Geingob congratulates ‘The Bulldozer’
PRESIDENT Hage Geingob has congratulated his Tanzanian counterpart John Magufuli following his re-election last week. Known as ‘The Bulldozer’, Magufuli of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) won a landslide second term with 84% of the vote.
About 12.5 million people voted for him out of 15 million registered voters. “I wish to congratulate my dear brother, President John Pombe Magufuli on his re-election as President of the United Republic of Tanzania,” Geingob said.
He said Tanzania was a dependable frontline state of Namibia’s liberation movement during the country’s fight for freedom. “We have since independence consolidated our partnership to respond to changing demands of our people. I look forward to working with President Magufuli as we harness opportunities for the shared prosperity of our people, the development of our sister countries and the entire SADC region,” he said. Geingob also congratulated Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi for winning the elections in Zanzibar. Magufuli’s main challenger Tundu Lissu of the Chadema party secured 1.9 million votes. Wednesday’s election was marred by opposition allegations that the vote was not free and fair following complaints of a crackdown.
“Democratic change is not possible in Tanzania under the current political and constitutional conditions,” Lissu said, adding he was calling for fresh elections. He has called on the African Union observer mission in Tanzania headed by Goodluck Jonathan, the former president of Nigeria, “not to endorse the results of this sham” following internet and mobile phone blackouts. Members of the electoral commission dismissed the allegations of fraud. Magufuli is the fifth president of the United Republic of Tanzania since the country attained independence from Britain in 1961.