| Junior Sumari wants to replace his father in Arumeru by-election | Send to a friend |
| Monday, 20 February 2012 22:00 |
 By Mussa JumaThe Citizen Correspondent Arusha. Mr Siou Sumari, seeking to replace his father, the late Jeremiah Sumari, as Arumeru East legislator on Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket, has taken an early lead in the race.During the primaries of the ruling party yesterday, the junior Sumari defeated five other contestants to emerge the winner in the hotly contested polls. He scooped 361 votes, followed by Mr William Sarakikya who managed 259. According to results announced shortly before 9pm yesterday, other contestants (with their votes in brackets) were: Elishilia Kaaya (176), Anthony Musami (22), Elirehema Kaaya (205) and Urio Rishiankira (11). But, the results are not final as the executive committee will have to go through them and forward its recommendations to the CCM central committee which will name the CCM candidate for the April 1 by-election. Opening the meeting earlier, the CCM secretary for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Mwigulu Nchemba, appealed to the party’s leaders in Arusha Region to make sure that the party wins the Arumeru East parliamentary by-election. “You should do like what CCM leaders in Tabora Region and Zanzibar did to win parliamentary seats for Igunga and Uzini by-elections,” said Mr Nchemba. Opening the CCM general meeting for Arumeru East at Fikiria Kwanza Secondary School conference hall yesterday, Mr Nchemba said CCM’s victory in the constituency was inevitable, but it would be achieved if the party’s leaders were united. “The MP for Arumeru East constituency on the CCM ticket is supposed to be known today. I appeal to you (leaders) to make sure that the candidate gets a landslide victory,” he said. He explained that the party was in dire need of victory like that of Igunga and Uzini. He added that this would be possible if the party nominated a candidate that was acceptable to all people. “A by-election is an uphill task,” said Mr Nchemba, recalling the Igunga by-election where he said there was stiff competition from opposition Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) leaders, led by the party’s national chairman, Mr Freeman Mbowe, and secretary general, Dr Willibrod Slaa. Mr Nchemba, who said he would be among members of the CCM by-election campaign team, called on members of the general meeting to vote for a candidate who will appeal to the people. “We have six CCM candidates. We should not let the party down by picking an incompetent candidate,” he said. As the meeting was being held in the hall, several people outside the hall carried posters accusing the party of entertaining corruption in the process towards nomination of its candidate for the Arumeru East parliamentary seat. Some posters denounced the party for electing leaders on an “inheritance basis”. The meeting’s premises were also thronged by officials from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) as well as intelligence and security officials. Despite their presence, however, unconfirmed reports said some delegates were seen receiving money in motor vehicles, indicating that the nomination of the CCM candidate was full of corrupt practices. Reports from sources that attended the closed door meeting said there was stiff competition between Mr Elishilia Kaaya, who is the managing director of the Arusha International Conference Centre, Mr Sioi Sumari, the son of the departed MP for the area and Mr William Sarakikya. Others were Messrs Elirehema Kaaya, the Nyamagana CCM secretary for publicity and ideology, Mr Anthony Musari, a teacher and Mr Urio Rishiankira, an official with Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Meanwhile, the Chadema Arumeru East parliamentary candidate, Mr Joshua Nasari, yesterday collected nomination forms and vowed to emerge victorious. Mr Nasari, who collected the forms as candidate number six from Chadema, said Arumeru residents were tired of CCM that has been in power for 50 years, yet people were wallowing in poverty. “Arumeru residents are tired of CCM. They are living in misery. The land is owned by a few individuals,” said Mr Nasari. Chadema secretary for Arumeru, Mr Totinan Ndonde, mentioned other Chadema members who collected nomination forms as Godlove Temba, Johane Kimuto, Anna Mghwira, Receba Mungwishi and Samuel Shami. He said the deadline for collecting the forms for Chadema members is February 25, adding that the opposition party will pick its candidate on February 29. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
