Latest reports have it that a total of 12,128 Rwandese and Burundians had showed up at various registration centres, out of whom over 4,000 managed to have their names in the register.
Kyerwa District Registration Officer Josephat Kakuru confirmed to the ?Daily News? that over 4,000 foreigners were registered through bribing registration officers.
?We convened a meeting of the District Security and Defence Committee on Tuesday to discuss the matter?a vigorous investigation was underway to trace the aliens and arraign them.
Those found guilty will be prosecuted,? he said. Ngara District registered 112,482 voters against its target of 113,000, attaining a 95.4 per cent performance, according to the District Executive Director, Mr Coronely Ngudungi.
Muleba District registered 248,122 voters against the 198,600 target, registering a 125 per cent performance, said the District Executive Director, Mr Josephat Mkude.
He appealed to people who got registered to keep well their identity cards, which would enable them to participate in the general elections slated for October. Bukoba District Executive Director Gladys Dyamvunye said a total of 131,876 voters were registered, implying 89.1 per cent achievement.
She said the target was to register a total of 148,033 voters. Misenyi District registered a total of 98,951 voters, implying 87 per cent performance, the District Registration Officer, Mr Gosbert Bernard, said. He said the target was to register a total of 111,496 voters and succeeded in registering 98,951 voters.
Bukoba District Executive Director, Ms Gladys Dyamvunye, said a total of 131,876 voters were registered, implying a 89.1 performance. According to Ms Dyamvunye, the target was to register a total of 148,033 voters and managed to register 131,876 voters.
Meanwhile, Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Magesa Mulongo, has ordered the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to ensure that all eligible voters at the stations are registered, even if it means to extend the seven-day deadline.
The clarification came after Nansio residents criticised the present practice where the registration exercise ceases at the seventh day, leaving many people still in long queues seeking to register.
Mr Mulongo said as he accompanied the CCM Secretary General, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, at Kakukuru Ward that the registration machines should not be moved until all the eligible-voters -to -be are attended accordingly.
?I have got these concerns and am of the position that registration officers have to make sure all qualified people are registered and in so doing the BVR machines should remain fixed or move from one station to another until all are served,? he said.
The RC was responding to one resident, Mr Joseph Wangwe, who told Mr Kinana of the inconveniences the people were encountering in the course of registration in the system, saying there were few machines comparing to the number of people.
It was astonishing, he added, that there was only one BVR machine whose capacity could not manage to serve more than 2,500 eligible voters in the ward, calling for immediate action to reverse the situation.
In another development, Mr Mulongo said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has agreed to donate one speed patrol boat for the police to intensify regular patrols in Ukerewe Island.
The arrival of the boat, according to him, will make it easier for the police to man the bigger part of the Island which had at least other 36 small islands all requiring maximum security.
Earlier, Mr Kinana promised to forward the people?s grievances that touched many areas, particularly from the fishing community, which asked for protection and security against criminal gangs when fishing in Lake Victoria.
They said lack of modern fishing equipment was holding them back, but the most disturbing thing was poor security in the lake due to serious shortage of patrol boats.
?It is true that peace and security cannot be maintained in such a huge geographical area without reliable equipment like speed boats. I will forward this for action as well,? he pledged.
On the preparation for the general elections, the CCM boss urged Ukerewe residents to vote for the people who will fight for their welfare, notably candidates from his party CCM.
He was surprised to learn that the Kakukuru Ward Councillor, Ms Happyness Minja (CHADEMA) was not currently living in the ward with reports coming in that she has joined her husband who was recently transferred to Morogoro.
Mr Kinana was irked by the state of development in Ukerewe, particularly the deteriorating road infrastructure, insisting the residents should make a bold decision by electing candidates who are ready to live and work with them in bringing about true development.
The Ukerewe tour marks the official end of the CCM boss and his delegates in three Lake Zone regions of Kagera, Geita and Mwanza, whose aim was to check the implementation of its 2010- 2015 election manifesto, among other business.
By MEDDY MULISA and PIUS RUGONZIBWA, Tanzania Daily News
