Masha, Prof Mkumbo lined up for EAC legislative seats
Opposition Chadema has nominated former Home Affairs minister Lawrence Masha (right) while ACT-Wazalendo picked UDSM senior lecturer Prof Kitila Mkumbo for the upcoming Eala elections. PHOTOS I FILE
What you need to know:
The ruling CCM had, by yesterday, lined up 400 aspirants who had returned their nomination forms to its Lumumba offices in the city. The party will select its nominees on Tuesday in Dodoma.
Dar es Salaam. Chadema has picked former Home Affairs minister Lawrence Masha while ACT Wazalendo settled for senior University of Dar es Salaam lecturer Prof Kitila Mkumbo to be the opposition parties’ flagbearers in the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) elections.
The ruling CCM had, by yesterday, lined up 400 aspirants who had returned their nomination forms to its Lumumba offices in the city. The party will select its nominees on Tuesday in Dodoma.
Among the CCM candidates who have set their eyes on the Eala seats are two former beauty queens, Miss Tanzania Hoyce Temu (1999) and first runner-up of Miss Tanzania (2006) Jokate Mwegelo.
Political parties have until March 30 to nominate their candidates, while elections are expected to take place once Parliament kicks off the budget meeting on April 4.
The two opposition, Chadema and ACT Wazalendo, parties have completed their internal nomination exercises.
The current Eala Assembly will be dissolved on June 4 in Arusha. Eala elections are held after every five years. The current assembly was inaugurated in June 2012.
It has nine members from Tanzania, namely, Mr Makongoro Nyerere, Ms Shy-Rose Bhanji, Mr Adam Kimbisa, Ms Angela Kizigha, Mr Benard Murunya, Mr Abdullah Mwinyi, and Ms Marym Ussi Yahya all from CCM.
From the opposition they include Mr Twaha Taslima (CUF) and Dr Kessy Nderakindo (NCCR-Mageuzi). Only Mr Mwinyi is ineligible for reelection after serving the maximum two five-year terms. The rest have expressed interest in defending their membership.
According to Chadema deputy secretary general (Mainland), Mr John Mnyika, the party has also nominated former Nyamagana MP Ezekia Wenje alongside Mr Masha.
ACT Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe said the party had picked the senior UDSM lecturer and their chief consultant, Prof Mkumbo, because he is “a pan-africanist and a believer in integration process.
“He was once the president of the EAC youth council; we wish that our colleague in the position will not just look at their mighty numbers in Parliament, but the quality of the candidate we put forward,” Mr Kabwe explained.
