Tanzania opposition has reason to smile despite Lowassa’s loss
Chadema's presidential candidate Edward Lowassa speaks to journalists on October 25, 2015 in Zanzibar. Tanzania's opposition coalition Ukawa swept the parliamentary seats in the northern regions as well as Dar es Salaam, which until recently were CCM strongholds. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- The opposition coalition made up of four political parties — Chadema, National League for Democracy (NLD), NCCR-Mageuzi and the Civic United Front (CUF) — has rejected the verdict and said its presidential candidate won 62 per cent of the votes and should be declared the president-elect instead.
- Under Tanzania laws, once announced, the presidential vote tally is not contestable, a system which has been criticised even by the East African Community which sent a 55-member Election Observer Mission led by the former Kenya Vice President Moody Awori.
ARUSHA, Tanzania
Defeated Tanzania presidential candidate Edward Lowassa may continue to press for a recount of votes in an election he alleged was rigged, but the opposition has something to smile about.
It swept the parliamentary seats in the northern regions as well as Dar es Salaam, until recently the stronghold of the ruling CCM.
Besides having more legislators from the two key zones, the former prime minister and presidential aspirant, through the opposition coalition called Ukawa, collected more votes in the northern regions and Dar es Salaam than President-Elect John Pombe Magufuli.
The National Electoral Commission declared Dr Magufuli, the Public Works minister, the winner of the October 25 General Election after he garnered 8,882,935 votes (58 per cent) against Lowassa’s 6,072,848, roughly 40 per cent. This is the highest percentage of votes collected by the opposition in a presidential tally since the first election under the multi-party system in 1995.
OPPOSITION'S VICTORY CLAIM
The opposition coalition made up of four political parties — Chadema, National League for Democracy (NLD), NCCR-Mageuzi and the Civic United Front (CUF) — has rejected the verdict and said its presidential candidate won 62 per cent of the votes and should be declared the president-elect instead.
Under Tanzania laws, once announced, the presidential vote tally is not contestable, a system which has been criticised even by the East African Community which sent a 55-member Election Observer Mission led by the former Kenya Vice President Moody Awori.
The results of the presidential vote were received with widespread grumbling in the northern regions of Tanzania, especially in Arusha, the home town and stronghold of Mr Lowassa, a former CCM stalwart who drew multitudes of people during the campaigns after he crossed over to the opposition on July 28.
But Ukawa, a Kiswahili short form for the Coalition of the People’s Constitution, and its followers will not regret having won 14 of the 23 parliamentary seats in Arusha, Manyara and Kilimanjaro regions.
CCM took eight constituencies while no election was held in Arusha Urban constituency after the recent death of the parliametary aspirant. The city has been under the opposition for years.
Seven of the seats won by Ukawa parliamentary candidates are in Kilimanjaro region, five in Arusha and two in Manyara. The latter region was formed in 2002 after the split of the then vast Arusha.
Only one of the 14 seats went to NCCR-Mageuzi, a partner in the coalition and the rest went to Chadema, the main opposition party in mainland Tanzania.
