Residents of Hananasif in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam, check their names at Mkunguni Primary School yesterday as part of preparations for Sunday’s General Election. Voters will be able to cast their ballots only at centres where they were registered, according to the National Electoral Commission. PHOTO | OMAR FUNGO
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A survey by The Citizen established that missing names was the major complaint among voters, who also said there was nobody to listen to them at the polling centres.
Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam residents yesterday flocked to polling centres to check their names, with many complaining that they did not see them.
A survey by The Citizen established that missing names was the major complaint among voters, who also said there was nobody to listen to them at the polling centres.
A local government leader at Kimara Stop Over, Mr Hamisi Mwinyimvua, said he had received over 100 complaints about missing names and many more about names being displayed at centres other than where voters were registered.
“Relocation of names seems to be a big problem since the verification exercise began on Sunday. If the National Electoral Commission (NEC) does not rectify these shortcomings immediately, they are likely to negatively impact on the electoral process,” he said.
Many voters did not see their names at centres where they were registered and instead found them elsewhere.
Efforts by The Citizen to get NEC to clarify on the shortcomings proved futile yesterday.
At many polling centres, there were neither returning officers nor local government officials to attend to people’s queries. Those who did not see their names received no assistance.
Mr Mwinyimvua said there were only six days to go before polling day, adding that he feared many people would not be able to vote. Those who will not be able to make the necessary follow-up with authorities will be locked out of Sunday’s elections.
Mr Mwinyimvua said some people who did not see their names had given up hope of voting.
He said his office has also received complaints from people who were disqualified by NEC for various reasons.
“I have received from NEC the names of four people who have been disqualified because of double registration,” he said.
Cases of missing names were also reported at Kimara ‘B’ polling centre.
“Three people have complained to my office about being moved from where they were registered,” said a local leader who asked not to be named.
It was the same story at Kambangwa centre in Mwanayamala, where several people were also struck off the register for presenting themselves for registration more than once.
The Citizen’s survey also established that voter awareness was high.
Those who did not see their names said they would do all in their power to ensure that they did not lose their constitutional right to elect leaders of their choice.
Mr Harun Joseph and Mr Kassim Said, whose names were missing at the Hananasif ‘B’ polling centre in Kinondoni, said they would do whatever it takes to ensure they voted on Sunday.
“I have not lost hope of exercising my constitutional right. I’m doing the necessary follow-up so that I will be able to vote on Sunday,” Mr Joseph said.
Mr Said called on NEC to work on the matter to ensure that the election outcome would reflect the will of the people.
“NEC should seriously consider the matter like they did when they persuaded us to turn up in large numbers and register.”
It was also established that voter lists had not been displayed at some polling centres in Kinondoni and Temeke districts.
