Election Time in Zanzibar

On October 31st Zanzibar goes to the election polls. I get a chance to meet a Political Analyst lecturer from a Washington University who is covering this year's election in the US.

The current ruling party has been in power since 1964, but this is the first year that at least locally, the opposition have a chance of success with a popularist local candidate standing as Chief Minister.

It is also the first year that there has been no violence. Rasta Dulla tells me his brother was shot dead in the 2005 Zanzibar elections, and even on sleepy Pemba there was mass beatings dished out by the army. In 2000 violence was even more a part of the course.

The manager of my current guest house on Pemba tells me with humble pride that he has been selected as a local councillor candidate for the opposition party and indeed i see his poster all over the walls of Mkaoni.

Noone predicts any change nationally. The ruling CCM party bribe, cajole and outspend its rivals and control much of the media anyway.

my landlord on Pemba and member of the opposition