Chadema wants by-elections suspended
What you need to know:
- The polls, which include Buyungu constituency in Kigoma Region and 79 wards across the country, are set for August 12 but so far 17 Chadema’s councillorship candidates have been disqualified for various reasons.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema has asked the National Electoral Commission (Nec) to suspend by-elections in seven wards over what they termed as possible irregularities.
The polls, which include Buyungu constituency in Kigoma Region and 79 wards across the country, are set for August 12 but so far 17 Chadema’s councillorship candidates have been disqualified for various reasons.
The Buyungu constituency is vacant following the death of Bilago Kasuku Bilago (Chadema) while by-elections in the 79 wards follows defection of incumbent councilors from the opposition to the ruling CCM in support of President John Magufuli’s administration.
Reports from Ngorongoro show that the disqualified candidates include 11 from Ngorongoro District, four from Arusha City, one from Songwe Region and one from Serengeti District in Mara Region. According to poll supervisors, the candidates have been disqualified for various reasons including level of education, objections filed by CCM candidates and some serving jail terms.
