Africa-Press – Tanzania. OPINION polls to select aspirants for Special Seats parliamentary positions through Chama Cha Mapinduzi Women’s Wing (UWT) were conducted on Wednesday in various regions across the country.
A survey by the ‘Daily News’ in some regions on Thursday established that the process involved both incumbent and new aspirants, with several outgoing MPs successfully defending their positions.
The opinion poll process is among the initial steps, after which the winning candidates will proceed to another stage for further deliberations and final approval by the Central Committee.
In Shinyanga Region, outgoing Special Seats MPs managed to defend their seats by leading in the opinion polls among all other contestants.
Announcing the results, the Election Supervisor, Ms Halima Dendego, who is the Regional Commissioner for Singida, said the election was conducted freely and fairly.
Ms Dendego said the candidate who led the opinion poll was Santiel Kirumba (730), followed by Christina Mnzava and Salome Makamba, who was the previous Special Seats MP. In Ruvuma Region, the winners were Silvia Sigula (494) and Jacqueline Mzindakaya (434), out of eight contestants.
In Dar es Salaam Region, the winners were Janeth Mahawanga, who is the outgoing MP, followed by Amina Said, who is contesting for the first time. The Election Supervisor, Idrisa Ramadhani, said out of the nine candidates who were voted for, Mahawanga led with 448 votes, followed by Amina with 421 votes and Jane Jerry came third with 300 votes.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Pindi Chana emerged the winner in the preliminary results of the Special Seats in Njombe Region with 700 votes, followed by Rebecca Nsemwa with 588 votes.
The Election Supervisor, who is also a member of the CCM National Executive Council for Mbeya Region, Ms Ndele Mwanselela, said the number of expected delegates in that election was 861, but 841 attended and voted and only one vote was spoiled.
Mwanselela named the other contestants as Neema Mgaya (263), Anna Mwalongo (53), Dr Scholastika Kevela (47), Tegemea Mbogela (22), Magreth Kyando (5) and Tulalumba Mloge (3). In Kilimanjaro Region, the outgoing Special Seats MP, Esther Malleko, led the opinion poll with 1,149 votes, followed by Zuena Bushiri with 964 votes.
The election involved eight candidates, with 1,329 delegates of the UWT special general meeting.
The results were announced by the election supervisor, Dr Batilda Buriani, who is the Tanga Regional Commissioner.
She named the other candidates as Regina Chonjo (145), Caroline Lyimo (109), Never Zekeya (108), Pamela Mallya (69), Marry Nashanda (19), and Aika Ngowi who received 12 votes.
Iringa Regional Commissioner, Kheri James, announced the results of the opinion poll for the Special Seats parliamentary position with Rose Tweve leading, followed by Nancy Nyalusi.
A total of eight candidates contested for the position, with 851 valid votes cast out of 852 counted and one vote was spoiled.
He said in the election Ms Tweve emerged the winner with 594 votes, followed by Ms Nyalusi who received 507 votes. Fatma Rembo got 326 votes, Seki Kasuga 152, Maria Makombe 59, Tumaini Msowoya 31 and Lydia Nzema got 25 votes.
A member of the UWT National Council, Ms Tina Chenge, emerged the winner in the opinion poll for the Special Seats parliamentary position in Simiyu Region after securing 631 votes out of 1,029 valid votes cast.
The election was attended by 1,053 delegates, of which 1,034 voted and five votes were spoiled. Speaking after announcing the results, Simiyu Regional Commissioner, Annamringi Macha, said the votes are opinions only and not final victory, but will be used as part of the party’s internal nomination process.
In those results, other candidates were Ester Midimu (500), Caritas Machupa (312), Minza Mjika (292), Rosemary Ng’hwani (186), Limi Kilalo (60), Jane Masanja (50) and Grace Balele (34). Election Supervisor and Mtwara Regional Commissioner, Colonel Patrick Sawalla, said Kijakazi Yunus received 942 votes, followed by Zainab Kawawa who got 492 votes.
“Our winners for the Special Seats MP in Lindi Region are Kijakazi Yunus and Zainab Kawawa,” said Colonel Sawalla.
Ms Jacquelin Msongozi led the opinion poll in the election for the Special Seats MP in Ruvuma Region after receiving 946 out of 1,330 valid votes.
Announcing the election results, the Election Supervisor, Jabiri Makame, said 1,333 votes were cast, three were spoiled and 1,330 were valid.
He said Mariam Nyoka received 755 votes; Happiness Ngwando (444), Getrude Haule (329), and Laura Hyera got 58 votes. Ms Lucy Kombani led with 1,314 votes out of 1,646 valid votes cast, followed by Sheila Lukuba who received 597 votes. In the special opinion poll meeting, a total of 1,653 delegates from various areas of the region participated. Six votes were spoiled, leaving 1,646 valid votes.
Election Supervisor and Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Adam Malima, said the exercise involved nine candidates, including Josephine Kupuna who got 454 votes, Jane Mihanji (339), Aliyah Awadh Omar (236), Amina Ally Karuma (153), Hajira Said Mwikoko (90), Kulwa Nuhu Kangeta (75) and Rahel Mashishanga (37).
“I congratulate the delegates for this successful step we’ve reached. After this, the names will go to higher levels for final procedures according to our party’s regulations,” said Malima.
Two out of eight candidates whose names were returned by the Central Committee of CCM to contest for two Special Seats parliamentary positions in Tanga Region emerged victorious in the opinion poll.
Ms Husna Sekiboko led with 1,637 votes, while the second position went to Engineer Mwanaisha Ulenge with 921 votes. Ms Sekiboko and Ms Ulenge successfully defended their Special Seats MP positions for Tanga Region, which they held during the outgoing term. Ms Mwantumu Zodo, who was also one of the three Special Seats MPs in Tanga Region in the past term, came third after receiving 772 votes.
Announcing the results, Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Nurdin Babu said a total of 1,904 delegates voted, and declared Husna Sekiboko and Mwanaisha Ulenge as the winners.
Special Seats parliamentary hopefuls through the Tanzania Women’s Union (UWT) in Arusha Region, Martha Kivunge and Chiko Issa, have emerged as the front-runners after receiving the highest number of votes from 1,245 delegates at the Regional General Meeting of the Union.
In the election, which had a quorum of 1,261 members with seven spoiled votes, UWT delegates from seven constituencies did not recommend the former Members of Parliament Catherine Magige and Zaytuni Swai in that initial selection stage, which precedes further internal nominations by the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
The election, which took place on Wednesday at the Nyasa Hall inside the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), was supervised by the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Mr Kenani Kihongosi, in collaboration with top UWT leaders, including the Union’s Chairperson, Ms Flora Zelothe.
It was conducted with transparency and great care in counting the votes, with candidates watching closely from the front table along with the members of the conference.
Mr Kihongosi announced the results for the leading UWT parliamentary candidates in Arusha Region at 11:45 p.m., declaring Kivunge as the top candidate with 1,004 votes and Issa in second place with 775 votes.
He announced that former MP Catherine Magige came in third with 213 votes, followed by Asanterabi Lowassa with 196 votes. Former CCM Youth Wing (UVCCM) MP Zaytuni Swai received 141 votes, Navoi Mollel got 95 votes, Martha Amo scored 50 votes and Lillian Badi came last with 9 votes. After the results were announced, six candidates, including Ms Badi, Ms Issa, Ms Kivunge, Ms Lowassa, Ms Mollel and Ms Swai who were present in the hall accepted the outcome.
However, Ms Magige left the venue immediately after seeing her low vote count, and Martha Amo was entirely absent.
The UWT Regional Secretary read her nomination form on her behalf, and there was no official explanation for her absence from the election. Speaking after being announced as the second-place winner, Ms Chiko Issa thanked the UWT Arusha Regional General Meeting delegates for electing her and pledged full cooperation to advance the Union’s efforts to achieve economic empowerment.
Ms Issa also called on all candidates and delegates to work together in building UWT, stressing that the elections are over and factionalism is no longer useful. She emphasised the need to focus on campaigning for CCM’s presidential candidate, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan to secure a landslide victory in the upcoming general election in October.
“I will work with everyone within UWT, and my main goal is to address the challenges facing women, especially in achieving economic empowerment,” Issa stated.
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