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CUF to sue ZEC over new polls date
2005-06-12 07:41:43
By Issa Yussuf,Zanzibar
The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) is finalizing arrangements with its legal advisers to file a petition in the high court challenging the October 30 date set for the Zanzibar general elections, a spokesperson said here yesterday.
CUF charges that the October 30 date set by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday “is a deliberate violation of the Zanzibar constitution.
We must go to court in order to have constitutional sorted out, to spare the public of confusion,``remarked Salum Bimani, the party`s deputy spokesperson.
``We have to file a case because we believe there are no genuine reasons to push Zanzibar elections until October 30.
There is no problem with the constitution. If the electoral commission thinks there is, it should seek clarifications from the high court,`` he said.
He added: ``CUF is ready for the general elections at any date because we are certain of victory. However, we need to abide by the constitution.``
ZEC finally set the date for the Isles polls to be held simultaneously with the Union polls on October 30.
On Friday, ZEC director, Khamis Ali Ame, said in a press statement: ``We took long to reach the decision because of the contradictions in the Zanzibar Constitution about when the incumbent president`s term expires.``
The five-page statement said the decision to have elections on the same date as the Union polls is intended to minimize operational costs, time and voter anxiety.
Zanzibar, which merged with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania, conducts its own presidential election as well as polls for councilors and representatives.
Zanzibaris also take part in the Union presidential election to choose the Union President and members of parliament who represent Zanzibar in the Union parliament.
According to the Zanzibar Constitution, Isles’ elections should be held at least 60 days before the incumbent president’s term expires, but not later than 30 days past the date he was sworn in.
In this context, the polls are supposed to be held between September 8 and December 8, 2005. The Constitution also states that the president`s term in office is five years.
President Amani Karume was sworn in office on November 8, 2000, which means that his five-year term expires on November 8, 2005.
The nomination date for aspirants was set for September 3, while campaigns start on September 5 to October 29, 2005.
According to the ZEC statement, the House of Representatives will be dissolved on August 12, 2005.
A budget timetable draft drawn by the House of Representatives` speaker two weeks ago had shown that President Amani Karume was expected to dissolve the House on July 21, to pave the way for the polls.
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