INTRODUCTION; About JUMIKI (UAMSHO)

 

It is an association for the mobilization and propagation of Islam which was registered in 2001 with registration No. 149. Its constitution stipulates that the Association is empowered to safeguard the rights and interests of Islam, including religious, economic and political interests.

 

JUMIKI is an Islamic association which abides by the law and accepts the principles of democracy if properly established to advance the interests of Zanzibaris, the majority of whom are Muslims.

 

The association represents the views of the majority of muslims from the whole political spectrum and it has been in fore- front in pointing out discrepancies in the society and defending the rights of the people  without religious, color, racial or political bias.

 

The association is not attached to any creed and it is mostly oriented to social development.

 

UAMSHO is not a terrorist organization or an association of religious fanatics.  It has maintained strong liaison with the British and U.S . diplomatic missions as well as with the Swedish and Danish communities and others.

 

Not-withstanding this  good relationships, UAMSHO is not obliged to follow their policies.  On the Contrary it has on several occasions criticized the politics and policies of these nations peacefully whenever necessary.  Basically, the Association represents the interests of Zanzibar Muslims and is not allied to any political party.

 

2.0 EXPERIENCE OF PREVIOUS MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS IN ZANZIBAR

 

The constitutional reform of the United Republic of Tanzania in 1992 restored the multi-party political system and Parliament passed the law which governs the registration of political parties.

 

2.1    THE 1995 ELECTIONS

 

These were  the first elections after the restoration of plural politics in Tanzania .  On the whole these elections were shrouded with a lot of irregularities in Zanzibar leading to political conflict which was universally acknowledged.  It was basically confined to the two major parties in Zanzibar, Chama cha Mapinduzi, CCM, and the Civic United Front, CUF,  The source of the conflict was the disputed outcome of the presidential election which gave victory to the CCM candidate, Dr. Salmin Amour, by 50.2 percent . It led to CUF representatives boycotting the sessions of the House of Representatives.  However a consensus was eventually achieved under the auspices of the Commonwealth.

 

2.2    EXPERIENCE OF THE 2000 ELECTIONS

 

Because of the failure of implementation of the Commonwealth sponsored consensus ( Mwafaka) The  2000 elections were botched.  Local and external observers and the international community concurred in the conclusion that elections were not properly conducted in Zanzibar and recommended that it should be repeated in its entirety, a measure that was rejected by the Government and instead it was repeated only in the 16 constituencies of the Urban- West Region.  The CUF boycotted the re-run election.  The CCM candidate for the Zanzibar Presidency, Hon. Amani Abeid Karume, was eventually declared winner.

 

3.0    THE 2005 ELECTIONS

 

3.1              REGISTRATION IN THE PERMANENT VOTER REGISTER

 

On the whole many people were registered but there were serious discrepancies occasioned by Shehas

 (Local administrators ) the majority of whom are zealots of the ruling party, in rejecting many eligible voter without valid reason , causing a flood of petitions in courts of law.

 

A total of 507,225 were registered as bona fide voters.  After a review of the Register it was discovered that more than 2000 people had registered more than once but no legal action has been taken against them.

 

We propose that the Zanzibar Electoral Commission ( ZEC) use other agents than the shehas in registration exercise and birth certificate should be the criteria for registration.  We also advice ZEC to cooperate with the Government in coordinating a list of all Zanzibar residents with their numbers of residence for future reference and those who were left in registration to be registered.

 

3.2                ELECTION CAMPAIGNS

 

The election campaign were marred by a lot of shortcomings, thus tarnishing the whole concept of democracy.  We witnessed verbal and physical confrontations of CUF and CCM supporters.  Opposition parties were denied campaign access at Donge and Unguja Ukuu constituencies.  The rejection of CUF campaign meeting at Donge constituency while it was programmed by ZEC led to fracas and confrontation between the police and CUF members and supporters at Mahonda  and the Police using tear-gas and live bullets to seriously injuring some people.

 

The whole period of the 2005 elections in Zanzibar was dominated by chaos, brutality, killing, plundering and humiliation perpetrated by groups of hooligans known as Janjaweed from registration to campaign.  Among those injured are:

 

Bakari Yussuf  (Kwamtipura)

Ali Kajore ( Daraja Bovu)

Saidi wa Mikunguni ( Trade school)

Haji Farahani  (Sharif Msa)

Umar ( Msumbiji)

Sana  Express had their shop in front of Lumumba School torched.

 

Party leaders issued threatening statements and inflamed political tempers and agitated their members and supporters, and act which is contrary to religious precepts.

 

Campaign meetings were not controlled, leaving room for anti-social elements to roam about in semi-nudity, to spread AIDS and to get intoxicated, contrary to religious teaching and Zanzibar civilization.

 

The Police force made effort to control the campaigns but it seriously ignored traffic laws, vehicles were over- loaded and road regulations were violated, causing avoidable accidents.

 

The media publicized the campaigns of all parties but the news bulletins of Sauti ya Tanzania Zanzibar (STZ) and Television Zanzibar ( TVZ) were not fair to the opposition.

 

The commission tried to establish a code of conduct for the election campaigns but it lacked legal power to establish the code, which led to its being ignored at all campaign meetings.

 

JUMIKI proposes that the Commission conduct civic education on the right of all political parties to hold meetings anywhere.  It also proposes that the chairman of the Commission should be the Chief Justice so as to give it legal authority, especially when it turns out that the President of the country is a candidate.

 

4.0      VOTING ON OCTOBER 30,2005

 

4.1                Achievement in voting

 

Voting began on time in many constituencies of Unguja and Pemba except in the Micheweni area.

 

All equipment was delivered on time and the list of voters was posted at stations except that at urban stations the lists were posted on the morning of the elections, causing great inconvenience.  The same occurred in some station in Pemba and Unguja North A.

 

The security of voters was assured and many people turned up, especially women and voting was fast.

 

The disabled and the sick were catered for apart from isolated complaints.

 

All party agents were allowed to put their seals on election boxes.

 

4.2              Shortcomings in voting

 

There were so many shortcomings in voting to make the entire election process devoid of freedom and to be unjust.  Some of the shortcomings are:

 

Many people were not permitted to vote even though they had voting cards, e.g.

 

STATION	TURNED OFF VOTERS
Mwanakwerekwe	23
Mlandege	05
Chukwani	09
Bububu	02
Viwanda vidogo vidogo	05
Forodhani	03
Chake chake ( the whole district)	618
Mkoani ( the whole district)	311
Upper mtoni	18
TOTAL	994

 

These are some of the people  whom our observers interrogated in the morning only.

 

Voting more than once

 

Our observers witness people being transported in lories to polling stations where they were not entitled to vote.

 

Voters were brought to Haile selassie station resulting in a fracas causing them to be removed, escorted by FFU vehicle .  Vehicle No. ZNZ 42175 brought illegal voters to Business secondary school.  Other vehicles bearing registration numbers KVZ 219 and KVZ 220 were spotted ferrying people from station to vote.  When they were rejected at one station they were sent to another, a sign that they were not legal voters.

 

At Matrekta station at Wawi, Pemba, not less than  40 people were brought to vote when they already had indelible ink on their thumbs.

 

At Haile Selassie station uniformed prison wardens were brought with the intention of voting but were turned off, having already voted at Bwawani.

 

At Miembeni station 15 prison wardens were apprehended having already voted and were handed over to the police but no action was taken against them.

 

At Mtopepo station people voted using other peoples’ identities, e.g. Ali Haji Hahadi with numbers Z008679 whose vote was cast by another person who lives in the same area.  Those people were sent to the police station.

 

In Michamvi there was somebody with 20 voting cards in his hands, and at kitogani, Charawe the police voted there and then moved to other places to voted again.

 

At Bumbwini Makoba 18 people were not marked with ink although they had voted until the appearance of international observers.

 

At Mtoni shoe factory a vehicle of prison wardens brought in voters who had already voted at EACROTAANAL post.  Also many people approached over observer, who was dressed in local muslim robe (kanzu) and cape and inquired, “ Sheikh, we have voted twice, thrice, is this (religiously) permissible?” Also in the afternoon members of the Zanzibar Government special forces voted there and there was good rapport between ZEC officers and CCM agents.

 

At Kiwanda cha Madawa post soldiers arrived in the afternoon with the intention of voting, but national and international observes pursued the incident and they eventually left.

 

At Chachani station in Pemba at about  4 o’clock in the afternoon two people using the District Commissioners’ vehicle wanted to cast votes without voting  cards and when they were refused they brought out weapons.  Telephone contact was made with the  Tanzania Peoples’ Defense Forces and the raiders took to flight.

 

At Forodhani station the CCM parliamentary candidate butted with the head one voter causing fracas.   At that station FFU fighters were deployed every where beating two people brutally instilling fear all around.

 

Tear gas was exploded in many areas, e.g., at Mwanakwerekwe station, at Business school in Tomondo and several areas in Zanzibar town, like Forodhani, Haile selassie and Bwawani where there was great movement armed forces such that voters were cared.

 

A police officer No. F.7465 at one Zanzibar town station gave himself the task of scrutinizing the photographs of voters and assumed the role of Presiding officer contrary to the law.

 

The Electoral Commission gave different directives to party agents and clerks which caused clashes in execution.

 

At almost all stations there was no verification of voters, clerks did not use PS 01 and PS 02  forms and instead they used PS 03 forms and refused to give the total of voters at the stations to observes and parties agents.

 

5.0    PRE- POST RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT INCIDENTS

 

Before official announcement of results of presidential election by ZEC, followers and members of CUF came out to celebrate victory of their candidate after being tipped by their agents that they had won. They were fiercely attacked by the police with numerous tear gas bombs and peppered water canons.   Meanwhile CCM supporters celebrated constituency victory at Michenzani area and were given police protection.  On the other hand , CUF supporters who came out to celebrate victory at their Mji Mkongwe constituency were brutally attacked by the police.

 

Before announcement of results JWTZ patrolled all sensitive areas in the country.

 

Members, followers and some leaders of CUF were cordoned by police at the party headquarters at  Mtendeni for three consecutive days from 31/10/05 to 2/11/05. They were let off on 3/11/05 with the help of the U.N.

 

In Pemba followers of CUF were attacked by police and ZRG forces when celebrating their constituency victories in the entire Island.  One youth was fatally shot three times at Mtemani, Wete. One ZRG soldier disappeared mysteriously, resulting

In ZRG forces rampaging the village of Piki, Pemba North where it was believed the soldier disappeared at.  The raid led to people being abused, including rapping of women, ransacking of houses, plundering, which forced people to abandon their houses and flee to the forest.  Shehas were attacked  by angry people.

 

The main opposition party, CUF, NRA and JAHAZI ASILI parties  refused to acknowledge results announced by ZEC and took a stand of not cooperating with the pending administration.

 

After this our observer visited ZEC district office at Gamba at Zanzibar North A to verify the results announced by the Commission and to discover serious discrepancies; some result sheets were forged with fresh information interposed on the original and the officers concerned were at a loss to display the veritable sheets.

 

With all this information in hand, the observers considered the following criteria before coming to a conclusion.

 

6.0    IMPORTANT CRITERIA FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTION

 

v     Existence of an independent electoral commission acceptable to all parties.

v     All eligible voters to be registered without discrimination.

v     The media, especially public media, to provide equal access to all the parties participating in the elections,

v     The election to be held in atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

v     Voters to be afforded the opportunity to a candidate of their choice without fear or trepidation.

v     Absence of cheating and violation of procedures in the process of voting.

v     Votes to be counted openly and results to be genuine and correct.

v     Election results to be acceptable in and outside the country.

 

7.0    THE STAND OF JUMIKI (UAMSHO) ON THE ZANZIBAR GENERAL ELECTION OF 2005

 

Considering violation of much of the criteria for free and fair election in these elections, JUMIKI found the elections full of short-comings which deprive them of the qualification of being free and fair and we therefore submit the following proposal:

 

In order to resolve the conflict which has emerged after  these  elections we propose that the whole election being repeated under the supervision the United Nations so that genuine democracy be observed and the will of the people honored.

 

PARTICIPANT OBERVERS:

1. Azzan Khalid
2. Issa Khamis Issa
3. Nassor Hamad Abdalla
4. Suleiman Haji Suleiman
5. Suleiman Juma Suleiman
6. Mbwana Abbass
7. Khamis Yussuf
8. Abdalla Khamis Mjaka
9. Omar Mohd Omar
10. Said Ali Nyange
11. Fikirini Majaliwa
12. Suleiman Nassor Mohd
13. Hassan Bakari Suleiman
14. Salum Khatib Kombo
15. Ali Haji Khamis
16. Hamad Khamis Rashid
17. Hassan Rashid Ali
18. Mohd Salum Daudi
19. Mwalim Ali Mwalim
20. Khamis Ali Suleiman

 

 

ON BEHALF OF ALL OBSERVERS,

 

 

 

………………………………..

Azzan Khalid