Ali Mohamed Shein : takes oath for new term today

The newly re-elected Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein would be sworn in today, extending his rule for another five years, authorities said .

Zanzibar State House said in a statement that Shein would be sworn in by Zanzibar’s Chief Justice Othman Makungu at Amani Stadium to be attended by Tanzanian President John Magufuli and other dignitaries.

Tanzania was formed in 1964 following the merger between Tanganyika and Zanzibar which is semi-autonomous.

On Monday ZEC declared incumbent Zanzibar President Shein winner of the controversial re-run presidential polls after he had garnered 299,982 which was 91.4 per cent.

Zanzibar’s re-run elections were boycotted by main opposition party, which led to low turn-out; however, peace was reported in most parts of the east African archipelago.

Tanzania’s Minister for Home Affairs, Charles Kitwanga, said security has improved in Zanzibar, adding that the number of security officials deployed on the Islands would be cut down.

“There were a lot of threats that is why we deployed our officers in big numbers, but the polls were conducted in a calm environment.

“We cannot afford to drop guard now, but police patrols will be reduced as days go on and eventually with time things will get back to normal,’’ the minister said.

The re-run polls were held after results of the October 25 elections were annulled, three days after the polls, by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairman Jecha Salim Jecha on what he described as massive irregularities.

Report says over 500,000 voters cast their ballot in the last October 25 elections which were later nullified by ZEC.

The main opposition party-the Civic United Front (CUF) boycotted the polls, insisting that it had won in the October elections, and called on its supporters not to vote