Magufuli wins Tanzania presidential vote: election commission

AFP | 29 October, 2015 15:39

Tanzanian presidential candidate of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party John Pombe Magufuli displays his ballot paper before casting his vote during the presidential and parliamentary election at his hometown Chato district, in Geita region.
Image by: STRINGER / REUTERS

Tanzania's ruling party candidate won presidential elections with over 58 percent of votes, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) said Thursday.

Tanzania's main opposition candidate on Thursday rejected the results, accusing the election body of falsifying tallies.

"We refuse to accept this attempt to rob the citizens of Tanzania of their democratic rights, which is being done by the National Electoral Commission by announcing results which are not the actual results," said Edward Lowassa, the Chadema party candidate.

"We are requesting that the National Electoral Commission announces that Edward Lowassa is the winner of the presidency of the United Republic of Tanzania," he told reporters in Dar es Salaam
.