RE-RUN OF THE VOTE IN ZANZIBAR: Need to appreciate Zanzibar society’s background

MAKWAIA WA KUHENGA

EARLY this week, President John Magufuli, in his maiden New Year reception with the diplomatic community since assuming office, told the ambassadors there was still room for dialogue among political players in Zanzibar on how to make the re-run of the Zanzibar vote more acceptable to democratic norms.

The president, as quoted by the local print media said talks have not been closed on how to make the vote free, fair and transparent to meet global democratic norms. In his formal remarks aired by his Foreign Minister, Dr Augustine Mahiga, the president said the political crisis in Zanzibar had emerged following the unilateral claim of victory in last year’s polls by one of the major political parties in the islands.

While other political parties in Zanzibar support the re-run of the vote next month March 20, one of the mainstream opposition has declared not to take part in the polls. “There is no other way round to resolve the crisis in the isles than calling for another round of elections,” said the President’s formal statement.

According to media reports, several foreign governments have, through statements by their respective embassies expressed concern over the planned re-run after last year’s vote was abruptly cancelled by the Chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), citing irregularities.According to reports, the European and the United States have opposed the rerun, buying instead, the unilateral declaration of the major opposition in Zanzibar that it had won the earlier vote.

To this end, according to reports, the US has threatened to withhold nearly $500 million in development funding over the fiasco. Whether these reports are false or not true the international community, especially western countries do not seem to appreciate the situation in Zanzibar from an historic perspective. The situation in Zanzibar could be equated to that in Cuba where there was an armed struggle that removed an American-backed military junta.

Zanzibar had a Revolution that overthrew a Sultanate regime. So there are serious complexities in the islands that have to be addressed such as an apparent divide in the Zanzibar society as a result of that Revolution that got rid of the Sultan.

The international community needs to understand such situations and most importantly the need to give more time for a democratic culture to evolve over time in nurturing competitive politics and evolving a culture of unity in diversity.

Already, as immediate reports from the islands indicate, there is already trouble in the Zanzibar’s twin island of Pemba where reports abound of the torching of the offices of the ruling party and other households threatened with attacks Wednesday this week.

Actually, preceding last year’s vote, which brought in a government of national unity, which saw the two major political parties sharing power the islands had already produced refugees accommodated in Mombasa, Kenya, after interparty violence. So as is clear to observers of the Zanzibar political scene, there is quite an uphill task ahead for a peaceful Zanzibar, which is all-important.

The Tanzanian donor community should take into consideration that aid is better off in a peaceful country rather than one in civil strife. The best way out is to suggest how a re-run of the forthcoming vote in Zanzibar is best supervised for a peaceful outcome.

makwaia@makwaia.com” makwaia@spicenet.co.tz”

/Daily News.