Nov 04, 2005

UNPO Election Monitoring Mission to Zanzibar: Improvement in Election Procedures Must Not Overshado


If improvements made concerning the electoral process need to be recognized, UNPO emphasizes the continuing problems which include violence, deadly clashes and fraud

On Sunday 30 October, voters elected a president, parliament legislators and local representatives in the semi autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania). CCM candidate Mr. Karume was re-elected, in an election generally recognized as free and fair by international observers. Despite some irregularities, such as inaccurate voting lists, incidents of underage and double voting, monitors from the African Union and the South African Development Community noted progress in the election process compared to previous years.


Results of the Zanzibar elections have now been published and the re-elected president is about to start his second term in office. Monitoring missions report a “considerable improvement over the last elections” (US State Department Spokesperson Sean McCormack). The attention of media to the situation on the island is expected to gradually decrease. Nonetheless, the situation in the Zanzibar Archipelago remains highly unsettled, and strongly warrants the continued close attention of the International Community beyond that of Election Day.


Improvements made concerning the electoral process need to be recognized. Even so, UNPO identifies substantive need to find a viable solution to the post-election situation Zanzibar currently faces, as well as the need to seek clarification with regard to, in particular, the case of elections in Stonetown.


In the urban zone of Forodhani (center of Stonetown), members of the UNPO election monitoring team present at the scene, witnessed two police vehicles that arrived at the Polling Center at around 2pm, carrying dozens of evidently scared people and placing them in the queue. Talking with individuals present, the observers (including UNPO Observers) discovered that the peoples were brought into Forodhani from the outside of the Urban District. Local inhabitants informed UNPO Observers that the individuals probably came from Shamba. When the local inhabitants protested, the Police did not hesitate to charge and shoot in the air. It has been reported that such events also occurred in Darajani School Voting Center, in Stonetown.


As international media agencies reported, at least one person has been killed and dozens left injured following daily violence in Zanzibar since Sunday's vote. Tension and unease continues to remain highly present in the streets of the capital.


UNPO emphasizes the necessity to not allow the situation to further escalate. As a member of the International Community, UNPO is obliged to call attention to the continuing problems which include violence, deadly clashes and fraud. If the situation today has improved compared to five years ago, one must be conscious and acknowledge that the pre- and post-elections process is still far from being satisfactory in regard to the fundamental criteria of what constitutes a “mature” democracy.

The Hague, Friday 4 November

UNPO Secretariat