| Chadema candidate wins appeal,to face Masha | Send to a friend |
| Thursday, 02 September 2010 08:47 |
 By The Citizen ReportersThe Nyamagana parliamentary candidate on Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket, Mr Lawrence Masha has found himself with opposition in defending the seat after the National Electoral Commission has overturned his objection against a Chadema candidate. The decision has been made almost a week after Nyamagana returning officer upheld Mr Masha objection against Ezekiel Wenje, on grounds that the opposition aspirant was an alien. The NEC director of elections, Mr rajabu Kirabu, told The Citizen yesterday that they have already ruled on the appeal by Mr Wenje. When asked to state what was in the ruling, Mr Kiravu declined to do so saying that they have faxed the ruling to Nyamagana returning officer, who should be contacted for clarification on what was in the ruling. When he was phoned, the Mwanza city director, who is also a returning officer for constituencies in the city, Mr Wilson Kabwe, said he has not received any documents from NEC with regard to Mr Wenje appeal against the objection. But another offivial from the Director’s office, told The Citizen on condition of anonymity that the ruling reinstating the Chadema candidate was received yesterday evening. And a Chadema leader in Mwanza, Mr Dadi Igogo told The Citizen that they have received the ruling which indicate that their candidate in Nyamagana constituency has been restored by NEC. “We are happy that NEC has established that evidence that our candidate is not a Tanzania national has been disapproved,” he said. He noted that this was good news to the opposition party whose six candidates were axed across the country on various reasons. “We had a total of 182 candidates all over the country but six sed axed following objections... now we have won this one appeal and we are waiting for results of others,” he said noting that there was possibility that all Chadema candidates who were axed to be restored. Mr Masha, who also doubles as the minister for Home Affairs, put an objection against Mr Wenje on grounds that he was not bonafide Tanzania citizen. Mr kabwe allowed the objection and axed the Chadema candidate from the list of contestants, making Mr Masha the only aspirant in the constituency. Mr Wenje told this paper that he was informed of the outcome of his appeal. “I have been notified by a senior government attorney who identified himself buy one name of Mr Kavishe that I should go to collect a nomination letter,” he said. He said he was happy that NEC has established the truth of the issue. The Chadema acting secretary general, Mr John Mnyika, also confirmed that Mr Wenje has been restored as Nyamagana parliamentary seat candidate. “I have heard, but it is NEC which is supposed to release the information,” he said in short. When contacted, Mr Masha welcome Mr Wenje in the race, but he was confident that he was going to win. “I welcome him... let us fight but he should know that I am going to beat him,” he said noting that he was going to respect the decision by NEC. When it was announced last week that a number of CCM candidates, including Minister Masha have sailed unopposed, NEC warned that the status might change as there were appeals against the decisions which made them unopposed candidates. Mr Kiravu told this paper then that aspirants who have been axed by the returning officers following objections by the rivals, have a right to appeal to NEC, and some of them have appealed. He said there is great possibility that NEC, which started to receive the appeal last week, might overturn the decisions by the returning officers, if it is presented with evidence to prove that the decisions by the returning officers were not on merit. There were about four parliamentary candidates, all of them from ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), who have found themselves without contenders after their objections were upheld by returning officers. They include three ministers and one member. They are Mr Masha and his Sengerema counterpart, Mr William Ngeleja, who also serves as the minister for Energy and Natural Resources. The list is also made up by the minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe who contest for Mtama constituency in Lindi region as well as Singida Urban candidate, Mr Mohammed Dewji. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
