by Mussa Juma

Godson Majola has been elected chairman of the newly established Meru district council after the split of the vast Arumeru district into two administrative entities - Arusha Rural and Meru.

Ms Frida Kaaya will assist him as vice chairperson, The two were elected unopposed at a poll held at Usa River.

The Arumeru District Executive Director, Mr. Raphael Mbunda, said all the 24 councillors came from the ruling party, CCM.

"There are no councillors from the opposition," he said at the end of the elections. Arumeru east parliamentary constituency was once a stronghold of the opposition between 1995 and 2000.

Delivering his acceptance speech, Mr. Majola, a councillor for Leguruki ward on the slopes of Mt. Meru, said he would work hard to speed up development in the area.

He said it had taken over 40 years for Arumeru east, one of the most productive areas in Arusha region, to get a district council.

The area MP, Mr. Jeremiah Sumari, who is the Deputy Minister for Labour, Youths Development and Employment called on the new council to avoid divisive politics and instead concentrate on development programmes.

During the elections, another councillor, Mr. Samweli Urassa was picked as member of the district’s employment board while Thomas "Bishop" Mollel and Ms Anna Kiromo were elected to represent the council in the Association of Local Authority in Tanzania (ALAT) at regional level.