Tanzania opposition says agents denied entry into polling stations
President John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania queues along with other voters at the Water Department Polling Station located in Chamwino Village Ikulu in Dodoma region on October 28, 2020 to cast his vote in the country's presidential election.
What you need to know:
- CUF parliamentary candidate Salum Barwani said some agents in several polling stations were denied access at the beginning of the exercise.
- Agents of several opposition parties in Ngamiani South, Zanzibar arrested for allegedly blocking voters from going into the polling station.
As voting kicked off on Wednesday morning, there were reports of agents being denied access to polling stations in Lindi Urban Constituency, according to Civic United Front (CUF) parliamentary candidate Salum Barwani.
Speaking to Mwananchi Digital, Mr Barwani said some agents in several polling stations were denied access at the beginning of the exercise.
"The returning officer who doubles as the Lindi town executive director delayed sending copies of names of agents representing political parties to their respective stations, therefore creating inconveniences that saw some agents being denied access," he said.
He added: "I have communicated with the returning officer who has assured me that immediate measures are being taken to streamline the process."
Efforts to reach the Lindi Urban election supervisor, Mr Jomaary Saturi, for comment were unsuccessful by the time this story was published.
In another development, Chadema, CUF, National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR) and Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT) agents in Ngamiani South, Zanzibar were taken into police custody after they reportedly blocked voters from going into the polling station because they had been denied access.
