ZANZIBARIS go to the polls relaxed on Sunday, after adversary CCM and CUF leaders promised co-operation to stop acts of violence that have featured in past elections in the Isles.
Campaign rallies held by the two parties in Unguja Island on Saturday were calm, indicating that Sunday’s election will be held peacefully.
CCM and CUF leaders continued to solicit votes from their members, instructing them on how to take part in Sunday’s exercise.
On Saturday, the Island of Unguja was calm. Businesses at the famous Darajani area went on as usual, while taxi drivers made lucrative business to transport Zanzibaris who were arriving from Dar es Salaam to take part in the voting exercise on Sunday.
“I live in the mainland, but I was registered in Zanzibar. I did not like to miss this historic event”, said Omar Abdallah Omar who runs an electronic shop at Kariakoo area in Dar es Salaam.
Meanwhile, the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Saturday issued a statement, saying that votes for Councillors and Members of the House of Representatives will be tallied at special areas located in all the districts.
“The results will be announced by the Districts’ Returning Officers after being verified by relevant parties, including agents of the political parties”, said ZEC chairman Mr Khatib Mwinyichande.
ZEC is the only authoritative commission mandated totally presidential candidates’ votes and also announce the winner after the results have been verified by relevant authorities.
By yesterday afternoon, ZEC had already distributed ballot papers to almost all polling stations in Unguja and Pemba. The exercise was expected to end last night.
According to ZEC, polling stations will open at 7.00am and close at 4.00pm. In August this year, Zanzibar residents voted to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) which will allow rival parties to form a coalition government after the Sunday’s elections.
The power-sharing agreement is designed to end years of political strife that had marred previous elections in Zanzibar. The decision to form GNU in Zanzibar was not an easy one. It was based on the outcome of elections in Zanzibar since 1995 and the animosity that emerged thereafter.
Moustafa Khataw, chairman of the Tanzania Society of Travel Agents, says he doesn’t anticipate any trouble at this year’s elections. He said: “Zanzibar has learned from its previous mistakes and this time we have no tensions around the elections.”
No comments:
Post a Comment