Zanzibar's main opposition party urges boycott of Sunday's re-run elections

Zanzibar’s presidential candidate and leader of main opposition party Civic United Front, Seif Sharif Hamad is urging a boycott of Sundays rerun elections.

Hamad, who has received support from several other opposition parties, has accused the country’s election commission of not properly disseminating information to citizens and has stated the October election was free and fair, without grounds for nullification.

“So far, what we have noticed on the ground is everybody is sort of supporting the position of their party leader that they will not participate in the 20th of March election,” he said.

Tanzanian president John Magufuli, of the CCM party, has endorsed these new elections, a move some believe gives Zanzibar president and fellow CCM party member Ali Mohamed Shein another chance at staying in office.

Polls in the semi autonomous Islands were nullified in October last year due to alleged irregularities.

About 500,000 registered voters are expected to participate in the vote.