Author: MASATO MASATO
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR Electoral Commission (ZEC) has cleared 16 aspirants for the Zanzibar presidency, with ACT-Wazalendo’s Seif Sharif Hamad facing two objections.
ZEC Director Thabit Idarous Faina told reporters here last evening that Democratic Party (DP) and Demokrasia Makini had filed objections against their ACT-Wazalendo counterpart over faulty forms filling.
“We are currently in a meeting to nominate the qualified candidates pending the hearing of the two objections…we have already notified and asked the objected candidate to defend his candidature,” Mr Faina said at the commission’s Maruhubibased temporary offices.
He said the commission will impartially hear the objections and give its verdict without fearing or favouring anybody.
The presidential aspirants who have sailed through are Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s Dr Hussein Mwinyi, Othman Rashid Khamis on Chama Cha Kijamii, Shafi Hassan Suleiman on DP and Said Issa Mohamed on Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo tickets.
Other candidates, with their parties in brackets, are Hamad Rashid Mohamed (Alliance for Democratic Change), Mohamed Omar Shame (Union for Multiparty Democracy), Khamis Faki Mgau (National Reconstruction Alliance), Mfaume Khamis Hassan (National League for Democracy), Issa Mohamed Zonga (Sauti ya Umma) and Hussein Juma Salum (Tanzania Labour Party).
Others are Mussa Haji Kombo (Civic United Front), Hamad Mohamed Ibrahim (UPDP), Said Soud Said (Alliance for African Farmers Party), Ali Omar Juma (UMMA), Juma Ali Khatib (ADA-TADEA) and Ameir Hassan Ameir( Demokrasia Makini).
The general election campaigns for the presidency, house of representative membership and councillorship kick off here today with the ADA candidate scheduled to launch his campaigns at Mnazi Mmoja grounds.
The ruling CCM will today have peaceful processions ahead of its official campaign launch at the political hotspot Kibandamaiti grounds in Unguja Urban.
Meanwhile, Chama Cha Mapinduzi yesterday condemned unfounded allegations that it is bent on weakening democracy in the country, saying it will strongly retaliate and defend its reputation.
“Some political parties have started issuing statements against us, this is not acceptable,” CCM Deputy Secretary General Dr Abadallah Juma Sadala told reporters at Kisiwandui main office.
He said filing objections against candidates in various elective political posts is the constitutional right of all parties, including CCM.
“We filed objections in the race for the parliamentary seats and we indeed succeeded…it’s our legal right,” charged the party’s chief executive in the Isles.
Dr Juma said the ruling party will also make as many objections as possible against candidates for the house of representative seats, saying: “We are in competition and we will use all the available means.”
He said CCM is determined to conduct highly civilised campaigns to win the hearts of majority voters, imploring all potential voters to attend the campaign meetings, listen from contestants before they make informed decisions on October 28 , 2020.
