Chadema calls for early update of voter register

Dar es Salaam. Chadema in the Coast Zone has reminded the government to start making updates on the voters’ register to avoid carrying out the exercise in haste.

The party’s zonal chairman, Mr Frederick Sumaye, told a press conference yesterday that it was better for the exercise to start early to avoid being implemented as if it was an emergency.

“Many people have attained voter status while others have lost it. It is high time the registry was reviewed, considering that nothing has been done since 2015 when the country held its General Election,” he said.

Mr Sumaye, a former Prime Minister, said Tanzania was expected to hold local government elections next year. He added that more resources would be used, hence the voters’ register review should be done as early as possible.

In another development, Mr Sumaye condemned Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda for promising President John Magufuli that the region would be under CCM elected leadership in 2020, noting that the statement showed the government’s intention to turn Tanzania into a single-party monolith.

“His promise to the Head of State means that he will continue violating the Constitution and suppressing the opposition using security organs to meet that goal,” he said. According to him, Mr Makonda was not supposed to make such a reckless statement that blatantly violated the Constitution of the country.

“Makonda has been doing many things that damage the government’s image. Seemingly, the position he holds is too big for him and he is incapable of delivering the goods. It is better for the appointing authority to replace him with a capable person before he does more embarrassing things,” he said.

Currently, Dar es Salaam is led by elected leaders including parliamentarians, councillors and mayors from Chadema and CUF.

But, speaking on Thursday, last week, during the ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the construction of the Salendar Bridge and its connecting roads, Mr Makonda said the opposition will vote for CCM candidates in 2020 in their support of achievements made in implementing development projects in the region.

He said the wave of defections by opposition MPs and councillors that had been witnessed lately was a sign of regret by CCM rivals, noting that more still wanted to join the ruling party.