NEC: Special Seats MPs can serve as councillors

THE National Electoral Commission (NEC) has said that Special Seats MPs are also entitled to serve as councillors in their respective residential areas.

The Director of Elections, Mr Ramadhani Kailima, has cleared the air following a move by some political parties to include all their Special Seats MPs in the mayoral elections, including those conducted in Dar es Salaam Region.

According to Mr Kailima, the local government Authorities Act recognises that every MP is a councillor where he or she resides and that the same is true for Special Seats legislators provided they had indicated their places of domicile while filling nomination forms.

He added that Special Seats aspirants are required to fill in NEC form Number 8D, indicating their residences, when applying for nomination in their political parties.

Mr Kailima said both CCM and CHADEMA had sought clarification on their Special Seats MPs’ residences for endorsement as councillors in the municipal councils within the city of Dar es Salaam.

His clarification comes amidst the impasse between the parties following the postponement of the Dar es Salaam mayoral election, which was to be held yesterday.

Meanwhile, Acting CHADEMA Secretary General Salum Mwalimu has criticized NEC for allegedly interfering with the mayoral election. He threatened that the Coalition of Four Opposition Parties, UKAWA, may have to seek court action and called upon President John Magufuli to intervene and ensure that the election takes place.

The opposition party’s leader claimed that the mayoral election was unlawfully suspended by the city director. “We call upon the president to intervene,” he appealed.

He said the director wrote to UKAWA councillors, informing them on the suspension of the election, without specifying the reasons and further development over the matter.

“The letter was issued to us one day before the election day informing us that the elections have been suspended without clarifying the reasons behind the move,’’ Mr Mwalimu pointed out. According to him, the letter did not indicate the next set date and the place to conduct the elections,” he said.