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Tendwa hasn’t received parties’ requisition ...
2005-11-01 07:39:02
By Judica Tarimo
Registrar of Political Parties John Tendwa denied yesterday that he had received a requisition by political parties asking for additional funding following the postponement of the Union general election to December 18.
’’They have not submitted their requisition to my office,’’ Tendwa said in an interview at his office.
It was reported yesterday that political parties had petitioned his office for additional subsidies, citing a shortage of resources to foot their election campaign bills.
Interim chairman of the National Consultative Committee (NCC) Phillip Mangula said on Sunday that secretaries-general of 13 legally registered parties were planning to apply for financial assistance from the registrar to finance their campaigns.
Tendwa said that the law does not provide for the allocation of resources to political parties for campaigns. However, given the circumstances, there was a possibility of the parties to be assisted, he said.
’’The law does not allow the government to set aside money for political campaigns,’’ he observed.
He, however, said that given prevailing circumstances the parties that are financially constrained could be bailed out.
’’A requisition must be put in first. I cannot say how these parties can be assisted if there is no requisition,’’ said Tendwa.
The registrar advised the parties to file their requisition formally to the government through his office, the National Electoral Commission and the Prime Minister’s Office.
He expressed sympathy with the parties over the financial crunch they were facing following the death of Chadema presidential running mate, Jumbe Rajab Jumbe.
’’I feel sorry for them because they had no budgets for the extended period. However, I can’t help them in my capacity as registrar of parties,’’ said Tendwa.
Mangula, who is CCM secretary-general, was quoted in the Press as saying that political parties might turn to the government to fund their campaigns.
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