Our visit to Zanzibar at the tail end of our trip is supposed to be a time for idyllic recovery from the tough climb up Kilimanjaro. That still might happen, but Zanzibar will need to pick up the pieces from a rough election period going on right now.
(BBC)The security forces on Tanzania's Zanzibar islands have broken up a crowd of opposition supporters claiming victory in Sunday's poll.
At least five people were arrested as teargas and water cannon were fired at people singing and dancing after Muslim prayers in the capital, Zanzibar town.
Official results could be released on Monday after overnight counting.
There were sporadic clashes on election day but the extreme violence of previous polls has so far been absent.
More than 30,000 members of the security forces have been deployed in the semi-autonomous islands. Some 500,000 people were expected to cast their ballots.
Election season is not over yet, either; there will be further polls on the Tanzanian mainland on December 14. Need to keep tabs on that.
Maybe this will be my opportunity to meet my teenager dream of being a war correspondent, a la Edward R. Murrow. But really, I'd rather spend my time on the island in idyll.
No comments:
Post a Comment