NEC approves 155 for councillorship race

SAULI GILIARD

NATIONAL Electoral Commission (NEC), has approved 155 councillorship candidates from 13 political parties to vie in the by-election which will be conducted on 26 November this year.

According to a NEC statement issued yesterday, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) are leading other political parties for fielding 43 candidates (100 per cent) and 42 (98 per cent) respectively for 43 wards.
CCM and CHADEMA are followed by CUF with 30 (70 per cent), ACTWazalendo 18 candidates (40 per cent), NCCR-MAGEUZI 6 (16 per cent), ADC 4 (7 per cent),DP 3 (5 per cent), UDP 2 (5 per cent), NRA 2 (5 per cent), SAU 2 (5 per cent).
TLP, ADA-TADEA and CHAUMA have fielded only one candidate each. The statement said NEC nominated the candidates on 26 October, 2017 in the by-election which will involve 43 wards in 36 councils in the Mainland.
“A total of 177 candidates from various political parties picked nomination Form No. 8C and Form of Election Code of Ethics No 10,” the statement said. By-election campaigns are underway, according to NEC, and will end on 25 November, 2017, a day before the elections.
NEC added in the statement that 30 candidates (19.4 per cent) were objected by their fellow candidates and Political Parties Registrar for different reasons. It said 22 political party members (12.4 per cent) were not nominated on various grounds, including “failure to return the forms on time according to the law.”
However, the electoral body reminded political parties taking part in the by-election to adhere to Election Code of Ethics of 2015 during the campaigns and election day.
Meanwhile, NEC Director, Kailima Ramadhani, has said the coming by election will cost 2.5bn/- and expenses depend on the number of polling stations and registered voters in the respective wards.
He said the amount will also be used for transporting election items from NEC offices to respective district councils and wards, adding “other areas include education to voters through publications and directives to election executives.”
“The costs will not be uniform to all wards…..there are some wards which will use 20m/- due to the few number of polling stations. Wards with the highest number of polling stations will spend up to 150m/-,” he said