The first results of the presidential, legislative and local elections in Tanzania began to fall on Thursday (October 29). The candidates for power are almost all victorious. Several members of the opposition have been arrested after demonstrating against these results, which they do not recognize. Internationally, the credibility of the vote is being questioned, especially in Washington.
as reported from the region, Sebastien Nemeth
All day Thursday, the ACT-Wazalendo party condemned the repression of power against its members. In Zanzibar, its president, vice president and members of the Central Committee were arrested following calls for a peaceful protest against electoral fraud. One of them was reportedly beaten by police and then hospitalized. The campaign manager was allegedly violently arrested in his home. The opposition movement is reportedly without news of him.
President John Magufuli’s main opponent, Tundu Lissu, has already announced that his side will could not recognize the results of what he described as a “unique in the country’s history” scam. He condemned a masquerade with ballot papers, filled ballot papers. Thousands of observers were reportedly denied access to the polls.
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NGO Tanzania Election Watch calls for a fair and transparent census
International observers have also criticized the process. The United States admitted “doubts about the credibility of the results”. Washington has called on the authorities to enter into dialogue with the opposition and allow the Tanzanians to demonstrate peacefully. The Tanzania Election Watch, an international NGO made up of African personalities, talks about events that “damaged the credibility of the vote”. The organization called for a fair and transparent census and asked the Electoral Commission to investigate the complaints.
Its President Frederick Ssempebwa nevertheless recalled that “unfortunately, the figures published by the NEC were not appealed”. He worried about possible violence. Note that in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, the candidate of the ruling party, Hussein Mwinyi, won with 76% of the vote. He succeeds Ali Mohamed Shein and becomes the 8th President of Zanzibar since 1964. He urged opponents to join in building this area together.
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