BVR recieved SAID LIBUVA

        

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) yesterday received 1,600 biometric voter registration (BVR) kits.

The kits come at a time when the commission is grappling with problems in voter registration, which is expected to reach its climax in Njombe Region today.

In Njombe alone 250 kits were used. It has taken NEC 46 days to do the work. NEC chairman Damian Lubuva told journalists yesterday here that as of yesterday his office had received 248 kits that would be used in training NEC officials ahead of the start of the next registration in Iringa, Lindi, Ruvuma and Mtwara on April 24.

According to him, another set of 1,600 kits was expected to arrive at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) by yesterday evening in a charter plane.

Next Friday, Judge Lubuva said his office was expected to receive another 1,600 BVR kits that would be delivered by a charter plane by the contracted supplier, Lithotech Exports, of South Africa. He said the kits would be used to list eligible voters in Dodoma, Mbeya, Katavi and Rukwa starting May 2.

“We will thereafter receive 1,152 kits that will be sent to Singida, Tabora, Kigoma and Kagera regions on a date that will be communicated later,’’ he said.

In another development, the NEC boss said his office had no plan whatsoever of postponing this year’s General Election, warning politicians to refrain from making statements that had no grain of truth.

He was responding to allegations by Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe that there was a plot to use problems in voter registration to extend President Jakaya Kikwete’s term in office.

On Thursday, Mr Mbowe described the slow pace by NEC in registering voters as a plot by CCM to extend the date for the next General Election.

“The date for the next General Election is stated in the constitution and we are aware that this year we will go to polls on October 25, although NEC has yet to declare the date,’’ he said.

He said his party would not accept any extension of the election date. He insisted that should that happen, the country would be in serious problems.

“NEC calls on politicians to stop making utterances that are likely to create fears among the citizens.”