My personal opinions towards the 2020 elections in Zanzibar
It was a regular day; I remember that I had woke up late and rushed to my office for work and other analogous tasks. Only at this time, it was a bit different when I arrived. I was covertly dismayed as indistinct mumbles kept falling into my ears as soon as I grabbed my seat. Surprisingly, they solely came from my long-time colleague, who sat alongside my desk with his laptop placed up above the fronts.
Apparently, his nuances were brimmed with echoes and tales of this year’s general elections and observation posts. I knew it was something distinctive, and so I thought. Effortlessly, I pictured myself being a part of the NEC, ZEC, and Redet observation crew preferably in Zanzibar. That one caught my attention at the moment. Therefore, slowly I glanced, looking at him in a shyly mingling way. Our conversation remained very political indeed, but I was not. The energy was too high until I couldn’t resist asking him about the application and registration for such a self-unprecedented adventure.
This fascination, as fathomless as it sounds, was too extreme in a way that innervated my deepest thoughts. Contrarily, the only notion that kept swaying my mind pondered on the political tautness that might be the case regarding the immediate past and persisting electoral struggles of Zanzibar.
Early on the following day, I stopped over at the Redet headquarters for more details concerning that matter. Their reception office astonished me with a stylish silhouette of elegance as the floor overlaid by a red mat despite it felt viscous. Languidly, I stepped in. My eyes were fortuitously dazzled by a white poster fixed upon a wall detailing that the registration period for observers had already lapsed. Suddenly, an immediate course of action came into my mind imploring me to let this go.
Afterward, the receptionist escorted me to an officer in charge who I urged to deploy me in Zanzibar. After a few days later, I received a call requesting my info due to the assent given in my devotion. Honestly, that episode altered my day, hugely. Unequaled Redet people and their coalition with the Udsm acquainted me with the deployment at Mfenesini constituency following the polling station located in the Mwachaalale village. All those places were new to me. How would I get there? It wasn’t an enigma anymore until I noticed a companion from my long-time friend.
I presume that we all know how viciously Zanzibar can be when it comes to political matters notably during the general election times. If we go back in time, Zanzibar has a long history of controversial, nearly fought, chaotic and vehement elections. ZEC in Zanzibar has proved right the sustenance of CCM for the supremacy of all archipelagos and the mainland of Tanzania for peace and security motives. No matter what happened between the Mainland and Zanzibar, the international community lowly considered to re-run up elections wishfully to defend the Government of National Unity that was formed in 2010 stipulating 2015 elections would not be problematic.
The historic tensions between the two main islands of Zanzibar, namely Pemba and Unguja, were influenced by three additional issues provoking the political tension and disputes among the two sides. The first concern spheres to the on-going discussions about Tanzania’s new constitution. Since CUF desired to change the governance system into a federal one, this proposition has accounted for the formulation of independent governments one for the mainland, one for Zanzibar, and one for the United Republic. Although the proposed draft was held by long public debate, the final approval was clogged by the Constitutional Assembly, in which the majority of its members originate from CCM.
A second issue is about the discovery of gas on the Tanzanian coast. Such matter has heightened the rivalry between the two concerning who should manage the generated revenue. Lastly, it has been about the surge-up of Islamic influence in Zanzibar over the 20 last years. This includes the discontented youth who feel that they are treated as minor citizens especially on access to government opportunities, scholarships, and clipped political voice.
All these issues have worsened relations between the islands and the Union government. The CCM hardliners played to these fears, portraying opposition parties, mainly the ACT, and warning the citizen that their government would rescind the Union. Considering the predominant CCM believes any victory of the opposition parties may ruin everything they had struggled too hard to build, ever since that, political tensions have been high on Unguja and Pemba.
Despite that, I was too eager to observe the elections in Zanzibar. So, I blurred all the repulsiveness and the mysteries behind it the place. Few days before the arrival of the election day, people were informed to shun their needless journeys as curfews were held in place. Police and soldiers patrolled in armored cars within towns and streets, and many times, the offices of all political parties were ordered to stay closed.
The troops exploded bombs in various areas such as in Mjini to Darajani areas to alleviate violence and safeguard the lives of the citizens. I sought by asking around if they were used to given plights as an issue of normalcy. But the feedback was an indication that the 2020 general election in Zanzibar was somehow amiable compared to the earlier election times.
When the elections day came, designedly, I woke up quickly and hurried to my place of work. I was amazed by a long trip to the interior village where the polling station was located. Compared to my associates, I was deployed at the farthest. My skepticism drove the passion of attention amidst the elections exercises so that I could learn and grasp everything thoroughly. I arrived at the station where the polling station rightly at 6:02. The voting process commenced and stopped just on time. I had noticed a distinct group of people living in Mwachaalale village who came to vote and be voted for.
As the sun went down, the military officers came to assemble the ballot boxes and headed to other stations for the same purpose. During my deployment times, Zanzibar was surprisingly calm and peaceful. Although I didn’t expect that compared to what I was told, the excitement twirled in my heart once I saw how the government managed to guarantee peace throughout the election period relative to the other times. The question of whether polling activity in Mwachaalale polling station was free and fair, or not, is likely to be left unjustified.
However, all voters were conferred consistently with a ravishing and supportive polling situation that engulfed off their dread by indulging them with confidence. Almost all of the polling officers were courteous and neighborly. Voters that had faced any difficulties were assisted and addressed per given protocols of both ZEC and NEC indefinitely.
