Monduli by-election: Voting delayed over introductory letters
What you need to know:
The delay mostly affected voters in remote areas in the vast district.
Monduli. Voting was delayed at various polling centres in Monduli on Sunday, 16 September 2018 over failure to get introductory from the returning officer.
The delay mostly affected voters in remote areas in the vast district.
At least 80,000 people are registered to vote to pick a new MP for Monduli constituency after the immediate past legislator from the opposition Chadema party ticket Julius Kalanga crossed over to the ruling CCM leaving the seat vacant.
A resident of Meserani along the Dodoma road John Leshuku said he was surprised by failure to avail letters of introduction to the agents whcih would enable them to access the polling stations and tallying centres.
The opposition Chadema partty leaders faulted this, claiming it was a sabotage aimed to favour the ruling CCM which is determined to reclaim the seat under Chadema since the 2015 general election.
However, the ruling party officials said this was a normal mishap in any election process.
"It is true there has been a delay but this is something normal. Right now I am told the situation has been rectified", said the deputy minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Education William Ole Nasha who is an MP for Ngorongoro.
Chadema regional secretary for ArushaElisa Mungure disputed this, saying his party agents had been promised the letters would be availed on the voting day but this was not the case when the polling stations opened this morning.
An official of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Steven Ulaya said the matter was being sorted out and that voting would progress well.
There are a total of 82,842 registered voters and 256 polling stations.
Although there are eight contestants, for the parliamentary seat, the focus will be on the duel between Mr Laizer (Chadema) and Mr Kalanga of CCM. Both are hailing from Lepurko ward.
Police said security has been beefed up throughout the vast district. Much focus will, however, be in the densely populated Mto-wa-Mbu ward as well as Monduli and Makuyuni townships.
