Chadema retains northern stronghold

Arusha The opposition coalition swept the parliamentary seats and garnered more presidential votes in its northern regions stronghold as its presidential candidate Edward Lowassa continued to trail CCM's John Magufuli.

According to National Electoral Commission (NEC) results, Ukawa has by today won 13 out of the 23 constituencies in Arusha, Manyara and Kilimanjaro regions against four by the ruling CCM.

Seven are in Kilimanjaro Region, five in Arusha and two in Manyara. However, no parliamentary elections were held in Arusha Urban constituency.  

The three regions are Mr Lowassa's stronghold, who is the presidential candidate of Ukawa made up of four opposition political parties; Chadema, the National League for Democracy (NLD), NCCR-Mageuzi and the Civic United Front (CUF).

The parliamentary constituencies where Ukawa candidatesfrom are leading are;  Same East, Rombo, Vunjo, Moshi Rural, Moshi Urban, Siha and Hai in Kilimanjaro region as well as Karatu, Longido, Arumeru West, Monduli and Arumeru East in Arusha.

The Ngorongoro constituency was won by an activist for the pastoral communities William Ole Nasha under the CCM ticket as is the Hanang seat  reclaimed by Dr. Mary Nagu, a long serving cabinet minister since the administration of President Benjamin Mkapa.

At least two parliamentary constituencies in Manyara Region - Simanjiro and Babati Urban -  have fallen to Chadema aspirants while further reports say Mbulu Urban and  Mbulu Rural were retained by CCM as well as Babati Rural.

In the last Parliament, only Mbulu constituency was under the opposition in Manyara region. It was recently split into two constituencies.

Only two out of the seven constituencies in Kilimanjaro - Mwanga and Same West - were won by candidates from the ruling party whereas in Arusha region all but one constituency went to CCM. These are Monduli, Longido, Karatu, Arumeru West and Arumeru East.

The parliamentary election for Arusha Urban constituency has been postponed to January following the death of ACT-Wazalendo candidate Mr Esthomih Malla.

In Manyara the election produced the first female MP for region after Ms Pauline Gekul won the Babati Urban. In Simanjiro the polls saw a shock defeat of one of the most vocal legislators in the Parliament for the last 10 years and a CCM cadre Christopher Ole Sendeka in Simanjiro to Mr James Ole Millya.