AFRICA/TANZANIA - Zanzibar tension after elections which saw confirmation of outgoing President

Dar Es Salaam (Fides Service)- Election disputes in Zanzibar were given little attention in the rest of Tanzania. “Things are quiet because it is the Idr al Fitr holiday which marks the end of Ramadan” say local sources Dar Es Salaam the capital.
The 31 October vote in semi-autonomous Zanzibar confirmed outgoing President Amani Abeid Karume, of the CCM (Revolutionary Party) in power for over 40 years. President Karume has already taken office for another 5 year term in a ceremony attended by many international community representatives.
“International observers from African Union and the Commonwealth said the elections were free and fair although some episodes needed to be examined but this will not interfere with the results or invalidate the vote” the sources said.
However the Opposition has rejected the results. The main opposition party Civic United Front (CUF) plans to stage a protest until it obtains a revision of the election results. The government of Zanzibar accused the Opposition of instigating disorder in various parts of the islands. The most serious events happened in Pemba where at least 2 people were killed according to the police, 9 according to the Opposition.
Tomorrow 5 November the opposition leaders meet in Dar Es Salaam to plan protest demonstrations in Zanzibar and in the rest of the country.
“We hope electoral tension in Zanzibar will not affect the national consultation on 14 December” local sources said. Presidential and parliamentary elections were scheduled for 31 October, as in Zanzibar but the vote was postponed following the death of a candidate for vice presidency .
Zanzibar is semi-autonomous with its president and parliament elected every five years. The two organs decide local matters. Whereas central national government is responsible for foreign, defence and economic policies. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 3/11/2005 righe 36 parole 408)