Zanzibar - About 98 percent of eligible voters have been registered in Zanzibar ahead of the October 29 general elections the figure which the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) say is impressive. The Director of Elections in Zanzibar, Khamis Ame said here that 446, 727 people had registered which is 98.2 percent of the estimated 455, 425 eligible voters.
The registration exercise ended late last week. Zanzibar is estimated to a total of 800,000 population and in 1995 elections a total of 351,683 people were registered.
Responding on the allegation by the opposition that the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) had imported voters from Mainland to vote for its candidates, Mr. Ame said "there were not any person from Tanzania Mainland who had registered as voters on the Islands for the forthcoming elections." The opposition parties and CUF in particular had complained that some people were ferried from the mainland so that they could register as voters in Zanzibar. "No there were not such a persons.
The only problem, which ZEC found in the compiling the number of registered voters was double registration for some residents," he clarified. Prior to ZEC's announcement on a number of registered voters, CUF had claimed that only 47 percent of people in Zanzibar had registered for the October elections, an act which ZEC said was unlawful.
"Such interference of ZEC functions is dangerous because it can confuse the general public and cause chaos," the ZEC's director lamented. Meanwhile, until yesterday the National Electoral Commission (NEC) which is responsible for elections in Tanzania Mainland had not announced a total number of registered voters.
However, reports from individual regions indicate that over 65 percent, of eligible voters have been registered. On other development, NEC official have been quoted as saying the commission had by yesterday afternoon resolved 121 petitions lodged against the nomination of parliamentary and councillorship candidates.
The commission's Director of elections, Mr. Rajab Kiravu told the press that 32 petitions were against the nomination of the parliamentary candidates while 89 targeted aspiring councilors. He said his commission has left with about 50 petitions out of which at least 10 are for parliamentary candidates and 40 others involve councillorship aspirants.
There is no petition for presidential candidates to the Mainland, except for Zanzibar where the National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR- Mageuzi) candidate Naila Jidadawi has filed an injunction to the High Court of Zanzibar seeking for nullification of the ZEC decision to drop out her from the contesting the Zanzibar presidency. The ZEC rejected to nominate Jiddawi the NCCR-Mageuzi presidential candidate for Zanzibar last week after upheld Seif Hamad's objection that Jiddawi is still a lawful CUF member and not NCCR- Mageuzi.
Hamad, General Secretary of CUF contests presidential post through his party. Jiddawi, who was the CUF Member of Parliament Women Special Seats, was sacked by CUF on disciplinary grounds, but she objected against the dismissal at the High Court which decided that CUF decision should stay until he case was disposed of.
Until when Jiddawi was crossing over to the NCCR-Mageuzi from CUF, her issue was yet to be resolved at the High Court. Hamad said the objection was filed in order to ensure that the laws of the land are being adhered to accordingly and he had no ill will against Jiddawi.
Speaking after filling the case, Jiddawi's advocate Sufiani Mchome said his client has all constitutional rights to view for the presidency and the ZEC decision did not consider legal procedures.
Political analysts say that if Jiddawi get permit to contest, she was likely to take a share of voters meant for Hamad.
In the absence of Jiddawi, presidency candidates in Zanzibar remain to be two, Hamad himself and the CCM candidate, Abeid Amani Karume.
October 29 is the Election Day through out Tanzania when voters will elect the Union and Zanzibar presidents, legislators and civic leaders.
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