Political party clash leaves 14 injured

Fourteen people were wounded, two of them seriously, in clashes on Sunday between rival political parties on Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar, police said. The fighting came as the nation prepares for general elections, scheduled for October. Zanzibar's senior assistant commissioner of police, Ramadhani Kinyogo, said on Monday that 10 of the wounded were admitted to a local hospital. Three vehicles were also destroyed and three opposition party offices set ablaze when members of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM - Revolutionary Party) battled those from the Civic United Front (CUF), Kinyogo said in a statement issued in Zanzibar and made available to IRIN. Witnesses told IRIN that the fighting occurred during two rallies held at different venues on Sunday, after which, CCM and CUF supporters hurled stones and knives at each other. "No one has been arrested in connection with the incidents," Kinyogo said. He blamed political leaders for the violence. "I appeal to political leaders, ahead of general elections, to tell their supporters to abide by the law of the land, so that we can ensure the forthcoming elections are held peacefully," he added. Tanzanians are due to go to the polls on 30 October, the third time since 1992 when the country opted for multi-party politics. Political observers expressed concern over the likelihood of a repeat of violence witnessed after the 2000 elections, where there were widespread incidents of violence in the run up to the polls, despite an agreement, known as Muafaka, signed by CCM and CUF to end hostilities in October 2001. On Monday, CCM and CUF blamed each other for the latest fighting. "Leaders of CUF, especially Seif Shariff Hamad [secretary-general], are using the Muafaka Accord to make personal political capital," Vuai Ali Vuai, the publicity secretary for CCM in Zanzibar, said. Hamad, a former chief minister, who in 1995 and 2000 unsuccessfully ran for president on a CUF ticket, is making another attempt this year. During his previous attempts, Hamad had on both times claimed that he had lost because the polls were rigged on CCM's instructions. Widespread protests against the 2000 election results by the CUF led to the deaths of at least 30 people, mostly CUF supporters, in January 2001 during clashes with armed police. On their part, CCM blamed the CUF for organising Sunday's violence. "CCM is prepared to breach the Muafaka Accord because they [CUF] have violated the election laws [by] registering underage voters and non-Zanzibaris [people from the mainland] and also using police and security agents to harass the opposition," Salim Bimani, the CUF spokesman, said.