Zanzibar: Election Officials Say Discrepancies in 2005 Election Do not Alter Result
The Zanzibar Electoral Commission has said in its report on the disputed October 2005 elections that there were discrepancies such as underage voters and others voting twice — the first official acknowledgment of irregularities.
An official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said that the discrepancies did not alter the election result.
The commission, which made its report public late Monday, said that it identified most of the discrepancies after the Oct. 30, 2005 vote and not before or during the polls in the archipelago of
Zanzibar Electoral Commission Chairman Massuni Yussuf Massuni declined to comment on the report or to explain why the commission took almost a year to prepare it.
"During the registration process in both Unguja and
The report said that other problems included interference by local government officials and public confusion over election regulations.
Salim Bimani, spokesman for the opposition Civic United Front, said that his party maintained its position that the October 2005 elections were not free and fair.
"We maintain our stand of not recognizing the government elected by election fraud. They simply won by default," said Bimani.
The Civic United Front disputed the lead up to and the actual vote with its supporters fighting running battles with police days before, during and after the poll in this semiautonomous part of
At least two people were killed and scores were injured and arrested.
President Amani Abeid Karume narrowly won re-election for a second and final term with 53 percent of the vote.
Karume's socialist Chama Cha Mapinduzi, or Revolutionary Party, that has ruled
