Vote counting underway in Tanzania as Opposition claims fraud

Dar es Salaam: Tanzania’s ruling party presidential candidate took an early lead Tuesday as election officials counted votes in a close race for a second day, while several key ministers lost their seats.

“We expect to win by majority this time, and if that dream comes true we will offer our people the best social services”, said Omar Ali Shehe, the Civic United Front’s director of elections.

A few officials and analysts have voiced concerns about rising tensions in the archipelago of Zanzibar, where the opposition has accused the government of intimidation.

Hamad, 71, claims to have seen official documents of final voting figures, although there has been no announcement from the electoral commission and the figures could not be verified.

Tanzania has been one of Africa’s most stable democracies, with the CCM in power since independence from Britain in 1961, although Zanzibar is a hotspot for tensions because of strong local opposition and Islamist and separatist movements.

The political fears appeared to have been raised when Cord leader Raila Odinga met with Magufuli in Dar es Salaam, days after securing the ticket of the ruling CCM.

In the southwestern Sumbawanga region, “armed people attacked a vehicle hired by NEC and burned ballot papers”, Ramadhani added, saying new voting dates for those districts would be organized.

Mbowe said 166 opposition supporters had been arrested, including IT experts who were carrying out the party’s own tally of results.

The opposition Chadema party has alleged rigging in Sunday’s presidential, general and local elections.

Lowassa, who defected from CCM in July after the party spurned him as a possible leadership candidate, said he would only concede defeat if the vote was free and fair.

“Police also confiscated computers and mobile phones of our volunteers who were tallying results of the presidential election”, Chadema lawyer John Malya said. “The CCM government has failed to deliver”.

British High Commissioner Dianna Melrose says she is generally impressed with the polls.

Opposition party Chadema selected former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa as its candidate.

A disputed presidential vote outcome in December 2007 pushed neighboring Kenya into a violent post-election conflict in early 2008.

A total of 54 candidates are vying to replace President Michel Martelly, a pop singer and political novice who assumed office in 2011, the year after a catastrophic natural disaster killed more than 200,000 and left upwards of 1.5 million living on the streets.

“If we manage to end the armed conflict in the coming months, they will be held responsible for putting into practice the measures that will allow us a successful transition towards peace”, he said.