01/05/2026
Rais wa Marekani, Donald Trump, amezua mjadala baada ya kupendekeza kuwa wagombea wote wa nafasi za urais na makamu wa rais nchini humo wanapaswa kufanyiwa vipimo maalum vya utambuzi wa akili (cognitive tests) kabla ya kuruhusiwa kuingia kwenye kinyang’anyiro cha uchaguzi.
Kupitia ujumbe aliouchapisha kwenye mtandao wake wa Truth Social, Trump amesema hatua hiyo ingeweza kusaidia kuhakikisha viongozi wanaochaguliwa wanakuwa na uwezo kamili wa kiakili, jambo ambalo kwa maoni yake lingeleta ufanisi zaidi katika uongozi wa nchi.
Katika ujumbe huo, Trump aliwataja baadhi ya viongozi waliopita akiwemo Barack Obama na Joe Biden, akidai kuwa mfumo huo ungezuia kuchaguliwa kwa viongozi ambao, kwa mtazamo wake, hawakufaa.Aidha, Trump alieleza kuwa yeye binafsi aliwahi kufanya vipimo hivyo mara tatu wakati wa urais wake na kufaulu kwa kiwango cha juu, akisisitiza kuwa mafanikio hayo ni nadra kupatikana kulingana na madaktari.
Kauli hiyo imeibua mijadala mitandaoni na katika duru za kisiasa, Wengi wakisema jambo hilo linaweza kutumika kisiasa au kubagua baadhi ya wagombea.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked debate after suggesting that all candidates running for president and vice president in the United States should undergo special cognitive tests before being allowed to participate in elections.
In a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the move could help ensure that elected leaders are mentally fit, which, in his view, would lead to more effective governance.
In the same message, Trump mentioned some former leaders, including Barack Obama and Joe Biden, claiming that such a system would prevent the election of leaders whom he believes were unfit for office.
He also stated that he personally took such cognitive tests three times during his presidency and performed at a very high level, emphasizing that such results are rare according to doctors.
The remarks have triggered widespread debate online and within political circles, with many arguing that such a requirement could be used for political purposes or to discriminate against certain candidates.