DODOMA, Aug. 28 -- THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday cleared candidates from 17 political parties to contest for the presidential seat, paving the way for official nationwide campaigns to kick off today.

Out of the 18 political parties, whose aspi- rants collected nomination forms from the INEC offices in Njedengwa on the outskirts of Dodoma City, the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT- Wazalendo) presidential aspirant Luhaga Mpina and his running mate, Fatma Fereji, were notably absent from the list of those who returned the forms.

When Mpina and his convoy arrived at the INEC entrance gate at approximately 12:40 pm to submit their forms, they were informed by a security of- ficer that their names we...