Local News

Bububu by-election race hots up

THE much awaited Bububu by-election in Zanzibar penciled for September 16, this year, is poised to be a tight contest. Mr Suluhu Ali Rashid, the Elections Returning Officer, said that preparations for the polls are at advanced stages.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Member of the House of Representatives in March this year. He only served for 16 months. “Thursday at 4 p.m - East African Time, is the deadline for nomination.

So far candidates from eight political parties have picked nomination forms,” said Rashid adding, “We are meeting with political parties Wednesday to have a consensual campaign arrangement, scheduled to begin on Friday (August 31, 2012) until September 15, 2012.”

He mentioned candidates who have picked nomination forms as Mr Juma Metu Domo (SAU), Mr Seif  Salum Seif (TADEA), Mr Issa Khamis Issa (CUF), Mr Abdulrahaman Hamad Said “Kidosho” (AFP), Mr Suleiman Abdallaah (NRA), Mr Hussein Ibrahim Makungu “Bhaa” (CCM), Mr Haroun Abdallah Said (NCCRMageuzi), and Ms Mtumwa Jabir Seif (Jahazi-Asilia).

The officer said that each candidate is supposed to return the nomination forms together with 200,000/- as guarantee/assurance fee. Each political party is already bragging to be well prepared to win the election, but each candidate will have to work hard to woo the expected two thousand or so eligible voters in the constituency.

He said that about 30 polling stations in four wards of Bububu, Kibweni, Mwanyanya, and Sharif- Msa have been arranged for the by-election, second to be done since the formation of Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2010.