Boko haram
JF-Expert Member
- Nov 7, 2011
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PUSH messages being sent to residents of Arusha, targeting to scare them from the anticipated by - elections to feature a single ward of Sombetini are causing unrest here .
The Police, however , say they are yet to receive official complaints from recipients who have been getting short messages via their mobile phones from mysterious Airtel number 0786- 150 - 747 .
One of the messages read : "We will ensure that women and old people do not come out to vote during the Sombetini polls and if possible we shall shed blood, '' the text has been written in Kiswahili and the sender addresses recipients as ' Makamanda' a title used mostly by members of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo ( CHADEMA).
" These are dirty campaigns aimed at making people think that our party is planning chaos, '' stated Mr Godbless Lema the Member of Parliament for Arusha- Urban whose phone number bears uncanny resemblance to the 0786- 150 - 747 which is being used by the culprits. (The MP ' s one , however, starts with 0754) .
" They have purposely chosen numbers similar to mine in order to make people believe that either my party or I am behind these horriblemessages, '' said Mr Lema .
Checking the Airtel number through its registration system the name that propped up was ' Albert Mariwa ' but efforts to call the number proved futile as it was always off - air.
Sombetini residents will be going to polls on Sunday, February 9 this year, in the by -election that sees two major political parties ;the incumbent Chama Cha Mapinduzi ( CCM) and CHADEMA locking horns each trying to wrestle the seat.
CCM has fielded Mr David Lesikar while CHADEMA is trusting Mr Ally Bananga to represent the party.
Previously, the Sombetini Ward seat was being occupied by Mr Chemu Alphonse Mawazo who used to be with CCM before he recently ditched the party and joined CHADEMA thus automatically losing the representation .
In a different case, the opposition party has filed a police case number Ar /RB/982/2014 at the Sombetini Police station , claiming that its members were being attacked by unknown people during the ongoing campaigns .
The Police, however , say they are yet to receive official complaints from recipients who have been getting short messages via their mobile phones from mysterious Airtel number 0786- 150 - 747 .
One of the messages read : "We will ensure that women and old people do not come out to vote during the Sombetini polls and if possible we shall shed blood, '' the text has been written in Kiswahili and the sender addresses recipients as ' Makamanda' a title used mostly by members of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo ( CHADEMA).
" These are dirty campaigns aimed at making people think that our party is planning chaos, '' stated Mr Godbless Lema the Member of Parliament for Arusha- Urban whose phone number bears uncanny resemblance to the 0786- 150 - 747 which is being used by the culprits. (The MP ' s one , however, starts with 0754) .
" They have purposely chosen numbers similar to mine in order to make people believe that either my party or I am behind these horriblemessages, '' said Mr Lema .
Checking the Airtel number through its registration system the name that propped up was ' Albert Mariwa ' but efforts to call the number proved futile as it was always off - air.
Sombetini residents will be going to polls on Sunday, February 9 this year, in the by -election that sees two major political parties ;the incumbent Chama Cha Mapinduzi ( CCM) and CHADEMA locking horns each trying to wrestle the seat.
CCM has fielded Mr David Lesikar while CHADEMA is trusting Mr Ally Bananga to represent the party.
Previously, the Sombetini Ward seat was being occupied by Mr Chemu Alphonse Mawazo who used to be with CCM before he recently ditched the party and joined CHADEMA thus automatically losing the representation .
In a different case, the opposition party has filed a police case number Ar /RB/982/2014 at the Sombetini Police station , claiming that its members were being attacked by unknown people during the ongoing campaigns .
