Arsonists set fire to three homes and a branch opposition party office in Zanzibar on Thursday, as political violence escalated ahead of elections on the semi-autonomous Tanzanian island.
Despite a suspension in voter registration for the October polls intended to ease rising tension between Zanzibar’s rival parties, attackers used gasoline to set fire to the houses and the office at dawn in the latest in a series of attacks that began last month.
”This is the latest incident we have: three homes have been set ablaze by unidentified people in Kianga in the outskirts of Zanzibar town early today,” said Zanzibar’s Director of Criminal Investigation, Ramdhani Kinyogo.
”We are investigating the incident, including last Thursday’s violence,” he said, referring to a similar arson attack on a factory owned by a member of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF).
The CUF has accused the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM – Revolutionary Party) of harassment, intimidation and outright violence against its supporters since the date for voter registration for the polls was announced.
The CCM has denied the allegations and has made counter charges against the CUF, whose backers it claims attacked a house where CCM members were meeting late on Tuesday.
Police said six people had been arrested for the Tuesday’s violence, which they blamed squarely on the political rivalry between the two parties.
In an apparently unsuccessful bid to calm the situation, the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Monday temporarily halted voter registration, which had begun only two days earlier. The suspension was due to end on Thursday.
Tension between the CCM and CUF supporters has escalated in recent weeks in the run-up to the campaign for the elections and there have been frequent clashes since the beginning of last month, prompting police to boost their presence on Zanzibar and ban all political rallies. — Sapa-AFP