Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) leaders and supporters were yesterday celebrating victory in the hotly contested Biharamulo West parliamentary by-election, with the slimmest margin ever in recent polls - a mere 861 votes.

However, the ruling party's top rivals in the election, Chadema, refused to accept defeat, alleging election rigging.

Speaking to The Citizen by telephone shortly after the official results race were announced, Chadema deputy secretary-general Zitto Kabwe accused the local administration of plotting with CCM to "steal the election".

The Kigoma North MP, said: "Yes, we have refused to concede defeat because we are sure that results from nine poling centres were doctored."

The returning officer, Alhaj Zuberi Mbyana, announced that ruling party's candidate, Mr Oscar Rwegasira Mukasa, had won the poll by the margin of only 861 votes. Mr Mukasa garnered 17,561 votes against 16,700 votes for the Chadema candidate, Dr Anthony Gervas.

Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) candidate Mpeka Bahangaza, who was defending the seat for his party, performed dismally, managing only 198 votes. Of the 87,188 voters in the permanent register, only 35,338 cast their ballots. Some 879 votes were spoilt.

A victorious Mr Mukasa said that with the elections over, he was now getting ready to work for his Biharamulo West constituents, to fulfil his campaign promises.

Last month, CCM's Lolensia Bukwimba won the Busanda parliamentary by-election, with 29,242 votes or 54.65 per cent of the vote. Some 55,460 of the 130,000 registered voters took part in the election. Chadema's Finias Magessa got 22,799 votes, or 42.76 per cent of the vote.

Of the by-elections held since the last General Election in 2005, CCM failed to capture the Tarime seat last October. Chadema's Charles Mwera trounced CCM's Kongoye Rioba. Mr Mwera garnered 34, 545, with the CCM man getting 28,996 votes.

CCM had in February, last year, clinched victory in the Kiteto by-election, with Mr Benedict Nangoho, scooping 21,506 votes, trailed by Chadema's Victor Kimesera, with 12,561 votes.

Yesterday, Mr Kabwe claimed that the results posted at the poling stations indicated that Chadema had won the Biharamulo West by-election with a margin of 861 votes.

"The returning officer's announcement means that Chadema's votes have been declared as CCM's and vice versa," he declared. He said Chadema had disputed results from nine stations in three wards: Biharamulo Urban (three poling stations), Katoke (two) and Runazi (four).

"We asked for a recount of the votes from the nine stations after noting that the results presented to the accounting officer were different from those agreed at the poling stations, but they refused. We then knew there was a plot to make CCM win and decided to leave the room where the results were being tallied," he said.

However, Mr Kabwe said his party would not challenge the results in court, as the time left before the next year's General Election would not be enough to exhaust the court proceedings.

"We have told our supporters in Biharamulo West to remain calm. Everyone has seen what has happened. CCM will suffer punishment later this year during the civic polls and next year's General Election," he said. Just before the official announcement, both parties' supporters had been celebrating, with each camp claiming victory.

For their part, Chadema supporters said the results they had compiled from all the poling stations gave them victory.

The unofficial results had indicated that their candidate had obtained 50.6 per cent, with 17,313 votes against the CCM candidate's 16,682. The TLP candidate had only 187 votes.

But CCM supporters were also celebrating, saying their candidate had polled 17,584 votes against his Chadema rival's 16,686 votes and 192 votes for TLP. They gave CCM a 51 per cent victory over Chadema.

The CCM director for elections, Mr Matson Chizi, said Chadema had, unlike in the Busanda poll, campaigned vigorously in the rural areas, hence the slim margin.

"We experienced a stiff challenge from Chadema. This party has shown signs of political maturity by targeting rural voters, as CCM often does." said Mr Chizi.

Mr Chizi led the CCM team at the tallying of the results while Chadema was represented by Mr Kabwe and fellow party official Bazil Lema.

There was a five-hour stalemate over the results from nine stations polling stations that Chadema claimed had been doctored.

During the rival party supporters' victory celebrations, regular police and Field Force Unit members were on standby for any eventuality. Chadema election director Benson Kigaila later told party supporters to disregard the results being announced by the returning officer.

Additional reporting by Frederick Katulanda, Biharamulo