VOTING in the civic elections saw high voter turnout along with significant confusion and irregularities, a countrywide survey has indicated.

Several regions faced challenges, such as the absence of opposition party agents at polling stations, missing names on voter lists, and delays in the delivery of election materials.

In Arusha city, particularly at Unga Ltd ward, polling stations were disrupted due to the absence of opposition party agents, notably from Chadema, as the party faced internal disagreements.

While 12 of 13 political parties had confirmed their agents, Chadema failed to appoint and swear in agents timely, leading to their absence from polling stations.

Despite this, local leaders remained confident that the voting would proceed smoothly, citing the positive response from voters, especially the youth, who had been to extensive voter education.

At Sokoni One ward, hundreds of residents were unable to vote because their names were missing from the voter list, whereas some expectant voters discovered that their names had been replaced by others.

Other aspirants, like Chadema candidate Damiano Mollel at Sinoni ward, were devastated to find their names missing entirely, eyewitnesses affirmed.

In Muriet ward, delays in receiving ballot boxes disrupted the voting process, with local officials expressing concern over widespread obliteration of voter names, urging election officials to “verify the lists thoroughly.”

Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda, after voting at the AICC Hospital polling station, urged voters to leave polling stations immediately after voting, leaving ballot security to party agents as per election regulations.

Kilimanjaro and Tanga regional commissioners Nurdin Babu and Zainab Abdallah Issa emphasized the need to maintain peace and ensure the election process proceeds smoothly.

Further complications arose in Songwe, where regional police commander Augustino Senga reported the killing of a young man, Stephano Mwambeje, by unknown assailants.

Similar tensions were noticed in Singida, where Chadema regional secretary Khamis Nkua was stabbed, while party leaders George Mohamed and Steven Chalamila, were killed in violent attacks.

Police are investigating these incidents, while local observers said that political violence had emerged as a serious concern.

In Dar es Salaam, there were complaints about missing names on voter lists, with some voters being disenfranchised, while confusion over ballot papers raised suspicions of electoral fraud.

Overall, while voter turnout was high, the election process was marred by logistical issues, including missing names on voter rolls, delays in election materials and violent incidents, which cast a shadow over the civic elections' credibility and fairness, preliminary impressions suggested.