The United States has called for a thorough investigation of alleged irregularities in polls that led, amid opposition claims of fraud, to this week’s re-election of President Amani Abeid Karume of the offshore Tanzanian state of Zanzibar.
”We remain troubled by the irregularities and reserve judgement on the freedom and fairness of the elections in Zanzibar until their impact on the outcome is clarified,” the US embassy in Zanzibar said in a statement released late on Thursday.
The US embassy did not send a representative to Karume’s swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, which was also boycotted by opposition candidate Seif Sharif Hamad, who insists he won.
European Union embassies have also called for investigations into the alleged irregularities, such as the orchestration of widespread illegal voting for Karume and his long-ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM).
Detailed election results should be published ”to foster greater confidence among the electorate in Zanzibar”, the US statement said.
According to official results, Karume won 53,2% of the vote against 46,1% for Hamad, who heads the Civic United Front.
The Zanzibar government shrugged off the request, issuing a statement denouncing the embassy’s claim of election fraud and suggesting that US officials may have been influenced by CUF party members.
”It is surprising that only observers from the US National Democratic Institute doubt the results of the elections. This clearly reflects that [the institute’s] opinion was predetermined by personal feelings and stories of opposition leaders,” Zanzibar’s government spokesperson Ali Mwinyikai said in a statement.
Polling monitors from the National Democratic Institute pointed out several areas of concern, not the least of which was the use of ”excessive force” by police during riotous demonstrations.
Rival groups of supporters clashed at several places in Stone Town, the historic centre of the Zanzibar city, during Sunday’s elections, leaving one dead and more than 50 injured.
”Problems related to the permanent voters’ register, election-day violence and, in some instances, the excessive use of force by security personnel may have undermined citizens’ confidence in the electoral process and could have impaired the integrity of the vote in some polling stations,” the National Democratic Institute said in a report issued on Tuesday.
However, the group stressed that there had been marked improvements over previous polls and that the results could still be valid if allegations of fraud are fully investigated and addressed. — Sapa-AFP