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Kiteto by-election generally peaceful
2008-02-25 08:28:45
By Simon Mhina, Kiteto
Residents of Kiteto in Manyara Region cast their ballots peacefully yesterday to elect a new legislator, despite reports of sporadic incidents of chaos in the campaign trail and irregularities at various polling centres.
They went polls yesterday in a by-election called by the National Electoral Commission to fill the vacancy left by former Member of Parliament Benedict Losurutia, who succumbed from diabetic complications late last year.
Some residents began streaming to polling stations in big as early as 6am but could not vote because their names did not appear in the permanent voters` register.
As of 3pm yesterday, at least 100 people had not been able to use their democratic right of pick their legislator, their names, photographs and registration numbers missing from the register.
At one of the polling centres that reported the biggest number of irregularities, Kaloleni, would-be Hadija Chedi claimed to have been denied the chance to vote.
She expressed disappointment over the way the officers concerned had handled the voting exercise.
``They told me that I could not vote because my name was nowhere to be seen in the voters` register. This is utterly wrong and unacceptable because they are the ones who issued me with the identity card I used during the 2005 general elections,`` she noted.
Another disappointed resident, Maglani Lukumai complained that he and some relatives and friends had reported to election supervisors since last week that their names were missing from the PVR.
``We came here to check our names last week because they were placed on notice board and we reported immediately to election supervisor about the anomaly. They promised to solve the problem but that has not been done,`` he explained.
In Sanya ward Form number 21B was missing and agents of the opposition Chadema were allowed into the polling station only after their aspirant, Victor Kimesera, had been let in.
Chadema and ruling CCM activists were later spotted shuttling between one polling centre and another to witness the voting exercise.
Units of the anti-riot Police field force unit (FFU) stepped up security in Kiteto town, markets and villages but few incidents were reported yesterday.
Sporadic chaos marred the 24-day campaign trail, mainly involving the two parties’ involving members and supporters. The worst incident saw people believed to be CCM fans setting upon six Chadema leaders at a rally.
A total of 74,418 people were expected to vote in the election, the main contenders being Chadema`s Festo Kimesera and CCM`s Benedict ole Nangoro.
The former is backed by four other opposition coalition parties - the Civic United Front (CUF), Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), NCCR-Mageuzi and PPT-Maendeleo in a show of solidarity.
The results of the by-election are expected later today.
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