Civic United Front (CUF) has vowed not to recognise Juma Ali Hafidhi (CCM), who was declared the winner in Dimani parliamentary by-election last Sunday.

The party said it was not recognising the winner the same way it would not recognise the government.

CUF claimed that Dimani constituents were given a fair chance of choosing their MP and instead were given a person chosen by state organs under the wish of CCM. The statement was made on Tuesday by the CUF consultation committee that met at its Vuga offices in Unguja.

The committee’s one-day meeting was led by its chairman, who doubles as Zanzibar’s CUF deputy secretary general, Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, as it discussed various issues, including the Dimani by-election held last Sunday.

“There was no by-election, but the one that was hijacked by security forces and state organs; the people of Dimani were never given a chance of implementing democracy,” Mr Mazrui said.

He said, “In Tanzania what is being witnessed today is that free and fair elections are strictly not allowed. Both ZEC and NEC are the electoral commissions bent on one side and the puppets of the ruling party.”

Meanwhile, CCM has dismissed the rigging claims leveled against the party by CUF following its victory in Dimani by-election.

Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam Tuesday, CCM publicity and Ideology secretary Humphrey Polepole attributed the victory to President John Magufuli’s performance and the party decision to crack down on corrupt members.

Mr Polepole said by-election rigging claims by CUF and other opposition parties lacked substance as CCM scooped 4,800 votes against CUF’s 1,200.