AfricaPress-Tanzania: TWENTY aspirants have been cleared to contest for various posts in the general elections of Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) following the screenings held in Mainland and Zanzibar recently.
Among others cleared are the incumbent president Gulam Rashid and secretary general, Filbert Bayi, who sailed unopposed after opponents shied away.
The chairman of the TOC’s electoral committee, Lloyd Nchunga said that the aspirants have been cleared after meeting the required procedure and qualifications.
Others who have been cleared for the elections scheduled for December 12 in Dodoma are incumbent vice president, Henry Tandau, who is challenged by Muharram Mchume, who was formerly holding a post in the executive committee.
Suleiman Jabir has also sailed unopposed to defend his assistant secretary general post , alongside Charles Nyange who solely wants to retain his treasury post.
Juma Zaidy has been cleared as a sole candidate also to become Nyange’s assistant.
Those who are contesting for six executive committee posts ( three from Mainland and three others from Zanzibar) are Noorelain Sharif and Irene Mwasanga, who seek for the re-election from Mainland.
Others are Amina Ahmed, Donath Massawe, Suma Mwaitenda and Dr. Devotha Marwa, all from the Tanzania Mainland .
Those seeking to become executive committee members from Zanzibar are Nasra Mohammed, Ramadhani Zimbwe, Musa Fadhili, Suleiman Ame and Makame Machano.
He said the committee excluded only one aspirant, Amina Idd, who submitted her forms out of time and had other parts of it unfilled.
Nchunga said that the number of aspirants who have shown up for the posts is not impressive compared to the elections held in 2015.
“We don’t know as to why people shied away from contesting, we encourage them to do so in the next elections,” he said.
He said those who have been cleared are now allowed to do campaign that will end up a day before the elections.
“We don’t urge the aspirants to get involved into malpractice, including giving out bribery, it is not allowed” he cautioned.
TOC holds elections after every four years, involving members from both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
Unlike in the previous elections, only 13 members will be elected in the executive committee from 20 members used to be.
The idea behind the reduction is to increase efficiency and promote democracy within the committee in accordance with the constitutional amendments.
The Olympic sports associations are eligible voters in the elections as members of the executive committee whose terms of leadership come to an end will not vote as per constitutional amendment of TOC.
A prominent lawyer, who is part of three others selected to supervise the elections, Lloyd Nchunga said that the campaign shall start after the aspirants being cleared to contest.
Others members of the electoral committee to supervise the elections are another lawyer Abdallah Mohammed from Zanzibar and Harrison Chaulo.
TOC coordinates for all Olympic sports for their participation in the Olympic Games and Commonwealth games.
Officials from the Olympic sports associations are eligible voters and their number in the participation of the elections will depend on their eligibility, among others being active, pay their international affiliation’s membership as well as having an address office.
Meanwhile, Bayi said that TOC’s elections shall go parallel with that of the Tanzania Olympians Association ( TOC). This is because TOA is patroned by TOC.
