LACK OF CIVIC EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO LOW TURNOUT

LUDEWA Constituency in Iringa Region is one of the constituencies in the country which recorded the lowest turnout of registered voters in the just ended general election, it has been observed.


Although there was a total of 60,976 eligible voters as per permanent register record only half of electorates exercised there right to vote and to elect their leaders from civic to presidential polls, according to the returning officers Iringa Region sources.


The Returning Officer for Ludewa Constituency who is also district executive director (DED), Hilda Lauwo, in presidential election, there were a total of 60,472 eligible voters but only 32,097 participated to elect their desired presidential candidate.


She noted that presidential election results, which involved seven presidential candidates of different political parties in the Ludewa Constituency were as follows, Kuga Peter Mziray of APPT Maendeleo scored 468 votes, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of CCM scooped 24,523 votes, Dr. Wilbroad Peter Slaa of CHADEMA (6,378), and Prof. Ibrahimu Haruna Lipumba of CUF (177).


Others are Hashimu Rungwe of NCCR-Mageuzi (60), Muttamwega Mgaya of TLP scopped 49 and Dovutwa Dovutwa of UPDP scoped 37 votes respectively.


However, in that presidential election a total of 32,077 voted but only 31,692 were true votes and 405 votes were rejected.


Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has scooped ten (10) civic seats and one civic seat had taken by opposition party (TLP) t in same constituency. Returning officer announcing results recently said that Ludewa Constituency conducted election in only eleven wards out of the total of 25 wards in the constituency.


Lauwo explained that the other remaining 14 wards were unopposed during the primaries and were scooped the ruling party CCM, making total of 24 civic seats taken by CCM including the recent ten wards scooped by the party. She added that there were a total of 202 polling stations in the constituency.


In the following wards, CCM excelled: Lifuma, Milo, Manda, Mlangali, Madilu, Ludewa Urban, Lugarawa, Ruhuhu, Ludende and Kilonda but Lupingu ward went TLP.




“As you know, Ludewa Constituency didn’t conducted parliamentary election during just ended general elections because the parliamentary candidate Deo Filikunjombe through CCM ticket went through unopposed during the primaries in August this year. Vis-à-vis in 14 wards CCM went unopposed out of the total 25 wards in the constituency,” the returning officer pointed out.




However, the returning officer low turnout of registered voters in the constituency was due low civic education in the area but urged political parties to pull up their socks take civic education their respective members and supporters in order to increase the level of understanding hence increase the number of people to participate in general election in 2015.


“People should make sure that they participate in the coming next genera election in 2015 so that they can make different participation this year and next general election,” she urged