Dar es Salaam - Counting of votes for parliamentary seats on the mainland of Tanzania has almost ended and data issued by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) show that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has taken about 90 percent of the seats so far.
The disintegration of opposition is manifested in NCCR-Mageuzi, which has lost all the 14 seats they won in 1995. The party has managed to get only one seat in a new constituency, in Kigoma Region in western Tanzania.
The pattern, however, shows improvement for the Tanzania Labor Party (TLP) which had no seat in 1995 but has secured four so far. This, according to political analysts, follows the crossover by the former NCCR-Mageuzi Chairman, Mr. Augustine Mrema to the TLP.
The Civic United Front (CUF), which did not have any seats on the mainland, has shown improvement after obtaining two seats. CHADEMA, which had three seats in the 1995 election, has increased the number to four.
History repeated itself for the United Democratic Party (UDP) which has secured 3 seats.
In central Tanzania, police have barred members and sympathizers of the opposition CUF from staging a peaceful demonstration to protest against parliamentary election results in the Tabora-Urban constituency. The regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ignas Mtama, told reporters here yesterday that police decided to restrict the CUF demonstration following a request by the opposition party to have maximum security.
CUF leaders in Tabora had asked police for security similar to that given to a demonstration staged by members and sympathizers of the ruling CCM, congratulating their winning parliamentary aspirant.
Police in Dar Es Salaam patrolled at the Headquarters of the opposition Tanzania Labor Party (TLP) to quell what was believed to be a planned illegal demonstration, which turned out to be hoax.
Local radio stations were heard Saturday and yesterday morning saying that the party had written a letter to the Regional Police Commander.
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