Two CCM members are contesting the High Court decision on the petition against the victory of the Singida East MP, Mr Tundu Lissu. Mr Shaban Itambu Selema and Paschal Marcel Hallu are appealing against the judgement given by Judge Moses Mzuna of the High Court, Dodoma Zone, on April 27, last year.
Tundu Lissu
Other respondents in the appeal are the Attorney General and the Returning Officer of the Constituency. In his judgment, the High Court Judge threw out the petition, which sought to nullify the October 30, 2010 general election results for the constituency in which Mr Lissu of Chadema won.
The Judge clarified that votes scored by the Singida East MP were correct. Mr Lissu, the Chief Whip of the main opposition political party in Parliament, won the election after scooping 13,787 votes, beating his CCM rival Mr Jonathan Njau, who got 12,161 votes.
The Judge also noted that the petitioners had failed to get reliable and key witnesses who would have given correct information on what really transpired during the elections. “Petitioners have failed to bring in key people who would have proved accusations levelled against the winner (Tundu Lissu).
“It is the duty of the petitioner to provide proof – this is very important in election petitions like this,” Judge Mzuna reportedly said. In the petition filed at the court against Lissu’s victory, the petitioners raised 11 grounds in their submission and sought the judge to nullify the reults.
The petitioners had alleged that there was violation of some election regulations. But Judge Mzuna held that the evidence adduced by the petitioners before the court was imaginary and weak.
Source Tanzania Daily News
