Karume sworn in as Zanzibar's president

Zanzibari President Amani Abeid Karume was sworn in on Wednesday following his re-election in polls that were marred by violence and claims of fraud. "I will implement my duty towards the people of Zanzibar without bias," Karume said during the ceremony aired live on national television. Benjamin Mkapa, president of the United Republic of Tanzania - of which Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous offshore state - attended the ceremony in the Zanzibari capital, Stone Town. On Tuesday, Zanzibar's Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Karume the winner of Sunday's election by 53.2 percent of the vote against 46.1 percent of his strongest rival, Seif Sharif Hamad of the Civic United Front (CUF). However, CUF has claimed that according to its tally, Hamad won the election with 50.63 percent against Karume's 49.37 percent. Hamad boycotted the swearing in ceremony. He had earlier called for a mass protest, leading to increased tension in Zanzibar and in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, where police have been on the alert since Sunday.