, our correspondent says.
More than 50% of Tanzanians still live below the poverty line, according to the IMF.
On Sunday, voters in the Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar - which enjoys a degree of autonomy from Tanzania - will also be going to the polls.
They will be electing their leaders for the first time since a power-sharing deal was struck between Zanzibar's two main political parties.
The agreement was aimed at bringing to an end the violence that erupted during Zanzibar's polls in 2000 and 2005.
Click Title to go to the Source: BBC Africa
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