Anxiety as vote counting begins in Arusha

Arusha. After polling stations closed at 4pm on Wednesday October 28, the focus is now on the election results of the politically charged Arusha Urban constituency.

Counting of the votes in all 25 wards of the city is now underway as anxious voters watch from a distance.

The returning officer John Pima told journalists that polling in most of the stations was generally orderly and peaceful. 

He said while the results for ward councillors will be officially made public almost immediately and announced at that level.

Those of the parliamentary contest would be compiled at his office while the presidential votes will be forwarded to the National Election Commission (NEC).

Voting started early in Arusha city with long queues of registered voters forming despite morning drizzles.

"The turnout was high", said Pima. 

Until the press time, no major ugly incidents have been reported in Arusha and neighbouring Manyara Regions. 

However, in Monduli a NEC official confirmed that no election of the councillors took place as all the aspirants from the ruling party were unopposed. 

Security was tight in Babati, the Manyara Region headquarters, as hundreds trooped to the voting stations as was the case in  neighbouring Hanang.

 "It was a peaceful process. We are only waiting for the results", said Peter Hayumwa, an elder from Nangwa village said when reached on phone. 

However, a local Chadema leader in the area faulted the conduct of the polls, saying agents of the opposition parties were intimidated. 

Despite an incident-free voting process, police in Arusha have vowed they would not relent in beefing up the patrols.

 This is likely to be during and after the announcement of the results of the hotly contested parliamentary seat. 

Although it has attracted more than a dozen contestants, the main contenders are the former MP (Chadema) Godbless Lema and the ex-Arusha Regional commissioner Mrisho Gambo the CCM flag bearer. 

Gambo voted at his Murriet ward on the southern fringes of the city while Mr. Lema casted his ballot at his upmarket Njiro Hill area. 

Both of them have appealed for peace and tranquility, each of them exuding confidence to win the parliamentary seat for one of the country's major economic hubs.

Arusha city has been under the opposition and the ruling party on equal durations since the first multi-party elections in 1995.