Mr Seif said the decision by his party to boycott participating in the election was made by his party's National Executive Council. Addressing a news conference, Mr Hamad said his party did not take part in the March 20 election because it was not satisfied with the decision made by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (NEC) to nullify the October 25 general election.
The collective decision by CUF members to shun the March 20 election was not fuelled by any inducement from CCM or the Zanzibar government, but it was a sign that our party was not satisfied by the reasons for the election re-run,’’ he said.
The opposition leader, who is the former First Vice- President in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said he observed sobriety and humanity, dismissing any inducement from anyone.
There have been speculations that the main opposition party boycotted the March 20 election re-run in order to allow CCM’s presidential candidate Dr Ali Mohammed Shein to win a landslide victory.
Zanzibar’s main opposition party boycotted fresh elections saying it had won the October 25 general elections which were scrapped by ZEC after alleged irregularities.
Calling the fresh elections on March 20 unconstitutional and reiterating its claim of victory in the October poll, the Civic United Front (CUF) enticed its members and supporters to shun the election re-run.
The October 25 elections, which were held across Tanzania, were scrapped in Zanzibar after the islands’ election commission reported “violations of electoral law”, the decision that was dismissed by the opposition.
The annulment came after the CUF candidate, Seif Sharif Hamad, declared himself the winner before the results were officially announced. Yesterday, Mr Hamad who was CUF’s presidential candidate, lambasted people who were claiming that he had been bribed by CCM top officials in Zanzibar to boycott the election re-run in order to allow the ruling party to win a landslide victory.
He said hospitality paid to him by the Zanzibar government on his trip to India for treatment and his extended stay in Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam by the Union Government had nothing to do with the Zanzibar election.
“What was done by the government of Zanzibar to pay for my trip and the various visits by top government officials including president John Magufuli was a normal thing because by then, I was Zanzibar’s First Vice President,’’ he added.
According to him, the stance by his party not to recognise Dr Shein’s victory was still intact because his party still believes that it won the October 25 general election.
Culled from Daily News
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