-Karume has been a Chama Cha Mapinduzi cadre since its inception in 1977. He won a flawed presidential election for Zanzibar in 2000 and violence erupted. At least 21 people died as thousands fled Zanzibar to Kenya.
By Rence Martine
Dar es Salaam (MOZTIMES) – The former President of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume is expected to lead the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM) for Mozambique’s general election scheduled for October 9.
Karume has been appointed to head the mission by Tanzanian President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is also the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. He arrived in Maputo on Monday, September 30.
In accordance with Article 8 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines, the Chairperson appointed Dr Amani Abeid Karume as the Head of Mission for SEOM Mozambique on September 25 and mandated the SADC Secretariat to coordinate the mission, including the facilitation of observer deployment.
While in Mozambique, Mr Karume will officially launch the mission on Thursday (3 October) in the capital, Maputo.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr Karume will meet with various stakeholders, including the Mozambican National Election Commission (CNE), SADC ambassadors, political parties, civil society organisations, religious institutions and media representatives.
The statement also revealed that, on October 11, Karume is expected to provide a preliminary report on the mission.
The SEOM will be deployed across the country’s provinces to observe both the pre and post-election phases, as well as polling day, assessing the conduct of the elections in regard to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
These guidelines emphasise the importance of citizen participation in democracy and development, measures to prevent political violence, intimidation and intolerance and the promotion of equal opportunities for all political parties to access state media, ensuring all citizens have access to election-related information.
Stain of election rigging and violence
Mr Karume is the son of Zanzibar’s founding father Abeid Amani Karume, who was brutally assassinated on April 7, 1972, at the headquarters of the Afro-Shirazi Party in Zanzibar Town.
Mr Karume has been a veteran of the Tanzanian ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), since its inception in 1977. CCM has been an ally of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) in power since the country’s independence in 1975.
Mr Karume ran as CCM presidential candidate for Zanzibar in 2000 and won the election with 67.04 per cent of the vote. The election was flawed, violence erupted and at least 21 people died as thousands fled Zanzibar to neighbouring Kenya.
Mr Karume was re-elected in the 30 October 2005 election, winning by 53.18 per cent against his main Civic United Front (CUF) opponent, the late Seif Shariff Hamad who garnered 46.1 percent of the votes cast in the islands. CUF challenged the results on the grounds that the elections were marred by allegations of vote-rigging.
The situation led to unrest in Zanzibar and a number of CUF members were killed and injured.
Later, after the 2010 general election, Zanzibar decided to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) following three failed political pacts between the two main rival parties (CCM and CUF).
The CUF candidate and main opposition leader in Zanzibar, the late Hamad, became the first Vice President of the Government of National Unity, which was led by President Dr Mohamed Shein.
In Mozambique, elections are overshadowed by accusations of fraud and cases of post-election violence are frequent. (RM)
