CHADEMA scoops Dar mayoral seat in big victory

For the first time since independence, the city of Dar es Salaam will be under opposition leadership following the election yesterday of Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) candidate Isaya Mwita as mayor.

Mwita, who was representing the official opposition coalition UKAWA, scooped 84 of the total votes against his opponent Yusuph Omary Iyenga from the ruling CCM, who scored 67 votes.

According to City Council deputy director Sara Yohana who supervised the election, the total number of votes cast was 158, of which seven were declared void. Five delegates were absent and therefore did not vote.

There were 54 voters from Ilala municipality, 56 from Kinondoni, and 48 from Temeke, Yohana said. 

The hotly-contested election was conducted under tight security with police officers, including members of the Field Force Unit (FFU), surrounding the downtown Karimjee Hall venue to ensure that calmness prevailed. 
The event was also witnessed by prominent figures from both the competing parties, including CHADEMA national chairman Freeman Mbowe, former UKAWA presidential candidate Edward Lowassa, and Dr Augustine Mahiga, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation in the current CCM government.

Addressing CHADEMA members after being endorsed as mayor of the city of Dar es Salaam, Mwita pledged to work closely with fellow municipal leaders and residents to oversee developmental changes in all three districts. 

He cited some of his priorities as to reduce traffic congestion, ensure a better learning environment for students, and introduce a cleanliness programme to cancel out Dar es Salaam’s reputation as probably the dirtiest city in East Africa.

“(We must keep in mind that) this city contributes almost 79 per cent of the total national income,” he stressed.

CHADEMA chairman Mbowe noted that the party had managed to clinch the much-coveted mayoral seat despite the stiff challenge mounted by the ruling CCM party.

He called on the new mayor to collaborate with fellow city leaders, wananchi, and other stakeholders in order to attain important developmental goals.

Earlier, the election chairperson Theresia Mmbando - who is also the Dar es Salaam Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) – asserted that the mayor and other city leaders are jointly responsible for the implementation and supervision of city development projects.  

Dar es Salaam, which is also one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa, has had several mayors over the years, including Abdulkarim Karimjee, Kleist Sykes (2000-2005), Adam Kimbisa (2006-2010), and Mwita’s immediate predecessor Didas Masaburi who occupied the seat for five years from 2010 to 2015.

The latest city mayoral election was supposed to have been held late last month, but had to be abruptly postponed by Yohana following a fracas involving bitter verbal exchanges between CHADEMA and CCM delegates in the voting hall. The City Council deputy director said at the time that the sudden postponement was prompted by an interim court injunction said to have been issued minutes before the delegates entered the hall. 

According to the injunction letter which was later glued on the hall entrance door outside, the application was filed at the Kisutu resident magistrate’s court, with the first applicant being Susan Ernest Massawe and the second being Saad Mohamed Khimji.

The UKAWA coalition has also won mayoral elections in the city’s Ilala and Kinondoni municipalities. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN