According to Juma Iddi, the region’s returning officer, the vocal Mp defeated Philemon Olais Mollel from the ruling CCM who scooped 35,907 votes (34.4 per cent).
Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT) contender Navoi Mollel came third having raked in 359 votes while NRAs Makame Rashid garnered 41 votes in an election that witnessed a low turnout of voters.
Lema's victory will be an icing on the cake for the opposition party in the region having also dethroned the ruling CCM at the helm of the council.
Arusha urban parliamentary election was in October this year postponed by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) following the death of Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT) contender Estomih Malla.
Contrary to the October 25 General Election when there were long queues at polling stations, the Sunday vote for MP saw only a handful of voters turn out for the exercise.
A jubilant Lema thanked his supporters for voting him to serve another five years; "I'm happy that despite our tribal differences you still went for the right choice and I promise not to let you down," he said.
However, Mollel, a prominent businessman in the region faulted the voting exercise saying it left out much to be desired. He alleged that he spotted a vehicle belonging to a Chadema councilor that was going round the polling stations and he suspects foul play.
"The occupants in the car pretended that they were carrying food for their agents but the truth of the matter is that they were carrying fake votes," he alleged but shied from specifying whether he was going to challenge the results in court.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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