MBEYA BY ELECTION TODAY

JIANG ALIPO in Mbeya
Daily News; Saturday,January 25
Some 127,780 Mbeya rural residents are expected to cast their votes today in a by-election to elect their member of parliament in 395 polling stations situated in 17 wards. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) returning officer, Ms Jualiana Malange said that all polling stations will open at 7am and close at 4pm.

Three candidates are vying for the seat following the death of its former member of Parliament, Mr Richard Nyaulawa who died in November 19, last year. They are; Rev Luckson Mwanjale on CCM ticket, Ms Subi Mwakipiki for Sauti ya Umma (SAU) and Mr David Mponzi of Civic United Front (CUF).

However, the campaigns’ excitement has been dampened by NEC’s disqualification of one candidate, Mr Shitambala for a legal error in filling up the forms. A fierce competition is expected to be between CCM and CUF as the former represented by the late Nyaulawa won the 2005 general election with more than 65,000 votes or 79 per cent.

CUF’s candidate at the time, Ms Amina Jacob, followed by 6, 833 votes, the equivalent of eight per cent. To make sure they win the election, the main two parties imported more power from its national leaders from the parties’ headquarters in Dar es Salaam. The ruling CCM’s campaign was launched by the party’s former chairperson, Mzee Ally Hassan Mwinyi.

Other CCM national leaders, including the Deputy Secretary (Mainland), Mr George Mkuchika, and the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr John Chiligati were present throughout the campaigns. As campaigns closed, CCM brought in the party’s Deputy Chairperson, Mr Pius Msekwa and Secretary General, Mr Yusuph Makamba who led two of the eight CCM campaign closing rallies situated all over the constituency.

CUF, in addition to its national chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, summoned more leverage from its three fellow opposition parties. The chairperson of the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), Mr Augustino Mrema, the chairperson of PTT Maendeleo, Mr Peter Mziray and the Secretary for NCCR Mageuzi, Mr Samuel Ruhuza all arrived about ten days before the Election Day to beef up the opposition campaigns. The residents listened to the aspirants’ manifestoes in month-long campaigns which went on peacefully