E-mail from Anonymous Mar.27
Zanzibar Opposition Urged To Accept Last October's Poll Results
DAR ES SALAAM, March 26 (Xinhua)
The Tanzanian ruling Revolutionary Party
(CCM) has called on the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) to accept the poll
results of last October's elections in Zanzibar.
In a statement read on Monday by the National Publicity Secretary Kingunge
Ngombale-Mwiru after a two-day meeting of the party's National Executive
Committee (NEC), CCM said the opposition party should accept the outcome of
last October's presidential elections as they were "free and and fair" and use
its presence in the house of representatives to influence change.
CUF won 24 out of 50 seats of the house, the rest going to CCM. But CUF has been
boycotting house of representatives sessions as a protest against the
presidential polls which it claims was manipulated in favour of CCM. CUF has
refused to recognize the government under President Salmin Amour.
The statement said after reviewing a report on last year's general elections,
the NEC was satisfied that the October 22 Zanzibar polls were held " fairly and
freely with 95 percent of the electorate casting their votes".
On political situation in Tanzania, it said the situation was peaceful except for
Zanzibar, especially Pemba where there is a political crisis and violation of
law, forcing the people to live in fear. Main source of the political "hooliganism"
is CUF's unacceptance of the outcome of the election results, added the
statement.
The statement also urged the Zanzibar and union governments to take
immediate measures to maintain law and order in the country and at the some
time implement effective socio-economic plans to eradicate poverty of the
people.CUF MP THREATEN TO SUE OVER ARREST
Mar.21(Features Africa Network)
The Civic United Front (CUF) member of the House of the Representatives for
Chakechake, Pemba, Musa Haji Kombo, said he would sue the Zanzibar government
for arresting him and subsequently putting him behind bars for 19 days.
Kombo said his arrest by the government agents was a violation of human
rights because the rules were not followed.
The CUF MP was arrested in mid-February allegedly for calling a meeting which
Zanzibar authorities said was illegal and was likely to disrupt peace. 'I am
in Dar es Salaam for legal consultations, I have got two lawyers to handle by
case. One of the lawyers comes from Zanzibar,'' he said. Talking on current
political development in Zanzibar, Kombo said that student boycott of classes
was not CUF sponsored as alleged.
Zanzibar President Not To Dialogue With CUF
DAR ES SALAAM (March 18) XINHUA
Zanzibar President Salmin Amour has
declared his government will never hold dialogue with the Civic United Front
(CUF), reports from Zanzibar.
Amour was quoted by reports from Zanzibar yesterday as saying, "We shall
not have dialogue with CUF because they don't love peace and unity."
He said this when addressing a huge public rally in Zanzibar. The president
insisted that there is no person in or out of Tanzania to force the government
to have dialogue with the opposition.
He said there are external forces using the opposition as camouflage to
recapture Zanzibar, adding that these forces won't succeed since the
government is on the alert.
He stressed Pemba is part of Zanzibar and will never break away under any
circumstances. "We will make sure the twin islands of Pemba and Zanzibar
remain one thing forever. The government will not tolerate any person wanting
to split the two islands", he said.
He declared the Isles House of Representatives will continue to carry out their
duties despite the absence of the opposition.
The president asked magistrates in the Isles to execute their responsibility
fairly and dispense justice regardless of one's political affiliation.
Amour said the government will strive to restore accountability in the civil
service, adding that any worker who does not want to respect regulations
should better resign.
In his speech broadcast live by Radio Tanzania Zanzibar, President Amour
reiterated that there is no need to form a government of national unity in the
Isles.
Pemba Students Ignore Govt Ultimatum
DAR ES SALAAM (March 12) XINHUA
A two-month old boycott of schools
continued on the island of Pemba, in Zanzibar this week defying an ultimatum
issued by the isles Ministry of Education urging students to return to school.
Reports from Pemba said today, some 5,000 secondary school goers continued
to boycott classes to demand the reinstatement of 337 students expelled from
a college before the general elections last year.
The isles Ministry of Education stated in its ultimatum that students had five
days to go back to school, at the expiry of which they should consider
themselves expelled.
Boycotting classes began earlier in January this year after other avenues to
bring back the expelled students failed, including a high court ruling that the
expelled students should be allowed to come back.
Their effort ran foul of a disputed electoral regulation requiring voters to show
evidence of residence for some five years at the place in which they wanted to
register, which was decried by all election observers.
Reports said many students did not report to schools on Monday. The reports
quoted the Deputy Principal Secretary in Education Ministry, Dr. Said Bilal as
saying that anyone who had ignored the ultimatum should count himself or
herself out of school.
DAR ES SALAAM (March 11) XINHUA
More than 20,000 eligible voters are
expected to turn out Sunday to elect councillors in 23 wards in Zanzibar and
Pemba, reports from Zanzibar said today.
Director of Isles Electoral Commission Aboud Talib said the councillor's
elections were earlier scheduled for last October along with the general
elections but did not take place.
He said that the polls would involve five wards in Pemba and 18 wards in
Zanzibar. There are more than 120 wards in Pemba and Zanzibar.
According to the director, the voters would use th
eir registration certificates
issued to them by the commission during the general elections last October.
Polling stations will be announced soon, he said. Political parties participating
in the councillors' elections are the ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM) and the
Civic United Front (CUF).
In last October general elections for councillors, the CCM managed to win only
three wards in Pemba while the rest were taken by the CUF.
DAR ES SALAAM (March 7) XINHUA
Zanzibar Chief Minister, Mohammed Bilala
has said that the government is now determined to combat Pemba political
situation, a report from Zanzibar said today.
He told a news conference in Zanzibar on Wednesday that the Pemba situation
was a menace to peace and tranquility and it had reached a stage the
government had to use its muscles to prevent it from further deterioration.
Bilala who was reacting to the Sunday's attack on three security officers by a
gang of about 400 unknown people, said actions by some people in Pemba could
not be tolerated because they were scandalizing the government and its
leaders.
"We now want to make the people feel the presence of a government", Bilala
explained when giving a government stand on the attack on armed security men
at Shenge Juu village, Pemba North Region.
He stressed that the rule of law would be given its full course in combating the
ongoing acts of sabotages in the clove-rich island of Pemba.
It was reported that 10 people had been arested by the police allegedly for
beating up the three officials and stealing arms.
CHIEF MINISTER TALKS TOUGH ON PEMBA,Mar.8(Features Africa Network)
Zanzibar Chief Minister, Mohammed Bilala has said that the government is now
determined to combat on Pemba political situation.
He told a news conference in Zanzibar that the Pemba situation was a menace
to peace and tranquility and it had reached a stage the government had to use
its muscle to prevent it from further deterioration.
Bilala who was reacting to Sunday's attack on three security officers by a
gang of about 400 unknown people, said actions by some people in Pemba could
not be tolerated because they were scandalizing the government and its
leaders.
"We now want to make the people feel the presence of a government," Bilala
explained when giving a government stand on the attack on armed security men
at Shenge Juu Village, Pemba North Region.
He stressed that the rule of law would be given its full course in combating
the ongoing acts of sabotage in the clove-rich island of Pemba. It was
reported that 10 people had been arrested by the police allegedly for beating
up the three officials and stealing arms.
MKAPA CONCERNED ABOUT ZANZIBAR'S POLITICAL CRISIS Feb.24(Features Africa Network)
Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa has said he is stunned by Zanzibar
opposition's refusal to recognise president Salmin Amour and his government.
"It's simply unacceptable" said Mkapa at a press conference to mark his first
100 days in office. He was referring to the statement released by Seif
Hamad, Vice Chairman of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) in Zanzibar.
President Mkapa reiterated that the political conflict in Zanzibar must
resolved amicably through the isles house of representatives.
"We are doing what we have to do. What more attention do you want me to
give. I can't reverse the victory of Dr Salmin Amour. I have no such
powers," said Mkapa, brushing aside the accusations that his union
government did not give enough attention to the political crisis on the
island.
"And what can I do about the CUF? These people say they don't want
negotiations," he added.
Mkapa warned the CUF, which controls most of Pemba island, of the danger of
retarding the development of the Isles . Pemba is one of the two major isles
of Zanzibar off the Tanganyika mainland in the Indian Ocean.
He called on the CUF to pursue its aims peacefully instead of resorting to
violence and other extremist means.
The union president said although some foreign envoys had expressed
reservations over the electoral process in Zanzibar's certain constituencies,
none of those he met had rejected the overall results.
Meanwhile, President Mkapa confirmed that under the union constitution, the
Zanzibar president is a member of the union cabinet.
He explained that Amour failed to attend the first union cabinet meeting
because the Isles leader had other pressing business.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 22) XINHUA
Tanzania's Zanzibar President Salmin
Amour has advised sheikhs to differentiate politics from religion, noting that
failure to do this would plunge the country into a crisis.
"Sheikhs must draw a line between politics and religion," the president said at
the Zanzibar House of Representatives when addressing an Idd Baraza to mark
the end of Ramadhan in the Town of Zanzibar on Wednesday.
He said that sheikhs were important figures in shaping the society, advocating
peace and unity and that they should never use their positions to mix up
religious issues for political ends.
The Zanzibar president said doors were opened for sheikhs wishing to joint
politics but advised that it was wrong for them to use religion as a shield to
hide their agenda or as a shortcut to their ambitions.
Amour warned that any people or a group of people, who would behave in a
manner likely to disturb peace, would face the rigors of the law.
He noted that there were some people going around to propagate seeds of
division among Zanzibaris under the pretext of multi-party democracy. Much of
this divided the people, and increased hatred threatening peace and stability,
he said.
The president urged the people to contain their emotions to avoid
confrontation. He said the people had an obligation to observe the law and be
obedient to the government and its leaders.
He appealed to Islanders to strengthen national solidarity and unity. He
stressed the need to observe the law saying people could only preach social
advancement where there was peace and unity.
DAR ES SALAAM, Feb 20 (Reuter) -By: Matt Bigg
The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) in
Zanzibar protested on Tuesday against the detention of a CUF
parliamentarian arrested on Pemba island on Sunday.
Police detained Musa Haji Kombo for allegedly promoting a CUF rally in
defiance of a police ban, local newspapers said.
CUF leader Seif Shariff Hamad told Reuters he was writing to Tanzanian
President Benjamin Mkapa to protest against "the brutality" of rule under
Zanzibari President Salmin Amour because police had no right to arrest a
member of parliament.
"This arrest is against the constitution and we will do our best to
protest, although we are not allowed to hold public rallies," Hamad said.
Kombo was a member of parliament for Chake Chake on the CUF stronghold
of Pemba.
He was the third CUF representative detained since October despite a
ruling by a Zanzibari magistrate that parliamentarians should have immunity
both in and outside the islands' assembly.
Since the re-election of Amour, Zanzibar's incumbent president, last
October by a narrow margin an estimated 20,000 CUF supporters have fled
from Zanzibar to Pemba and scores have been arrested.
Amour's ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM-Party for the Revolution) has
urged CUF to drop its charges that the presidential poll was rigged or face
tough government action.
CUF's 24 members of parliament have boycotted Zanzibar's legislature.
"We think it is an illegal government," Hamad said.
Zanzibar merged with Tanganyika in 1964 to form Tanzania after a bloody
revolution on Zanzibar but the union has always been a source of
discontent.
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
- E-mail from whom knows Zanzibar condition well.Oct.29.'95
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Oct.30.'95
- E-mail from Anonymous Oct.31-Nov.3
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.16.'95
- E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.19.'95
- E-mail from Anonymous Nov.25
- E-mail from Anonymous Nov.26
- E-mail from Anonymous Dec.22
- E-mail from Anonymous Jan.16,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Jan.29,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.1,1996(in Swahili)
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.2,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.9,1996
- E-mail from Anonymous Feb.12,1996
Zanzibar election Diary Oct.19-27,1995
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