Lissu faces registrar, NEC over his remarks

Dar es Salaam. Chadema presidential candidate Tundu Lissu must be the busiest man this week as both the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) and the National Electoral Commission (NEC) want explanations over his statements during the ongoing campaigns.

In a quick rejoinder, Mr Lissu told a rally in Musoma on Saturday that the registrar was demanding explanations after quoting him as saying they will not accept votes-stealing this time.

Mr Lissu, who doubles as his party’s Mainland vice chairman, said the RPP also wants explanations on mobilisation of citizens to protect their votes during the Election Day, something that threatens peace and security in the country.

“Our response to the RPP is that my statement emphasizes the demand for free and fair elections that will allow participation of election stakeholders according to stipulations of the constitution, laws and regulations as well as declaring actual winners,” he said.

According to him, free and fair elections should allow swearing in all our party agents, allow access to polling stations, provide them with result certificates and announce actual winners in the council, parliamentary and presidential positions.

“We will not accept if our agents will not be sworn in, denied access to polling stations or if result certificates will not be provided to them. People behind these decisions should be the ones to blame for the repercussions,” he told the cheering crowd.

He said Chadema has leant that there were plans to plant non-party members as their agents in order to sabotage votes cast for their candidates, stressing that will not be accepted.

The former Singida-East MP and Tanganyika Law Society president said free elections means allowing registered voters to cast their ballots without interference.

“We have been informed that there were youth organized by CCM aiming to cause chaos at polling stations. Our party will stand against anybody behind such plots,” he said.

Free and fair elections demand declaration of actual winners in the council, parliamentary and presidential polls, stressing they will not accept if obvious losers are declared ‘winners.’

He said those behind plans to announce those with fewer votes as winners would be answerable for anything that will happen thereafter. “The RPPs should know that we are advocating justice, theft of votes will not be accepted because even God and country’s laws order us to control theft incidents,”he said.

Yesterday, the NEC director of elections, Dr Wilson Charles, told a press conference in Arusha that Mr Lissu would be required to appear and defend himself before the commission’s Ethics Committee over claims that District Executive Directors (DEDs) were meeting President John Magufuli in Dodoma to set strategies of rigging the elections.

“These are typical lies and fabrications that aim to inflict panic among citizens and voters and paint an image that this year’s elections will not be free and fair,” he said.

He said by accusing the electoral body over possible theft of votes was a scandal that aims to lower its reputation, which is unacceptable.

Stressing that NEC will continue discharging its activities in accordance to laws, regulations and country’s constitution.

Mr Lissu could be given stern warning, be fined or get suspended to continue campaigning for some time.

Yesterday, the firebrand politician told a rally in Sirari that he would enact a new law to allow provision of bail to suspects of all offenses and repeal the current law he termed to be misused by law enforcement and judicial officials.

He said the current law attracted fabrication of cases leading to flocking of people in prisons.

“The business of filing fabricated cases and denying bail to suspects in order to attract corruption will end after October 29, this year when the new law will be enacted to replace repealed one,” he said.

During the meeting, Mr Lissu pledged to promote free trade at the borders in order to improve people’s economy and increase government’s revenue collections.