NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 30- President John Magufuli led Chama Cha Mapinduzi is glaring at a landslide victory in almost all electoral positions, in an exercise that was marred by violence and electoral malpractices according to observers.
It is what Nairobi based journalist Mwangi Maina in his Twitter handle described as a “miracle” victory.
“In what looks like an electoral “miracle”, CCM has “swept” even the opposition strongholds & got a “landslide victory”, more than 70% in a majority of the opposition regions. #Tanzania has been coerced to look & turn green!. Outright RIGGING!,” the journalist who was reporting on the campaign trail and elections said.
BBC correspondent Ferdinand Omondi also shared this on Twitter; “Tanzania elections: Nearly all strong opposition MPs losing their seats. Observers, diplomatic missions have expressed concerns about election malpractice. CCM could have well over 90% majority in parliament.”
The Tanzanian President is seeking a second and final 5-year term in a hotly contested race, with his main contender Tundu Lissu, of Chadema Party.
According to the United States Foreign Relations Committee, “Before a single ballot was cast, Tanzania’s polls were marred by violence & repression. Reported irregularities during yesterday’s vote and arrests today of opposition leaders are unacceptable and erode the country’s democratic progress. Tanzania’s leaders must be held accountable.”
On Thursday, Lissu said he will not accept the outcome of the election.
“Whatever happened yesterday was not an election, and thus we do not recognize it. We do not accept the result,” Lissu told reporters in Dar es Salaam.
“This is not an election at all. We do not accept, and do not agree, with any results coming from this process.”
Lissu returned to Tanzania in July after 3 years abroad recovering from 16 bullet wounds sustained in what he said was an assassination attempt.
He said opposition election monitors were barred from observing the poll and faced other interference.
In a statement on Friday, the United States Embassy in Tanzania said, “these irregularities and the overwhelming margins of victory raise serious doubts about the credibility of the results announced today, as well as concerns about the Government of Tanzania’s commitment to democratic values.”
The Embassy urged Tanzanian to address the concerns raised in a transparent manner “in order to restore trust, heal divisions, and reinforce respect for the rule of law and good governance.”
“We call on all parties to refrain from violence and inciteful rhetoric over the coming days and urge the authorities to respect the right of Tanzanians to peacefully protest and express themselves.”
The sentiments were echoed by the Canadian High Commission to Tanzania; “We are concerned about reports of irregularities that call into question the credibility of the election process. It is important for the NEC and ZEC to transparently receive, investigate, and respond to complaints raised by candidates and political parties.”
But even the official outcome could be released, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye commended the country for “the successful holding of transparent, free, fair and peaceful General elections all over the country.”
Around 29 million people were registered to vote on mainland Tanzania and 560,000 in semi-autonomous Zanzibar, which also elects its own president and lawmakers.
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