TANZANIA: Semi-autonomous Zanzibar is on edge, fearing violence ahead of October 30 presidential and parliamentary polls

Record ID: 214524

  • Title: TANZANIA: Semi-autonomous Zanzibar is on edge, fearing violence ahead of October 30 presidential and parliamentary polls
  • Date: 26th October 2005
  • Summary: PEOPLE WALKING IN ZANZIBAR MAIN MARKET AREA VARIOUS OF OMAR HASSAN SAMRI, A BREAD VENDOR (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) BREAD VENDOR, OMAR HASSAN SAMRI SAYING: "The ruling party and the opposition politics are so different from the real situation on the ground and that is making us very very worried." PEOPLE WALKING IN MARKET AREA (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) FRUIT VENDOR, ALI ABDALLAH ALI SAYING: "All I am asking for is peace and it will be better if we can get a coalition government with both parties included in government as the president will be from one party of the other, meaning there will be no discrimination." VARIOUS OF ZANZIBAR STREETS (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 10th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA68H6JDL0WFJUJ6U69QJSKNY0P
  • Story Text: Renowned as a relaxed tourist paradise, semi-autonomous Zanzibar is on edge, fearing violence ahead of October 30 presidential and parliamentary polls across Tanzania.
    The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) fears that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party will rig the results on the Indian Ocean spice islands, where a string of violent brawls between rival supporters has already poisoned the pre-election atmosphere. The rising tensions on the palm-fringed islands are an embarrassment to Tanzania's mainland government, which has carefully nurtured its image as one of Africa's most stable countries despite what critics call a record of brutality and electoral dirty tricks in Zanzibar.
    It is not the first time the east African country's reputation has been sullied by violence on the archipelago which united with the mainland Tanganyika in 1964 to create Tanzania.
    In 2001, dozens of CUF supporters were killed in clashes with police during protests over ballot-rigging. Hundreds fled to neighbouring Kenya. The CCM party, which has ruled the twin islands of Pemba and Unguja since January 1964, is expected to win easily at national level, but might be unseated in Zanzibar.
    CUF supporters fear the ruling party will use fraud -- or worse -- to secure their place in Zanzibar, which is the opposition party's power base. It says the electoral register is flawed and says ruling party youths are being trained to intimidate CUF supporters -- charges the ruling party deny.
    Zanzibar's President Amani Abeid Karume last month threatened to dust off weapons used in the 1964 revolution that brought the CCM to power to ensure his party wins. The statement infuriated opponents but has not been retracted. Zanzibar residents and opposition supporters are getting increasingly worried with the cases of violence. "The ruling party and the opposition politics are so different from the real situation on the ground and that is making us very very worried." said Omar Hassan Shamri, a bread vendor at the main market on the island.
    Others say that a coalition would mean that everyone would emerge a winner. "All I am asking for is peace and it will be better if we can get a coalition government with both parties included in government as the president will be from one party of the other, meaning there will be no discrimination." said Ali Abdallah Ali, a fruit vendor.
    Already, scores have been injured in street brawls between rival supporters armed with stones, machetes and iron bars in Zanzibar, which lies off the coast of Tanzania. Pemba and Unguja gained independence from the British in December 1963, only to face a bloody revolt when the African majority wrested power from a mainly Arab government.
    The new leader, incumbent Karume's father, joined up with the mainland in 1964. The isles kept their own legislative body and president, which analysts say prevents Tanzania from reining in strong-willed leaders in the archipelago.
    The CUF accuses the CCM of rigging both 1995 and 2000 ballots which observers said were conducted fraudulently. One western diplomat, who did not want to be named, said there was palpable strain between the two CCM branches, with the mainland one insisting on free elections and showing its willingness to work with an opposition government on the isles. The CUF has promised Ukraine-style street demonstrations if CCM gets into power unfairly. Many on the islands say they are afraid security forces, which have recently been reinforced from the mainland, will clamp down hard on them.
    Analysts say politics boils down to age-old racial tensions on the islands, where Arabic and African traditions mingle. The international community is putting pressure on Tanzania to ensure that the bloodshed of 2001 is not repeated in Zanzibar, which historically traded gold, spices and slaves and is now home to 1 million people.
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