Local Govt Election Update 2024: At least 37 Hamlets Fail to Cast Ballots-Minister -

By Senior Reporter VALENTINE OFORO

Over 31.3 million of eligible voters registered for the polls,out of the number, over 16. 4 million were female, and over 15.2 million were male.

A TOTAL of 37 hamlets within the country failed to cast votes to elect local government leaders in the democratic polls held Wednesday due to diverse reasons, including deaths of the verified candidates.

Presenting the results in Dodoma late Thursday, the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Mr. Mohamed Mchengerwa unveiled that out of the number, elections were impossible in eight sub- villages due to death of the verified candidates, whereby in 29 other hamlets the democratic exercise didn’t materialised due to other reasonable anomalities.

The minister disclosed the areas where the polls didn’t take shape due to demise of the eligible candidates as Kilwa coucil (two candidates), Nanyumbu (one candidate), Itilima (one candidate), Manyoni (one candidate), Ikungi (one candidate), Uyuwi and Mbarari councils one candidate respectively.

Giving further details, the Minister pointed out that the voters in at least 12 hamlets will have to re- vote, as the candidate’s scores matched, whereby in nine areas the sole verified candidates didn’t score the needed vote percentage.

” The voting exercise in these areas will be re- held in accordance to the set local government elections regulations to give the voters their statutory rights to elect key leaders to bring them needed socioeconomic development in five years to come,” he said.

Moreover, Mr. Mchengerwa has also directed the council’s directors in all areas where the election ran successfully to sworn- in the elected leaders, giving them induction seminars on key working facilities as stipulated in the relevant regulations.

Dwelling on the general results of the democratic polls, the Minister said that over 31.3 million of eligible voters registered for the polls, saying out of the number, over 16. 4 million were female, and over 15.2 million were male.

“After vetting of the registered voters, a total of 31,253,303 voters were verified to cast their ballots,” he informed.

He added, the exercise saw objections of some voters, these, he said including those who registered in areas where they’re not residing, among other accepted reasons.

In general, he also said that a total of 26, 963,182, voters managed to cast their ballots during the countrywide exercise, which stands at 86.36 percent of the residents with voting credentials.

He said from October 26th to 1st November 2024 the exercises of taking and returning the filled forms among the candidates from all 19 registered political parties were held for vying for the different posts.

He expressed, a total of 18, 340 posts for village chairpersons were vacant, 7,545 for street chairpersons, hamlet chairpersons (85,522), members of village councils for female (160,371), local committee members (mixed group) 18,552, and local committee members (female) 11,762 posts.

Going specific on the results, he said in the posts of village chairpersons, the votes were held in a total of 12, 271 areas, being out of 12, 280 areas that were due for the relevant elections.

“In village chairpersons elections, Chama Cha Mapinduzi CCM won 12, 150 posts, equivalent to 99.01 percent, Chama Cha Demokrasia Na Maendeleo (Chadema) scooped 97 posts (equivalent to 0.7pc), ACT- Wazalendo 11 posts (0.09pc), CUF 10 posts (0.008pc), NCCR- Mageuzi one seat (0.001pc) UMD got one seat (0.001pc) and ADC political party get one seat, equivalent to 0.01 percent,” he disclosed.

He added, in election of street chairpersons, the poll was conducted in at least 4,264 voting areas, informed: “CCM scooped 4, 213 seats, equivalent to 98.83pc, Chadema won 36 posts (0.84pc), ACT- Wazalendo got 9 posts (0.21pc), CUF managed 4 seats (0.09pc) whereby Chauma won one seat (0.02pc),”

Unveiling more results, the minister said on the side of chairpersons for hamlets, the votes was conducted at a total of 63, 849 areas out out of 63, 886.

In the category, he said CCM managed to scoop 62, 728 seats, (98.26pc), Chadema 853 seats (1.34pc), ACT- Wazalendo 150 seats (0.23pc), CUF 78 posts (0.12 PC), NCCR- Mageuzi ten seats (0.02pc), UDP won 6 seats (0.01pc), UMD got two seats (0.003pc) and ADC won a single seat which stands at 0.002 percent.

Pertaining to members of village councils, the minister informed that CCM collected 229, 759 seats (99pc), Chadema managed 1,222 seats (0.53pc), ACT- Wazalendo got 232 seats (0.01pc), CUF 105 seats (0.05pc), NCCR- Mageuzi scooped 16 posts (0.01pc) , Demokrasia Makini managed three seats (0.001pc) NLD one post (0.004pc) and ADC one post (0.0004 PC).

” In the election of local committee members, CCM got 21, 148 seats (99.30 PC), Chadema 101 seats (0.047pc), ACT- Wazalendo 29 seats (0.14pc), CUF 16 posts (0.08pc), NCCR- Mageuzi got two seats (0.01pc), CCK one seat (0.005pc), and ADC one seat which is at least 0.005percent.

He appreciated the political maturity demonstrated by all political parties that participated in the crucial poll, as well as the stakeholders and religious institutions.

He urged the elected leaders to play their role effectively and patriotically in order to bring about the needed development to their voters in their areas of jurisdiction.