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Winners,and losers present in all races
2005-11-07 06:58:23
By MONICA MAYUNI
The just ended elections in Zanzibar have sparked some controversy among some members of the opposition, CUF to be precise.
CUF leadership has contended that the elections were marred by irregularities.
To this effect, the party is scheduled to make a critical decision on what step the party leadership will take after a meeting tomorrow (Saturday).
To the contrary, the mission observers accredited to cover the polls in Zanzibar have described them as free and fair.
IN any election, race or game, there should be someone declared winner and loser.
The just ended Presidential, House of Representatives and Civic polls in Zanzibar has just been one of those crucial elections which saw Amani Abeid Karume retain his seat as Zanzibar president.
As expected, the Civic United Front (CUF), the strongest political party on the Island has not conceded defeat saying the elections were not free and fair, contrary to reports by the SADC, Commonwealth and TEMCO mission observers.
Way before the elections started, CUF leadership in Zanzibar who were optimistic of scooping the elections in Zanzibar were quoted as saying that they were convinced that they had overwhelming support in Zanzibar and argued that anything less than CUF victory would mean that they had been robbed.
The bone of contention by CUF was the social and geographical division of Zanzibar today adding that they would protest if they were not announced winners.
As evidenced by post election events, Zanzibar CUF presidential run up, Seif Hamad said his party would not recognise the outcome of polls in Zanzibar.
He said his party would meet this Saturday to discuss the irregularities that were observed during the voting process before instructing their members on what action should be taken there after.
Losing CUF presidential candidate Ibrahim Lipumba also supported the calls that CUF would not recognise the poll results.
It is likely that CUF might resort to demonstrating going by the indications by the party’s leadership that it will accept nothing less than victory.
But one wonders why the opposition CUF has continued issuing disparaging statements when autonomous and credible observer mission have not despised the electoral and voting process in the just ended polls.
Commonwealth mission observers chairman Guido De Marco said many parts of Zanzibar were violent free on the polling day except in a few polling stations.
He said voters turned up en mass on the polling day while commissioners worked tirelessly to ensure that things proceeded as planned.
’ As per rule, voters found their names in register, the secrecy of the ballot was ensued. The counting of the votes was broadly in line with the guidelines,’ he said.
The observers further noted that positive changes were made to provide greatest transparency such as counting the votes at the polling stations within the given time frame.
However, reports of violence at Forodheni, Mtoni and Kiwande polling centres were recorded but the team emphasised that reports of violence were minimal.
The genesis of violence between the police and voters was the minor mis-understanding over voting order but the affected voters were finally allowed to cast their votes.
SADC observers whose chairman was honourable John Pandeni who is also Namibia’s Minister of Regional and Local Government, Rural Development and Housing whose 22 man delegation mission in Zanzibar was launched on October 24 congratulated the people of the United Republic of Zanzibar for holding the peaceful, professionally managed and transparent elections.
Pandeni observed that Zanzibaris expressed their will in a peaceful and impressive manner that will go a long way in contributing to the consolidation and strengthening of democracy not only in Zanzibar, but also in the SADC region as a whole.
” SADC mission wishes therefore, to commend the people of Zanzibar for high levels of political tolerance and maturity displayed. This in SADC mission’s view, bodes well for nurturing a culture of multipartism as an essential instrument towards the entrenchment of democracy,” he said.
With regard to the polling process, Pandeni said his mission’s overall view was that the elections were conducted in an open and transparent manner adding that all poling stations were opened and closed at the appointed time.
To prove that the observations were balanced based on the views and surveys conducted, Pandeni added that his mission interacted with political parties, electoral authorities, Africa Union Observer Missions, the Civil Society, the electorate, opinion makers as well as the media.
In the same vain, SADC observers noted concerns that were raised by the voters whose names did not appear in the voters register but was encouraged by the positive response by the electoral authorities in addressing the problem.
’These observations do not in any way demerit the whole electoral process and democracy in the Zanzibar Islands,’he said.
Pandeni reviewed and summarised the elections in Zanzibar as: a commendable level of political tolerance, maturity and civil behaviour of political leadership across Zanzibar, supporters of various political parties behaved well during political rallies and meetings.
Asked on whether it was possible that the ruling CCM would rig the elections as alleged by some circles, Mr Pandeni said it was illogical to think in those lines as rigging was not possible.
He said all the voters were registered and that their details were accompanied by the portraits making it impossible for any party to indulge in malpractices.
Temco chairman Prof Mukandala said out of the 50 constituencies covered by Temco, 82.6 per cent had adequate voting materials supplied on time.
He observed that the delay to announce results in far-flung areas led to some discontent among voters who had been eagerly waiting to know the results, but that only 6.1 per cent of such complaints were recorded.
During the registration exercise, CUF is said to have complained that the number of military personnel was too much and intimidating, resulting in one of their supporters being beheaded while a CCM agent and a child were killed.
In a similar situation, Temco in its report observed that convoys of vehicles ferrying supporters from all parts of Unguja or Pemba posed a security challenge to potential voters during the registration exercise.
Temco hired 300 observers, who were on the ground from November 2004 and out of the lot 100 were delegated to take part in the voter registration exercise.
Prof Mukandala disclosed that a detailed and comprehensive report of Temco’s observation of the electoral process in Zanzibar would be issued later.
SADC parliamentary Forum is another organisation that has indicated that elections in Zanzibar were a significant improvement from those of 200 because they were held largely in terms of regional electoral norms, standards and guidelines.
’The mission concludes that the elections were held largely in terms of regional electoral norms, standards and guidelines and were free and fair,’read part of the statement which was also signed by representatives from Mozambique, Botswana. Zambia and DRC.
SADC forum mission leader honourable Fatima Hajaig from South Africa also recommended that in future elections, there should be increased political will and commitment on the part of political parties to ensure the equitable representation of women and men in the political electoral process.
Mr Hajaig also recommended that Braille ballots papers should be introduced in order to enhance voting morale from the visually impaired people.
The SADC Forum observer mission comprised of 50 observers, which commenced operations since October 23, 2005.
And East African Community (EAC) observer mission criticised the Western media for negative reporting on Sunday’s general election in Zanzibar.
The mission registered its condemnation in report issued shortly after the announcement of presidential poll results on Tuesday.
The group of observers, which was part of the many missions that monitored the elections, strongly condemned the Western media for negative reporting during the elections.
’The EAC Observer Mission witnessed at first hand the propensity of the media to introduce sensationalism and highlight the negative elements which has the effect of fuelling tensions in the electoral process,’ it says, adding:’In particular, BBC and CNN blew out of proportion the limited and isolated incidents of tension between civilians and security forces to give a false impression of generalised unrest in the otherwise peaceful elections.’
According to the EAC observer mission, the Zanzibar elections ’were free and fair and reflected the will and choice of the people.’
In a report that the group’s leader, Prof Margaret Kamar signed, the mission says the elections were conducted well right from voter registration, civic education and electoral campaign to the polling day and vote counting.
It notes that the counting of votes was transparent, done in the presence of observers and polling agents.
In most cases, objections or complaints were dealt with openly, expeditiously and amicably, it adds.
EAC election observers also noted that, there was a large presence and movement of armed security personnel, but added that the security personnel appeared to interact freely with the general population.
It says: ”The Election Observer Mission did not witness any serious incidents of confrontation or harassment between the security personnel and the public.”
However, it says, the preponderant and intrusive troops presence could have contributed to the appearance of an underlying uneasy calm between the security personnel and the citizenry.
In isolated cases, the report says, heavy troops deployment was witnessed at what may have been considered ”potential trouble spots” where tension broke out on the surface in the form of direct, but limited troop engagements with civilians.
According to the report, the EAC observer group did not witness or receive reports of any significant incidents of confrontations or clashes between rival political parties.
”A commitment to civilised conduct of party activities appeared to prevail all round…CCM and CUF were determined to outdoing each other on visibility and activity through campaign posters and street demonstrations – a healthy demonstration of competitive politics in a democratic society,” read the report in part.
The observer mission also pointed out that an incident of bias on the part of the government when it broadcast live on state radio and television an October 29 rally, addressed by Karume, but said his rival, Seif Shariff Hamad of CUF was not granted a similar opportunity.
The mission appreciates the active involvement of women and the youth in the election process, which it says ”is exemplary and should be further encouraged, in particular, the need to encourage more women and youth candidates to come forward during future elections.”
It found ZEC appreciably efficient and genuinely aiming to attain high standards of independence, non-partisanship and transparency.
The group added that the elections provided a learning experience with respect to, among other things, establishment of a fair playing ground for all political parties in terms of access to State resources, including State media for application in the electoral process.
EAC observers went to Zanzibar to witness the election process at the invitation of the Tanzanian government and it was the first time member-states of the community were participating in an election of another member state as observers.
The mission conducted its business using literature and media reviews, spot-checks and interviews with interested parties, both groups and individuals.
The question that people should ask themselves is whether they have come across the opposition party that has accepted a loss.
History has it that, the government in power usually easily accept defeat but it is vice versa with the opposition.
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