Military

DATE=11/05/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ZANZIBAR ELECTION (L)

NUMBER=2-268854

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=NAIROBI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Vote counting is under way on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, after a repeat of voting that was cancelled one-week ago. As Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Zanzibar's leading opposition party boycotted the polls, claiming the outcome has already been fixed by Tanzania's ruling party.

TEXT: Electoral officials say turnout was about 40-percent. Lower than last week's voting, but higher than some had predicted given the opposition boycott.

Polling took place in 16 constituencies where Zanzibar's Electoral Commission cancelled last Sunday's balloting after some polling stations failed to open and others lacked sufficient ballot papers.

This time the polls opened as scheduled, some with long queues. Last week's irregularities led election observers from the Commonwealth and the Organization of African Unity to question the fairness of the vote. Commonwealth observers called the outcome - a colossal contempt for ordinary Zanzibari people and their aspirations for democracy.

The Commonwealth and Zanzibar's leading opposition party wanted the entire election repeated. Zanzibar's Electoral Commission said that would be too expensive, so the opposition Civic United Front announced a boycott.

With 40-percent of the island's vote at stake, that boycott means Tanzania's ruling party will likely hold power on the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.

The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party won last week's vote on mainland Tanganyika where polling appears to have gone smoothly. President Benjamin Mkapa also looks sure of re-election as Tanzania's national leader.

The President chaired an emergency meeting of the ruling party last week on Zanzibar. He said the government would take whatever steps necessary to ensure that Sunday's voting and its aftermath are not marred by violence.

As there is no appealing the decision of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, the opposition Civic United Front is likely to take to the streets once the ruling party is announced the winner. C-U-F supporters have clashed with Zanzibari police in the island's stone town.

There is an increasing militancy in the party, especially because it believes it was robbed of Zanzibar's last election in 1995.

More than a dozen Civic United Front leaders are in jail on treason charges. Amnesty International says Zanzibari authorities - have consistently attempted to stifle political opposition on the islands over the past few years.

Publicly, opposition party leaders are urging their supporters to demonstrate peacefully, but privately they confess they may no longer be able to keep their more aggressive members in check.

There is a large military presence on Zanzibar, with trucks of army troops and police patrolling opposition strongholds. (SIGNED)

NEB/SS/DW/RAE