Zanzibar parties sign polls code of conduct

ISSA YUSSUF in Zanzibar
SEVEN political parties in Zanzibar on Tuesday signed the Code of Conduct for the 2010 General Elections and pledged to abide by the provisions of the document.

The parties which signed the Code of Conduct are Civic United Front (CUF), Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), African Progressive Party of Tanzania (APPT – Maendeleo) and United People’s Democratic Party (UPDP).

Others are United Movement for Democracy (UMD), Tanzania Democratic Alliance (TADEA), Sauti ya Umma (SAU), Demokrasia – Makini and Jahazi Asilia.

The Chairman of the Elections Code of Conduct Committee, Mr Nassor Khamis, said that other parties which did not turn out at the signing ceremony yesterday would sign the document at a later date.

The Code of Conduct is aimed at ensuring peaceful campaigns and elections in the Isles. It provides a wide range of prohibited acts during campaigns and the polling day.

Meanwhile, political parties, NGOs, lawyers, and law-enforcers yesterday met at a forum that deliberate on various measures aimed at sustaining peace and stability during elections campaigns, the polling day and beyond.

Several participants including politicians said peace and stability in Zanzibar would depend on the behaviour of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) and police during the run-up and after the elections.

“ZEC must strive to minimise conflicts and strictly observe the code of conduct. We also need ZEC to observe transparency,” said Mr Mhene Seif Rashid of CUF.

Ms Asha Abdallah Juma (CCM), Mr Said Soud Said (AFP), and Dadi Kombo Maalim (CHADEMA) and Mr Juma Khamis Faki (UDP) called upon ZEC to avoid delays in announcing results and act impartially.

Mr Said, who is Zanzibar AFP presidential candidate, called for all political parties to be included in the GNU, while a participant from UDP appealed for government support in payment of polling agents.

“We are small parties without any represenation in the House of Representatives and local authorities,” he said.

The facilitators at the forum included Mr Ali Mzee (chairman of committee of six for referendum), Mr Hamidi Mbwezeleni (former Zanzibar attorney General) and Professor G. Mpangala from University of Dar es Salaam.

In his opening remarks, the ZEC chairman Mr Khatib Mwinyichande pointed out that: “everyone on the islands has a great role in making sure that Zanzibaris practice clean democracy and politicians instigating conflicts should be ignored.”

Dr Karna Soro, head of UN sub-office in Zanzibar asked for politicians and Zanzibaris to promote “peaceful environment for elections. Peace is not words, but actions. Dialogue is the weapon for people. Do not take Zanzibar back, but put Zanzibar forward for the future generation.”