Opposition wants poll tallying halted as CCM’s Magufuli widens lead

Tanzania’s opposition coalition Umoja wa Katiba wa Wananchi (UKAWA) now wants the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to stop further announcement of presidential elections and start tallying afresh over what it terms as massive irregularities in the process.

The opposition candidate Edward Ngoyai Lowassa of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) argues that there is sufficient evidence to show that the electoral commission has conspired with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) to manipulate the outcome of the results.

Lowassa says the results being announced are differing with those announced in the polling centres and at the constituency levels.

He now wants the ongoing votes tallying and release exercise halted until their grievances are heard.

The opposition appearing angered by the fact that the commission has ignored them by continuing to release the disputed results.

However, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has denied being involved in any kind of result manipulation claiming it only announces results as received from the polling stations.

NEC chair Justice (Rtd.) Damian Lubuva sad that the claims by the opposition were unfounded and that the commission is independent.

The opposition’s claims appear to be bolstered by the nullification of the elections results in Zanzibar over electoral malpractices.

The opposition has been holed up in consultations in the better part of the day to chat the way forward.

Earlier in the day, Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) nullified the presidential elections saying they were marred with malpractices that were discovered after a second tally was carried out in most constituencies.

ZEC chair Salim Jesha Salim said the elections stood nullified and will be repeated in 90 days.

On Monday, Zanzibar’s opposition Civic United Front’s (CUF) candidate declared himself the winner, something that the reigning President Dr. Ali Shein of CCM disputed.

The demands by the Tanzania’s opposition comes even as CCM’s Dr. John Pombe Magufuli Joseph widened the gap between him and Lowassa after garnering 6,180,448 votes in 195 out of 264 constituencies. Lowassa so far has 4,254,492 votes.

The remaining 69 constituency results will be announced Thursday and the winner of the poll presented with certificate on Friday.

Additional reporting by Koome Kimonye