Military

DATE=11/06/00

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-47334

TITLE=ZANZIBAR ELECTION

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=NAIROBI

CONTENT:

VOICED AT:

///EDS: WATCH CN WIRE FOR VOTE RESULTS AND UPDATE INTRO AS WARRANTED///

INTRO: On Tanzania's semi-autonomous Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, voters are waiting for results from Sunday's partial repeat of presidential elections. The leading opposition party boycotted the re-running of polls in 16 constituencies, saying the result has already been fixed by the ruling party. One of the biggest issues dividing these rivals is the future of the political union between Zanzibar and mainland Tanganyika. V-O-A's Scott Stearns looks at what is at stake.

TEXT: It is not their numbers that make the people of Zanzibar important in Tanzania. Residents of the islands account for less than five-percent of the country's population. What makes them special is having their own president, cabinet, and House of Representatives - a semi-autonomous status that gives the islands a substantial voice in national politics.

Since independence, that voice has been the voice of Tanzania's ruling party. But the growth of political opposition on the islands has raised new questions about their union with the mainland and what it means for the future of Zanzibar.

The opposition Civic United Front (C-U-F) says the union is outdated and unfair. Mohamed Ali Yusuf is the party's foreign affairs spokesman. He says doubts about the union are not restricted to Zanzibar alone.

/// FIRST YUSUF ACT ///

There are these sentiments, you know, from the mainlanders that the union structure is not perfect, and there are sentiments in Zanzibar also. So in C-U-F we feel that this thing must be discussed.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Yusuf says the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (C-C-M) party is unwilling to have that discussion because it fears losing political power.

Ahmed Hassan Diria is vice chairman of the ruling party's national election campaign. Ambassador Diria says there is plenty of room for discussion, just as long as it does not threaten the union.

/// DIRIA ACT ///

We do not say that there is a perfection, and we have been together for the last 36 years, that there is nowhere where we need administratively to rearrange, but not the structure of the United Republic of Tanzania.

/// END ACT ///

By pushing to restructure the union, Ambassador Diria says opposition parties are threatening everything Zanzibari have fought for since deposing the island's sultan and joining Tanganyika in 1964.

/// SECOND DIRIA ACT ///

When you reject the revolution of Zanzibar, you are rejecting the foundation of the freedom of Zanzibaris. And when you question the Union Act, which has become an instrument of your existence as a society, then you are rejecting the whole foundation of our society.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Yusuf says the Civic United Front is not rejecting Zanzibari society. Instead, he says, the party wants more freedom from politicians on mainland Tanganyika who he believes act without regard for the wishes of island people. Mr. Yusuf believes that greater freedom can be achieved without breaking-up the union.

/// SECOND YUSUF ACT ///

We will negotiate with the union government. Maybe we will try to bring about referendum or whatever. We will see. But we will sit at the table and discuss the future of the union. In fact, we do not want to break the union. That is not our policy. We just want to restructure it.

/// END ACT ///

The Civic United Front will not do anything unless it wins power. Boycotting Sunday's partial repeat of voting assured that the ruling party will keep Zanzibar's presidency.

While business leaders on the islands complain about the slow pace of development on Zanzibar, they wonder how that would be any smoother with one party running the islands and another in charge of the federal government? Nassir Mazrui heads the Zanzibari Chamber of Commerce.

/// MAZRUI ACT ///

The ruling government of Zanzibar is under the ruling C-C-M. Same party. And a lot of things that are implemented in Zanzibar are not getting any support from Tanzania mainland. You would be surprised. What about whenever we are going to have two different parties? How are we going to act? How are we going to achieve our policies because there will be different policies then?

/// END ACT ///

Ambassador Diria admits the ruling party has more work to do to improve life on the islands, but he is confident Zanzibari want to remain part of the union. He believes opposition campaigning for independence has alienated voters afraid of the violence that might follow a break-up.

/// THIRD DIRIA ACT ///

When a party says that they want an independence from us, we asked ourselves, "What independence do they want? Do they think that we are colonialists?" That means it is a party which has no principle, no vision, and no commitment for the unity of the United Republic of Tanzania. People have definitely rejected them. And I think they will continue to be rejected.

/// END ACT ///

Opposition leaders say they have not been rejected by the voters but by Tanzania's ruling party, which they believe rigged this election - a vote that Commonwealth election observers say represents in their words - "a colossal contempt for ordinary Zanzibari people and their aspirations for democracy." (SIGNED)

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