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Now NCCR supporters reject their candidate
2005-09-19 07:31:00
By Makubo Haruni, PST, Tarime
NCCR-Mageuzi supporters in Tarime constituency have rejected outright, in front of their Union presidential candidate, the party’s parliamentary candidate.
The candidate, Reuben Makuri, was shouted down, jeered and forced to quit the rostrum in front of Dr Sengodo Mvungi, the NCCR presidential candidate, on grounds that his campaign would undermine that of the Chadema candidate, Chacha Zakayo Wangwe.
Makuri experienced voters’ disapproval after the party’s regional chairman, Stephen Sebeki, welcomed him to greet the crowd before Dr Mvungi could address the rally.
Immediately after Sebeki mentioned his name, jeers and catcalls erupted and some of the people in the audience threatened to leave.
’We do not want any opposition legislator other than Chacha Zakayo of Chadema…The one you are introducing to us has been put in place by Chambiri (the CCM candidate) in order to divide the votes… If you are forcing us we are going to disperse and leave your presidential candidate alone on the stage,’ the people were heard shouting.
Sebeki asked the people not to disperse, but listen to the presidential candidate giving them the freedom to elect a person of their choice.
’I want to say the voice of the people is the voice of God. I cannot force you to vote for Zakayo. What we want is a joint effort in removing CCM from power,’ he said.
However, Makuru, who is also the NCCR district chairman for Tarime, made a last request before he gave the podium to the presidential candidate.
He asked the people to give him audience so that he could introduce his civic candidates, and after he was granted he cleverly used it to also request the people to vote him. However, the crowd was steadfast in their rejection of him.
’We all belong to the opposition camp. Our mission is to defeat Chambiri…but why don’t you give me just 100 sympathy votes?’ he was heard pleading.
At the end the audience screamed at him to vacate the podium.
Dr Mvungi on his part asked the people to exercise restraint and discipline if they wanted the party to win next month’s elections.
’Listen to the policies of all candidates, and elect the one you think befits the position,’ he said as the people were dispersing.
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