Zanzibar poll agent found dead
2005-04-24 14:13
Zanzibar - Neighbours discovered the body of the ruling party's election agent in Zanzibar, four days after he went missing in the violent run-up to general elections in this Indian Ocean archipelago, police and witnesses said on Sunday.
The body of Chande Rashid Saleh was found on his farm. It was partially covered with soil and his head had possible machete wounds, the witnesses said. Relatives suspect he was killed, said Mohammed Juma, a cousin.
The partially decomposed body was discovered Saturday, regional police chief George Kizuguto said, describing the death as "mysterious". He refused to provide additional details.
Zanzibar, which united with the mainland to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964, elects its own president and legislature. General elections are set for October 30 in the semiautonomous archipelago.
The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi, or Revolutionary Party, is expected to face a stiff challenge in the vote in predominantly Muslim Zanzibar. The party labels opposition supporters Muslim secessionists, while opposition leader Seif Shariff Hamad's Civic United Front says the ruling party represents only the interests of the mainland, which is largely Christian and animist.
Self-defence forces
The last vote, in 2000, was marred by irregularities, voter intimidation and politically motivated violence. Ruling and opposition party supporters have since become decidedly more militant, with the government creating paramilitary militias to ensure order and the opposition reportedly establishing "self-defence forces".
In recent months, six people have been killed, voter registration centres have been attacked and homes as well as churches have been set on fire in political violence.
Riot police have taken to marching through Zanzibar town, singing martial songs in a show of force they say is meant to deter political violence, but opposition leaders see it as an attempt to intimidate their supporters.
The police were recently deployed from mainland Tanzania to beef up security.
- AP