Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government and former Prime Minister and First Vice-President, Joseph Warioba, lost his Parliamentary seat in October after the nullification of last year’s election results in the Bunda constituency. Declaring the seat vacant before a packed Musoma Cultural Centre audience, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission said the complainant who had opposed him in the election, Mr Ramadhani Mkondya, had not been afforded a fair and equal opportunity to be elected by Bunda District CCM Political Committee. Counsel for Mr Warioba had submitted that, as Prime Minister, he was entitled to ceremonial privileges inherent in his post. The complainant said that Warioba had used Party and Goverment machinery to influence voters.

In mid-December it was announced that Mr Warioba was one of five candidates hoping to re-contest the seat in the forthcoming by election.