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TANZANIA: VIOLENT ELECTIONS, RULING PARTY TO WIN December 15, 2005
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Tanzania’s elections, which started Wednesday is still underway with at least 12 people wounded and dozens arrested as police battled opposition supporters. One man was shot when security forces fired live rounds over the heads of demonstrators, another was stabbed, and seven people, including an opposition candidate and a police officer, were beaten in melees.
Tanzanians are voting for a new president, 232 parliament seats and local officials in Tanzania's third elections since political pluralism was introduced in 1992.
Reports portray victory for that the ruling party is heavily favored to win. While the ruling party only narrowly won Zanzibar's polls, it is widely expected to cruise to victory in the national elections due to its large backing on the mainland. Retiring Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, said he believed Foreign Minister Jakaya Kikwete, to succeed him.
Election officials reported high turnout in the polls, which were marred by violence in opposition stronghold of Zanzibar where opposition protestors were hurt in clashes with police. Many streets in the commercial capital of Dar- es Salaam were empty and businesses were deserted of city residents who are among nearly 16 million eligible voters. On the mainland, officials and foreign election observers reported only minor logistical snags.
"The process went well," said one monitor from Britain. "Everybody had a chance to vote despite small hitches here and there."
The clashes in Zanzibar occurred when supporters of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) tried to block allegedly bogus voters from casting ballots for the ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM).
Police, who were patrolling the Stone Town, barred journalists and observers from entering halls where ballots were being counted, telling they are not needed, according to an AFP correspondent.
Campaigning ended on a dramatic not on Tuesday after the Mr. Kikwete, the presidential frontrunner, collapsed from exhaustion at his final political rally.