Author: BERNARD LUGONGO and HILDA MHAGAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: INCUMBENT Dr John Magufuli swept to a landslide victory in the presidential election, securing his second term in office with 84.4 per cent of votes.
According to final results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Dr Magufuli had fetched 12,516,252 popular votes out of 14,830,195 valid votes cast in the October 28th 2020 General Election that fielded 14 opposition candidates.
“By considering conditions of the article 38 of the constitution, the commission announces Dr John Magufuli, presidential candidate of the CCM party as the President after getting many votes as well as his running mate Samia Suluhu Hassan as Vice President,” Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Judge (rtd) Semistocles Kaijage stated.
Dr Magufuli was followed by opposition CHADEMA’s candidate Tundu Lissu who collected a total of 1,933,271 votes, an equivalent to 13 per cent of all valid votes, with former Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Membe, who vied on ACT-Wazalendo ticket managing 81,129 votes or 0.5 per cent.
Long-serving politician, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba of CUF, who was making his fifth presidential bid, held fourth place on 72,800 votes.
Judge Kaijage announced the results of other presidential candidates and their political parties and votes in brackets as follows; John Shibuda (ADA TADEA-3086), Mr Leopord Mahona (NRA-80,787), Mr Muttamwega Mgaywa (SAU-14922), Ms Cecilia Mwanga (Demokrasia Makini-14556), Yeremia Maganja (NCCR-Mageuzi-19969).
Others are Ms Queen Sendiga (ADC-7,627), Mr Twalib Kadege (UPDP-6194), Mr Philipo Fumbo (DP-8,283), Mr Hashim Rungwe (CHAUMMA-32,878), Mr Seif Maalim Seif (AAFP-4635) and Khalfan Mazrui (UMD-3721).
The NEC Chairman revealed that the commission will present the certificate of recognizing Dr Magufuli as the winner of the presidential polls tomorrow (Sunday) at a ceremony in Dodoma.
Dr Magufuli was largely expected to win going into the 2020 General Election.The interests among most Tanzanians was the margin of his victory given his massive acceptance among Tanzanians.
And this huge victory was a befitting reward for Dr Magufuli after his outstanding performance during reform-oriented first term in office.
Strong socio- economic reforms and zero tolerance to corruption, that had blighted the country in the past, certainly lifted Dr Magufuli to the decisive re-election victory.
His massive triumph is the highest win ever received by a presidential candidate since the restoration of the multi-party system in 1992.
In 2005, CCM candidate Jakaya Kikwete won the presidential election by 80.28 per cent.
It should be recalled that Dr Magufuli, who celebrated his 61st birthday on Thursday, secured his first presidential term after fetching 8,882,935 votes, which was equivalent to 58.46% of all votes.
Mr Edward Lowassa who was by then contesting on Chadema ticket garnered 6,072,848 votes, equivalent to 40.0 per cent of the total valid votes.
Announcing results earlier on Judge Kaijage (rtd) said Dr Magufuli had registered victory by above 95 per cent in some constituencies such as Misungwi, Morogoro South and Kibiti.
Showing the gap in terms of votes between the winner and first runner-up Judge Kaijage said in Morogoro Urban Magufuli garnered 231,503 votes while Lissu collected 508 votes.
Other results were as follows: Igunga constituency (Dr Magufuli 29,805, Lissu 9,387); Nachingwea constituency (Dr Magufuli 41,737, Lissu 21,869); Dodoma Urban (Dr Magufuli 88,373, Lissu 11,520); Chalinze constituency (Dr Magufuli 85,233, Lissu 3,567).
Arusha Urban constituency (Dr Magufuli 88,423, Lissu 41,485); Kalenga (Dr Magufuli 43,421, Lissu 4,874); Isimani (Dr Magufuli 27,771, Lissu 7,555); Busanda (Dr Magufuli 53,852, Lissu 9,550); Mkuranga (Dr Magufuli 56,314, Lissu 6,518); Kilosa (Dr Magufuli 13,095, Lissu 4,071).
Kilwa South constituency (Dr Magufuli 23,357, Lissu 9,641); Nyang’hwale (Dr Magufuli 31,569, Lissu 4,243); Magu (Dr Magufuli 171,679, Lissu 1,840); Mvomero (Dr Magufuli 27,342, Lissu 2,760); Rungwe (Dr Magufuli 302,304, Lissu 29,2850); Karagwe (Dr Magufuli 65,262, Lissu 16,831); Buyungu (Dr Magufuli 30,899, Lissu 9,694).
Rufiji constituency (Dr Magufuli 25,140, Lissu 3,886); Muleba North (Dr Magufuli 39, 446, Lissu 8,037); Gando (Dr Magufuli 4,590, Lissu 2,062); Muleba South (Dr Magufuli 73,080, Lissu 15,410); Ushetu (Dr Magufuli 94,295, Lissu 1,119); Babati Rural (Dr Magufuli 73,777, Lissu 1,698); Mbulu Rural (Dr Magufuli 44,328, Lissu 7,703); Ndanda (Dr Magufuli 28,492, Lissu 9,014); Nanyumbu (Dr Magufuli 45,702, Lissu 9,728); Lulindi (Dr Magufuli 30,926, Lissu 9,728).
Malinyi (Dr Magufuli 48,701, Lissu 9,784); Nkasi South (Dr Magufuli 21,434, Lissu 7,463); Mbeya Rural (Dr Magufuli 60,118, Lissu 17,935); Singida Urban (Dr Magufuli 29,440, Lissu 9,111); Kyerwa (Dr Magufuli 84,622, Lissu 22,635); Bahi (Dr Magufuli 39,782, Lissu 22,635); Nkasi North (Dr Magufuli 28,466, Lissu 12,213); Morogoro South East (Dr Magufuli 82,560, Lissu 1,131); Mlimba (Dr Magufuli 116,833, Lissu 997).
Kwimba (Dr Magufuli 59,262, Lissu 1,088); Namtumbo (Dr Magufuli 65,035, Lissu 4,918), Sumve (Dr Magufuli 42,103, Lissu 900); Ludewa (Dr Magufuli 38,946, Lissu 4,257), Kibaha rural (Dr Magufuli 21,655, Lissu 2,450); Kibakwe (Dr Magufuli 38,349, Lissu 2,065); Muheza (Dr Magufuli 50,489, Lissu 9,564); Kinondoni (Dr Magufuli 17,2391, Lissu 18,752); and Segerea (Dr Magufuli 88,099, Lissu 26,151).
Njombe Urban (Dr Magufuli 30134, Lissu 5138), Nsimbo (Magufuli 50,327, Lissu 2,141), Misungwi (Dr Magufuli 175,515, Lissu 1217), Sengerema (Dr Magufuli 62529, Lissu 7,711), Mafia (Dr Magufuli 13,917, Lissu 1,812), Mpanda (Dr Magufuli 29520, Lissu 8369), Babati (Dr Magufuli 21287, Lissu 3799), Donge (Dr Magufuli 10063, Lissu 345), Musoma Urban (Dr Magufuli 27,777, Lissu 15,984), Kondoa Urban (Dr Magufuli 15469, Lissu 1399), Mahona (Dr Magufuli 9,834, Lissu 811), Bumbwini (Dr Magufuli 11,021, Lissu 1077), Korogwe urban (Dr Magufuli 17,757, Lissu 2,845), Ileje (Dr Magufuli 30,373, Lissu 5,272), Makambako (Dr Magufuli 25,286, Lissu 4,847) and Masasi Urban (Dr Magufuli 26,685, Lissu 9,601).
Mafinga Urban constituency (Dr Magufuli 17,117, Lissu 2,673), Makunduchi (Dr Magufuli 9,774, Lissu 718) Busega (Dr Magufuli 37,565, Lissu 7, 512), Bunda (Dr Magufuli 16,008, Lissu 3,500), Hanang (Dr Magufuli 61,041, Lissu 11, 141) and Mwanakwerekwe (Dr Magufuli 9,252, Lissu 2,135).
Mbeya Urban (Dr Magufuli 77,562, Lissu 34,287) and Tumbe (Dr Magufuli 1,952, Lissu 991), Madaba (Dr Magufuli 12,450, Lissu 1,267), Kahama Urban (Dr Magufuli 167,480, Lissu 9,512), Kibaha (Dr Magufuli 37,323, Lissu 6,777), Konde (Dr Magufuli 1,786, Lissu 2,329), Micheweni (Dr Magufuli 2,915, Lissu 1,703).
Bagamoyo (Dr Magufuli 26,203, Lissu 5,010), Longido (Dr Magufuli 64,928, Lissu 1,177), Bumbuli (Dr Magufuli 46,745, Lissu 2,373), Ngara (Dr Magufuli 76,956, Lissu 8,779), Kiembesamaki (Dr Magufuli 10,881, Lissu 1,402), Dimani, (Dr Magufuli 13,595, Lissu 1,172), Fuoni (Dr Magufuli 7,843, Lissu 458).
Since the start of the campaigns in August, a number of pollsters conducted surveys all of which pegged Dr Mafuguli’s victory at above 80 per cent.
Early last month a Kenyan based Trends Dynamiques Consulting showed that 80 per cent of the participants in Mainland would vote for Dr Magufuli.
CCM internal machinery, for about two times, carried out its opinion polls, both predicting Dr Magufuli’s victory by between 85 and 90 per cent.
During campaigns, Dr Magufuli promised better days ahead, insisting that he would accelerate the gains made in the last five years and deliver more in the second term.
Apart from promising to spend part of his second term to complete some mega projects, such as Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), Nyerere Hydro Power scheme and construction of airports and road infrastructures, Dr Magufuli promised to take measures to reduce poverty by stressing on sectors such as agriculture, tourism and mining which employ more people.
Dr Magufuli also promised that CCM will ensure five more aircrafts are bought for the state-run Air Tanzania Company Ltd (ATCL) including one for cargo.
