|
Kids enticed to steal parents’ voters cards –CCM claims
2005-10-31 07:25:05
By Festo Sikagonamo, PST, Iringa
Children are being enticed to steal voters’ registration cards from their parents, for money, so as to deny them the right to vote for leaders of their choice.
CCM’s regional authorities in Iringa have pointed an accusing finger at the opposition parties as being behind the ploy meant to prevent eligible voters from voting.
The party’s Regional Secretary, Costandine Malyagili, named Ifunda Ward as a notorious spot where many voters are now reported to have lost their registration cards.
He said a famous businessman in the ward is boasting around to have set aside 500,000/- specifically for ’buying’ cards from CCM members.
Without identifying the opposition parties, Malyagili said, ’’the stratagem to take away ID cards from people in this fashion is spreading like wildfires.
Agents from the opposition have covered distances deceiving voters to surrender their cards in return for money. This is absurd,’’ Malyagili lamented.
He urged voters to stand firm against intimidation from dishonest individuals and turn out in large numbers for polling on December 18, this year.
Said he: ’’Our party CCM will register a landslide victory. The assessment report shows that within 11 wards in Iringa, with a total of 142 constituencies, there is no opponent to challenge CCM in 42 constituencies.
Besides, since the start of the election campaigns, over 20,000 people have defected from the opposition to join CCM.’’
He gave an example of the Kilolo constituency where 250 new party members received their new CCM membership cards after they surrendered the old ones from CUF, CHADEMA, TLP and NCCR-Mageuzi.
Malyagili insisted that on the polling day, special arrangements would be put in place to ensure that even the sick ones would be assisted to reach the polling stations to vote for leaders of their choice.
Prof Peter Msola is the CCM parliamentary candidate in the Kilolo constituency.
|
