This week's issues
| Tanzania: CCM smiles big after massive poll walkovers |
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| Written by Daily News Reporters |
| Monday, 26 October 2009 07:11 |
 MEMBERS of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) were in broad smiles yesterday, as thousands of the party's candidates had a walkover in local government polls in most parts of the country. CCM National Chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete (pictured), was among those who wore a broad smile when celebrating results filed by returning officers in Dar es Salaam last evening, as 34 candidates won unopposed. "This is good news to me," President Kikwete said at the Bunge Primary School polling station in Dar es Salaam, where he joined fellow CCM members for the announcement of results." Results from Kilimanjaro and Mbeya also showed CCM candidates enjoying massive walkover against contestants fielded by other political parties. In Mbeya, about 4,000 candidates out of 5,592 won unopposed, while in Kilimanjaro the party recorded emphatic 921 walkovers. However, there were reports of low turn out in various polling stations in Dar es Salaam and upcountry for various reasons, including late delivery of election materials and confusion caused by mix-up of voters names on lists posted at some polling stations. There were complaints of missing names on list of voters posted at Buguruni Kwa Binti Madenge polling station, Ilala District in Dar es Salaam, where police had to intervene in order to cool down dozens of angry would-be voters. The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Local Government and Regional Administration), Ms Celina Kombani, admitted flaws in the exercise, but said efforts were made to rectify the situation. She said she was aware that the materials were delivered late in Kilwa, Lindi and by noon, voting had not started. She promised to take disciplinary action if anyone found to have deliberately or through negligence caused the problems. President Kikwete congratulated the newly elected leaders countrywide and exhorted them to draw up strategic development plans for the people in their respective areas. Meanwhile, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Mr Suleiman Kova, who was reporting from a patrol helicopter, said there were no serious law breaking incidents during the elections. The Vice-President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, said massive victory by CCM candidates in the grassroot polls, indicates apparent landslide for the ruling party in next year’s General Elections. Dr Shein made the statement in Dar es Salaam yesterday, following victory of CCM members in civic polls at Oysterbay locality in Dar es Salaam. “The results announced today (yesterday) by the Returning Officer, is an indicator for the party’s big victory in the general elections,” he remarked. Daily News |
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