Opposition candidate Lowassa rejects TZ vote tally [News Bulletin]
- 5 years ago
Tanzania’s Opposition presidential candidate Edward Lowassa has rejected the ongoing vote tally, following Sunday’s election.
Lowassa held a news conference where he alleged massive rigging in the tallying process to favour his rival John Magufuli of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi which has been in power for decades.
He says if the electoral commission goes ahead to announce Magufuli the winner, he will not sign the results, opening up a new controversy, hours after the poll agency cancelled elections in the Island of Zanzibar.
Lowassa says he does not intend to contest the results in court which he terms as biased, but will in due course tell his supporters what to do.
Zanzibar’s electoral commission says the decision to annul the vote was arrived at after violations of the electoral law were cited.
In a statement, the electoral chairman Salum Jecha, said the polls on the Indian Ocean archipelago were “nullified” and must be carried out again.
Lowassa held a news conference where he alleged massive rigging in the tallying process to favour his rival John Magufuli of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi which has been in power for decades.
He says if the electoral commission goes ahead to announce Magufuli the winner, he will not sign the results, opening up a new controversy, hours after the poll agency cancelled elections in the Island of Zanzibar.
Lowassa says he does not intend to contest the results in court which he terms as biased, but will in due course tell his supporters what to do.
Zanzibar’s electoral commission says the decision to annul the vote was arrived at after violations of the electoral law were cited.
In a statement, the electoral chairman Salum Jecha, said the polls on the Indian Ocean archipelago were “nullified” and must be carried out again.