Kigoma. The election petition challenging the victory of Kigoma Urban Member of Parliament Clayton Chipando, popularly known as Baba Levo, is set to enter a crucial stage tomorrow (Monday, June 15, 2026) after overcoming a series of legal hurdles.
The development comes after the Chief Justice of Tanzania (CJ), George Masaju, issued a notice extending by six months the statutory period for hearing election petitions filed in 2026.
The extension is contained in Government Notice No. 124 of 2026, published on TanzLII, a platform that publishes Tanzanian court decisions, laws, and regulations, including High Court judgments.
“In exercise of powers vested in the Chief Justice under the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Councillors’ Elections Act, the period for hearing the petition is hereby extended for six months from May 15 to November 14, 2026,” the notice states.
Section 144(1) of the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Councillors’ Elections Act, 2024, requires every election petition to be filed within 30 days from the date election results are declared by the returning officer.
However, subsection (2) directs the court to hear and determine election petitions within six months from the date of filing, prompting the Chief Justice to extend the timeline by a further six months.
The petition, numbered 28949 of 2025, was filed by four voters: Johary Kaborour, Loum Mwitu, Pendo Kombolela, and Luma Akilimali, through advocate John Seka at the High Court of Tanzania, Kigoma Sub-Registry.
The case against the Kigoma Urban Returning Officer as the first respondent, Baba Levo as the second respondent, and the Attorney General as the third respondent is being heard by Judge Victoria Nongwa.
What will happen tomorrow?
According to the hearing schedule issued by the High Court, Kigoma Sub-Registry, the petition has been fixed for a preliminary hearing tomorrow, Monday, June 15, 2026, where parties are expected to agree on contested issues before the substantive hearing begins.
On Friday, June 12, 2026, Judge Nongwa granted an application by the respondents seeking additional time to inspect documents filed in the matter before the preliminary hearing proceeds.
Advocate Seka confirmed to The Citizen’s sister newspaper Mwananchi that he had seen the Chief Justice’s notice and that the preliminary hearing would proceed tomorrow to identify disputed matters ahead of the full hearing.
“It is true that the Chief Justice has extended the period by six months. Yesterday, our colleagues requested more time to inspect documents because they involve election results, and they sought additional time for review,” he said.
According to Advocate Seka, the judge accepted the request and granted the respondents until tomorrow so that the preliminary hearing could proceed before the matter is scheduled for full trial and witnesses begin testifying.
Voters’ complaints
The petitioners have raised 35 grounds challenging what they describe as the invalid election of Baba Levo as Kigoma Urban MP and are seeking a by-election in the constituency.
In the October 29, 2025, election, Baba Levo won with 35,727 votes against 16,619 votes secured by his closest challenger, ACT-Wazalendo candidate, Mr Zitto Kabwe.
The petitioners want the court to declare that the returning officer and his assistants should face disciplinary and criminal action for allegedly disrupting the electoral process contrary to legal requirements.
They are also seeking a vote scrutiny exercise to establish whether Baba Levo was lawfully declared winner despite allegedly failing to secure the highest valid votes cast in the constituency.
The petitioners further want the court to order a parliamentary by-election and award compensation covering costs incurred in filing and conducting the case, including witness expenses.
They also seek a declaration confirming that they obtained legal aid from the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), giving them authority to file the petition without depositing election security costs.
Grounds for the petition
Court documents show that the petitioners accuse the returning officer of failing to comply with provisions of the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Councillors’ Elections Act, 2024, thereby affecting the election outcome.
The petition lists 13 alleged irregularities said to have undermined the validity of the Kigoma Urban parliamentary election.
Among the claims, the petitioners allege that ACT-Wazalendo agents at several polling stations were unlawfully prevented from entering with voters’ registers to verify details, while others were removed from polling centres or arrested by police.
They further allege that ACT-Wazalendo agents were denied participation in vote counting, refused copies of declaration forms, and compelled to sign forms before counting had begun.
The petitioners also complain of alleged irregular voting practices, including incidents in which individuals cast multiple votes and ballot papers were allegedly torn before voters entered polling stations.
They further claim that some people were allowed to vote using more than one identification card while purporting to vote on behalf of voters unable to cast ballots themselves.
The petition also alleges that some individuals voted without proper verification to establish whether they were registered voters at the relevant polling stations.
The petitioners additionally claim that vote tallying was conducted secretly without informing the ACT-Wazalendo candidate or his agents and that constituency results were not publicly displayed as required by law.
They further allege that voters were allowed into polling stations after 4 pm, despite not being in the queue, including at Kabingo Primary School polling station in Gungu Ward.
The petitioners also accuse election officials of intimidating agents and warning them against questioning irregularities witnessed inside polling stations.
According to the petition, some result declaration forms were improperly filled in at the ward level, contrary to laid-down procedures.
The petitioners further allege that religion-based arguments were used during campaigns and were directly involved in Baba Levo.
They also claim there was bribery during party nominations and election campaigns, alongside allegations of fake votes.
According to the petition, fake ballots, invalid votes, and votes cast contrary to procedure were inserted into ballot boxes at certain polling stations to favour Baba Levo.
The petitioners additionally allege that at some polling stations, results showing victory for Zitto Kabwe were altered and replaced with inaccurate figures.
However, the respondents have strongly denied all allegations, maintaining that the election was conducted lawfully and fairly and insisting that Baba Levo legitimately won the Kigoma Urban parliamentary seat. They are asking the court to dismiss the petition.
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