Zanzibar poll set for March 20,2015.

THE Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday announced that a fresh election for the islands is scheduled to be held on March 20, this year.

The ZEC chairman, Mr Jecha Salim Jecha, announced that the decision for fresh polls was made last Thursday (January 21, 2016). He appealed for patience and observation of election laws.

He said, “The fresh elections will seek to install the Zanzibar president, members of House of Representatives, and councillors’. All candidates in the nullified elections, last October, are allowed to contest.”

The date for fresh elections comes after almost two months of discussion between top leaders of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) led by President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein and the leader of the opposition Mr Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, ended in a stalemate.

Mr Jecha nullified the October 25, 2015 polls after identifying massive fraud during the process of tallying the results.

The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) opposes fresh polls, but impeccable sources say they (CUF) are considering not boycotting the new polls. CUF Deputy Secretary General Mr Nassor Mazrui’s phone was not reachable for comment.

Two weeks ago Second Vice President Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi informed journalists here that the budget for the fresh election is about TZS 7.5bn/=.

DailyNewz