Zanzibar: Return to Multiparty Elections in 1995

Extracted from: "Zanzibar" IN Compendium of Elections in Southern Africa (2002), edited by Tom Lodge, Denis Kadima and David Pottie, EISA, 412-413.

Following the 1992 constitutional amendment in Zanzibar providing for the establishment of a multiparty system and the enactment by the union parliament of a law providing for the registration of political parties, 1995 general election became a multiparty contest. Election fever started quite early in 1995. In July 1995 the president of Zanzibar dissolved the house of representatives according to Article 92 (1) of the Zanzibar constitution to confirm Zanzibar' s readiness for the multiparty election. The political parties had completed the nominations of their election candidates for various constituencies. Only two political parties, CCM and CUP had nominated presidential candidates and had their candidates in all the constituencies.

Out of 13 registered political parties only seven contested for the 1995 general election in Zanzibar. The parties were Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM); Civil United Front (CUP); Tanzania Democratic Alliance party (TADEA); National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA); the United Democratic party (UDP); Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA); Tanzania Labour party ('n-P) and the NCCR -Mageuzi.

However the real contest was between Chama Cha Mapinduzi and the Civil United Front. This contest reflected itself very clearly when the results were announced (see 1995 House of Representatives election results). Only these two political parties won seats in the House of Representatives and the union Parliament. Out of 50 constituencies, CCM won 26 seats in the House of Representatives and a similar number of seats in the union Parliament. CUP won 24 seats in the House of Representatives and a similar number of seats in the union Parliament.

In total, 40% of the members elected to the House of Representative have attained university and post secondary education. Compared to previous members of the house, this is encouraging and is an indication that the 1995-2000 House of Representatives would receive more knowledgeable contributions during its debates.

CCM won the Zanzibar presidential seat. The CCM candidate, Dr Salmin Amour, polled 165 271 votes or 50.2% of the votes while his rival, Seif Sharif Hamad of CUP, polled 163 706 votes or 49.8% of the votes (see 1995 Presidential election results). The narrow margin of victory was the source of much controversy and motivated CUP to reject the election result.

Prior to the declaration of the 1995 election results, both the CUP and CCM wrote letters of complaint to Zanzibar Electoral Commision (ZEC). Some of the complaints were directed at the legitimacy and capacity of ZEC itself. Both parties expressed their lack of confidence with the commission. The source of the discontent centred on the electoral law and the appointment of the electoral commission. Before its final amendment, the Zanzibar electoral law had set clear criteria for people considered to be fit for appointment as members of the electoral commission. Also in the Bill, it was recommended that the chair of the commission and at least one person among the members of the commission should be people with qualities that would fit them to be appointed as High Court judges. This section of the bill was rejected and the president of Zanzibar was given the powers to appoint any person thought of as capable. This caused a lot of problems because the chairman of the Commission was not a lawyer with the relevant qualifications to be a judge of the High Court of Zanzibar.