Tundu Lissu queries whereabouts of Sh1.4m traders’ ID cash

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian opposition presidential candidate Tundu Lissu yesterday claimed that the government cannot account for the TSh30 billion (about Ksh1.4 million) collected from petty traders from selling them Identification Cards (IDs).

The Chadema candidate made the statement during campaign rallies in Singida and Tabora regions respectively.

Mr Lissu - who doubles as Chadema vice-chairman for Mainland - said the IDs, sold at TSh20,000 each, have been included in the CCM election manifesto targeting 1.527 million petty traders annually.

“However, the IDs have no names, pictures, residency address, date of birth and other important details. They cannot be used for securing loans from financial institutions as claimed by the CCM presidential candidate,” he said.

He added: “Regulations were enacted early this year by the Finance and Planning ministry giving the president, regional and district commissioners as well as District Executive Directors (DEDs) the  mandate to collect funds from the project, but the question is, where has the money gone?”

Use of State organs

He questioned the idea of including the Head of State among people responsible for collection of funds. The previous exercise was marred by numerous shortcomings including failure to issue receipts to petty traders. 

“The president’s job should  never be collecting funds from the IDs project,” he said, while wondering whether the money has been used for designing and preparation of the CCM presidential candidate’s placards.

Mr Lissu told voters that his party will ensure agents take an oath, are given access to the polling stations and are provided with results declaration forms in order to contain possible theft of votes.

“Since they are expected to use state organs to declare losers as legitimate winners, we urge the police and army not to interfere with our plan to liberate this country,” he said.

The former Singida East MP campaigned for the party’s parliamentary candidate for Iramba West Jesca Kishoa, who is the sole party’s candidate in the constituency after de-registration of all councillorship candidates.

In Igunga, Mr Lissu campaigned for the constituency’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Ngassa Mboje, and 13 out of 16 councillorship candidates.

Arrests

At the same time, police in Serengeti have arrested the constituency’s parliamentary candidate on a Chadema ticket Catherine Ruge and the party’s district leaders who are accused of causing chaos at the office of the election supervisor.

Mara Regional Police Commander Daniel Shillah denied receiving reports on the matter, but the District Commissioner (DC), Mr  Nurdin Babu, confirmed the incident.

He said that also arrested alongside the parliamentary aspirant is the party’s district chairman, Francis Garatwa, but declined to give more details.

However, Serengeti Constituency election supervisor Juma Hamsini confirmed the arrest. They were arrested for allegedly causing chaos at his office.

“I have been informed about the chaos and destruction of office property. It is bad because misunderstandings can be resolved through dialogue instead of violence,” he said on the phone.

But the party’s district secretary said they were arrested at the supervisor’s office where they were following up on an amended campaign schedule.

Meanwhile, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Monday clarified Chadema’s concerns on a company contracted to prepare ballot papers ahead of this year’s General Election, slated for October 28.

The electoral body also issued clarifications on claims of poor involvement of the Nec’s Procurement and Logistics committee.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Chadema secretary-general John Mnyika demanded answers from the electoral body and the Tanzania Police Force on various issues linked to the October 28 General Election.

He said NEC is supposed to disclose the company contracted to produce ballot papers, provide Voters Permanent Register to political parties, and introduce Results Management System to election stakeholders.

The electoral body is also required to respond to the party’s complaints filed against CCM presidential candidate John Magufuli, and provide copies of Results Declaration Forms to political parties.

Besides, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro was urged to sack Hai Officer Commanding District (OCD) and give reasons for ''escalated injustice and crackdown'' against the opposition.

He said June reports showed that a South African firm, Ms Ren-Form CC, had been contracted to prepare and supply ballot papers, but recent reports have indicated that Jamana Printers are doing the former’s job.

“NEC should tell Tanzanians which company between the two has been contracted for the job because we are aware that some of Jamana Printers executives are CCM members. We need assurance to satisfy ourselves about the safety of ballot papers,” he told reporters at the party headquarters.

But a statement released by NEC’s Director of Elections, Dr Wilson Mahera, names Ms Ren-Form CC as the company that won the competitive tendering process against a Kenyan company, Ellams Products Limited, and Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC of Dubai.

“The process supervised by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) declared Ms Ren-Form CC the winner. Jamana Printers did not participate in the process,” reads part of the statement.

He said that earlier, a General Procurement Notice was put in the PPRA website, repeated in the TANePS, and that NEC advertised the process in the DailyNews newspaper and informed stakeholders, including Chadema.

He said it was the PPRA’s responsibility to publicise tender results in the Tender Portal available in the PPRA website and the Tanzania Procurement Journal.

Report by Louis Kolumbia