Cops disperse opposition
2005-10-31 09:44
Zanzibar - The Tanzanian army used teargas and water cannons on Monday in an attempt to disperse crowds of opposition supporters claiming victory following weekend presidential and legislative elections in the volatile offshore state of Zanzibar.
At least 60 supporters of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) chanted "Let us decorate CUF with flowers after our victory", and "We have defeated CCM; Bye bye CCM", a reference to the ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM) of Zanzibar President Amani Karume.
Separate elections for the president and parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania - made up of Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania - will be held in mid-December, later than scheduled because of the death of a vice-presidential candidate.
Vote counting under way
Zanzibar's opposition presidential candidate Seif Shariff Hamad claimed a strong early lead against Karume, although no official early results had been published.
Vote counting was under way after Sunday's elections were marred, like previous ballots, by violence and fraud.
At least seven people were injured, two by bullets and five by machetes or sticks, according to a doctor in Zanzibar and where both presidential and legislative elections were held on Sunday.
Monday morning's jubilant opposition supporters assembled near the central market in the capital, Stone Town.
An AFP correspondent watched as the army fired water cannons and tear gas towards the celebrating CUF supporters who took refuge in the town's narrow side streets before returning to the main street.
No celebrations before official results
A tense face off between troops and opposition supporters was continuing at 08:00.
At least five arrests were made.
The opposition supporters "have to wait for the official announcement of the results", before any celebrations, said a police official, Ramadan Kinyongo.
During polling on Sunday, security forces used live rounds and tear gas to disperse CUF supporters who were protesting the presence of what they said were ineligible voters trucked in by the ruling Revolutionary Party to a polling station in Stone Town.
No one was injured in that incident.
Rival groups of supporters clashed at several other places in the capital.
Relations are permanently strained between the CCM and CUF, with the opposition accusing the CCM of having stolen the last two elections, in 1995 and 2000.
Voter fraud
Independent election observers at polling stations said they had also witnessed flagrant cases of voter fraud.
CUF presidential candidate Hamad claimed on Sunday to be well ahead in the balloting.
According to figures compiled by the CUF, Hamad secured 61.3% of the votes against 37.6% for Karume, with 13% of votes counted. Half a million people were eligible to vote.
"I feel that still we are winning the elections despite a lot of irregularities," he added.
Official results are due by Wednesday.