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Tanzania's Zanzibar beefs up security ahead of re-run polls

Xinhua, March 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Police authorities in Zanzibar said on Friday they have beefed up security ahead of Sunday's re-run elections.

In the run up to the repeat elections there have been claims of massive use of force by police against civilians but the police have denied these claims.

"We will ensure that the polls are held peacefully. Police officers will provide escort to those wishing to go out and vote if need be," said Urban West Region police commander, Mkadam Khamis Mkadam.

Mkadam said there will be different kinds of police patrols throughout the day as the current situation demanded.

He said the patrols will involve officers on foot, on motorcycles and others in vehicles, adding that police will also be stationed inside polling stations and within 200 meters from the stations.

"There are lots of threats going around, and to address that we have provided our phone numbers to the people. If anyone who wants to vote and think they are in danger then they can reach us and we will provide escort to the polling station and back to their houses," said Mkadam.

He added: "Here in Zanzibar there are areas with notorious reputation for political violence. We are going to tighten up our grip in these areas and make sure that everything is contained, and based on our preparations it is our hope that will be realized."

Police said on Wednesday that at least 42 suspects were in Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa, in connection with Monday night's bomb blast which destroyed the house of Zanzibar police chief Hamdan Omar Makame ahead of re-run polls.

The Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) sub-office in Pemba said preparations for the polls re-run have been completed by 97 percent.

Officer in charge of the ZEC sub-office, Ali Mohamed Dadi, said ZEC has already selected clerks, and has received all voting materials for distribution to all four districts.

Ballot boxes and papers were collected from the ZEC office by soldiers of the Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF) for distribution.

Main opposition party in the east African archipelago said they will boycott the repeat elections while the ruling party - Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) - maintained that it will participate.

Zanzibar has been thrown into a political turmoil since the results of the October 25, 2015 polls were annulled by the Chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), Jecha Salum Jecha citing massive irregularities especially in Pemba. He later announced re-run polls.

The opposition CUF maintains that its Zanzibar presidential candidate Seif Shariff Hamad won the nullified polls, and has announced that they are not going to participate in Sunday's re-run elections. Endit