Tanzania: CCM lead in the presidential election
By Own Correspondent – The Early resulty shows that CCM lead in the presidential election yesterday as the National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced a delay in releasing results from various parts of the country.
Meanwhile, there was chaos in Mwanza and other Lake Zone areas as impatient youths protested the delay in announcing results.
Also, Tandika and Ubungo areas was Chaos as people protested the delay in announcing results.
The NEC had released presidential results from 14 constituencies as of 5pm, more than 24 hours after polling stations closed on Sunday.
Results from many constituencies were also delayed for what returning officers said was a cumbersome system of recording the figures in the NEC database before releasing them to the public.
The NEC director of elections, Mr Rajabu Kiravu, told reporters that the commission would not release any more results until 11am today.
He earlier said that the NEC would release results at 5pm and 8pm, but changed the decision after the 5pm announcements.
However, official results that had been announced by 5pm showed that President Kikwete was leading in nine out of 14 constituencies. The Civic United Front (CUF) led in four constituencies, with Chadema emerging victorious in only one constituency.
The CCM presidential candidate won in Singida Urban, Babati Urban, Korogwe Urban, Njombe South, Mtwara Urban, Longido, Chilonwa, Mpanda Rural and Siha.
The CUF candidate, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, who is trying his luck for the fourth time, won in Mgongoni, Micheweni, Konde, and Tumbe constituencies, all in Zanzibar, while Chadema’s Dr Willibrod Slaa won in Bukoba Urban.
Announcing the results, NEC chairman Lewis Makame said Mr Kikwete, who is seeking a second and final five-year term, garnered 12,699 votes, equivalent to 60.71 per cent of the 20,916 votes cast, in Babati Urban. Prof Lipumba polled 102 votes (0.49 per cent).
In Singida Urban, CCM scooped 19,246 votes, which is 73.64 per cent of the 26,126 votes cast. Chadema was second with 5,266 votes (20.15 per cent), while CUF got 922 votes (3.53 per cent).
In Njombe South, Mr Kikwete got 22,337 votes (74.43 per cent of 14,746 votes) followed by Dr Slaa with 6,848 votes (22.82 per cent).
CCM got 10,761 votes (72.98 per cent) in Korogwe Urban, while Chadema garnered 3,135 votes (21.26 per cent) and CUF polled 394 votes, which is equivalent to 2.67 per cent of the 14,746 votes cast.
In Mgongoni, Prof Lipumba led with 6,198 votes (82.84 per cent) followed by Mr Kikwete with 696 votes (9.54 per cent) and Dr Slaa, who polled 50 votes, equivalent to 0.69 per cent of the 7,296 votes cast.
Prof Lipumba also led by far in Micheweni, where he polled 5,674 votes, with Mr Kikwete and Dr Slaa getting 775 and 45 votes, respectively.
CUF also won comfortably in Tumbe with 7,021 votes (84.71 per cent of 7,328 votes cast), with CCM garnering 633 votes (10.58 per cent) and Chadema polling 59 votes (0.61 per cent).
CUF got 6,181 votes in Konde, while CCM and Chadema polled 775 and 45 votes, respectively.
Chadema’s only win in results announced yesterday was in Bukoba Urban where Dr Slaa polled 16,604 votes, which is 50.16 per cent of the 33,099 votes cast in the constituency. Mr Kikwete polled 15,410 votes (46.56 per cent), while Prof Lipumba garnered 449 votes (1.36 per cent).
CCM also won in Longido with a total of 17,066 votes (83.64 per cent). Chadema got 2,707 votes (13.24 per cent), while CUF polled 114 votes (0.56 per cent).
According to Mr Makame, CCM also won in Chinolwa with a total of 19,780 votes (83.68 per cent) followed by Chadema with 2,439 votes (10.32 per cent). CUF got 179 votes, which is 0.76 per cent of the 23,638 votes cast.
In Mpanda Rural, Mr Kikwete got 7,817 votes (62.8 per cent) while Dr Slaa scooped 3,669 votes (29.51 per cent), with CUF garnering 378 votes (3.04 per cent).
CCM led with 15,570 votes (65.69 per cent) in Siha constituency, Kilimanjaro Region, followed by Chadema with 7,226 votes (30 .49 per cent) and CUF, which polled 83 votes (0.35 per cent).
Four other presidential hopefuls polled very few votes, some in single digits, in most of the constituencies whose results were announced yesterday.
They include Mr Fahmi Dovutwa of the United People’s Democratic Party (UPDP), who announced his withdrawal just two days before the elections, saying his name on ballot papers had been “deliberately” misspelt. He urged his supporters to vote for Mr Kikwete.
Other candidates in the race are Mr Hashim Rungwe (NCCR-Mageuzi), Mr Peter Mziray (APPT-Maendeleo) and Mr Mutamwega Mugahywa (TLP).
