|
Zanzibar presidential nomination deadline today
2005-09-03 07:49:36
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Today is the deadline for Zanzibar presidential candidates to return their nomination forms.
Seven candidates have collected the forms from the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (NEC), but just two had handed in the same to the electoral body by 4pm yesterday.
They were the incumbent, Amani Abeid Karume of CCM, and Mussa Haji Kitole of Jahazi Asilia.
Karume returned the forms quietly after the Friday prayers.
Receiving Karume’s forms, ZEC Chairman Masauni Yusuf Masauni asked all candidates who would be endorsed by the commission to observe electoral rules in their campaigns, saying this would help to preserve peace during the election process.
Karume, who was accompanied to ZEC offices by top government and Zanzibar CCM officials, thanked the commission for its cooperation.
Karume was followed by Kitole who was also advised by Masauni to observe civility during the campaign period with a view to ensure that the October 30 elections were free and fair.
Jahazi Asilia Chairman Kassim Bakari Ali and Treasurer Jamila Abeid escorted Kitole to ZEC offices.
Jahazi Asilia was granted permanent registration early this year.
Seif Shariff Hamad of the Civic United Front (CUF) is expected to hand in his forms this morning.
A statement issued by CUF headquarters said elders from all over Zanzibar and a former CUF vice-chairman, Shaaban Khamis Mloo, would escort Hamad.
Mloo said this year’s elections were ’unpredictable’, adding that some leaders were not ready to let democracy flourish in the Isles.
Other parties whose candidates had yet to hand in their forms yesterday were NLD, UPDP, Sau and NRA.
Sau Vice-Chairman Peter Magwina said yesterday that the party’s contestant, Mariam A. Omar, was charged 6,000/- as oath fees by a Pemba court instead of 1,500/-.
Although campaigns in Zanzibar are scheduled to kick off on Monday, Zanzibar is already awash with campaign posters.
CCM is expected to launch its campaign in Pemba which is the stronghold of the opposition CUF.
|
