By Adonis Byemelwa
Shinyanga–Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo
(Chadema) in the Serengeti Region is sounding the alarm over what it calls
unfair removal of its candidates from the November 27 local government
elections. Party leaders claim the move undermines democracy, calling it a
targeted effort to silence opposition voices and deny Serengeti residents a
fair choice at the polls.
This
action, Chadema argues, deprives citizens of their constitutional right to
elect leaders of their choice. Jackson Mnyawami, Chadema’s Serengeti Regional
Secretary, spoke out on November 10, expressing dismay over the
disqualification of their candidates, which he claims violates election
regulations.
"We
are deeply disappointed by the blatant bias shown by election supervisors, who
removed our candidates’ names to ensure unopposed victories for CCM
candidates,” said Mnyawami. “This denies citizens their constitutional right to
vote and choose leaders they want to lead them.”
Mnyawami
further claimed that some Chadema candidates were disqualified on trivial
grounds, including one instance where a candidate was barred because he was
said to have “too many wives”—a reason he insists is not supported by election
regulations.
Chadema is
currently appealing the disqualification of its candidates, with appeals to be
submitted on November 13. Mnyawami urged election supervisors and the Minister
of State for Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) to restore
their candidates’ names, allowing them to participate in the campaign and face
fair competition at the polls.
In Bugweto
mtaa, Shinyanga municipality, tensions flared when Juma Nkoba, a Chadema
candidate, discovered his name had been struck from the ballot over a minor
discrepancy. Nkoba’s application listed his age as 41, while local records
showed him as 42—a small inconsistency that officials seized upon to justify
his disqualification.
Outraged
Chadema supporters flooded the area, sparking a heated standoff with election
officials. Amid the uproar, Mathias Masalu, the ward executive officer and an
open supporter of CCM, called in the police to contain the crowd. Though the
police presence defused the situation without arrests, the incident has
intensified accusations of political bias in election oversight, leaving many
questioning the fairness of the upcoming race.
Adding
fuel to the fire, Masalu was later overheard bragging about his role in
disqualifying opposition candidates. Speaking to locals in a public
setting, he reportedly boasted, "We’ve cleared the field so that CCM can
win without resistance. Chadema doesn’t stand a chance here.”
His
remarks have only intensified accusations of political bias, with Chadema
supporters calling the disqualifications a deliberate strategy to sideline
opposition voices and guarantee CCM an unopposed path to victory.
Local
Bugweto residents voiced frustration over officials’ political involvement,
especially when ward executives engage actively in politics. “If Tanzania truly
valued good governance, officials with such titles wouldn’t be involved in
politics,” said one resident. The involvement of district commissioners in
active politics also drew criticism, with residents arguing it compromises the
impartiality required for fair leadership.
The issue
of political neutrality among public officials was also recently debated in
Tanzania’s High Court. On October 28, 2024, the court dismissed a high-profile
case brought by activists Bob Chacha Wangwe, Bubelwa Kaiza, and Dr. Ananilea
Nkya, who argued that oversight of local government elections by a sitting
minister compromised neutrality. The court upheld the minister’s authority,
emphasizing that the role aligns with existing legal frameworks.
Reacting
to the ruling, Wangwe expressed disappointment, stating, “This decision shows
that Tanzanians have failed. The ruling essentially allows the minister, with
Parliament’s approval, to exercise partisan influence without judicial
oversight.”
He went on
to criticize the judiciary’s independence, citing Professor Chris Maina Peter’s
work on the subject. “The challenges to judicial independence have never been
clearer. I urge Tanzanians to protect their votes and turn out in large numbers
to ensure their voices are heard,” he stated.
Kaiza,
another petitioner, expressed similar frustration, announcing plans to appeal
the decision. He emphasized that the upcoming election goes beyond local
government seats and encompasses village and hamlet leadership, which he argues
have unique roles distinct from those in formal government structures. He
criticized the misinterpretation of “local government elections” since the
1990s, claiming it has led to issues in election oversight.
In
Shinyanga, Chadema Regional Secretary Sebastian Polepole criticized the removal
of Chadema candidates from the race, calling it “a blatant act of bias.”
According to Polepole, the party took every measure to ensure candidate forms
were properly filled out before submission, making the disqualifications all
the more suspect.
Among the
disqualified candidates, Mkasha John Emmanuel revealed he was removed on the
grounds of not specifying the ward he intended to run for, even though the
application clearly noted it. He was also accused of listing an age that
allegedly did not match the voter registry. Candidate nominations were
completed on November 8, and the deadline for appeals is November 13.