NEC calls for massive turnout in council by-elections

Dar es Salaam. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has made a call to residents to turn out en masse and vote in three council by-elections to be held on January 19, 2019.

The by-elections will be held in Magomeni Ward, Kinondoni Municipal Council; Mwanyahina Ward, Meatu District Council, in Simiyu Region and Biturana Ward, Kibondo District Council in Kigoma Region.

Speaking on January 18, 2019, NEC chairman Judge Semistocles Kaijage has insisted that voters allowed are those registered with voters’ register.

He called for a massive turn out by residents to vote for leaders of their choice so that they could lead them in the remaining period before the forthcoming general election.

Judge Kaijage clarified that a total of 26,282 voters in 69 polling stations would be involved in the by-elections.

He called upon leaders of political parties, aspirants, supporters and residents in general to avoid acts that could degenerate into violence in the by-elections.

“Where there are any complaints about breach of the law and election irregularities, then those complaints should be reported to the relevant authority in line with the procedures put in place by the law,” he said.

Judge Kaijage elaborated that voting would be held in the same polling stations used during the 2015 general election and that the polling stations would be open at 7am and closed at 16pm.

“If it happens that during the closing of a polling station there are still some voters in a queue, who arrived before 16pm and have not cast their votes, then they will be allowed to vote. 

“The returning officer will stand behind the last voter who arrived to vote before 16pm. Nobody will be allowed to join a voting queue after that time,” Judge Kaijage elaborated,