Zanzibar Electoral Commission Stands Firm on Early Voting Despite Opposition
The Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has firmly reaffirmed its commitment to conducting transparent and impartial elections, maintaining that early voting will proceed as mandated by law, despite opposition from political challengers.
The Commission emphasized that the 2018 Electoral Act No 4 and accompanying regulations explicitly require early voting to take place before the General Election. This process is designed to ensure election officials and security personnel can perform their critical roles without disruption on polling day.
ZEC Director of Elections has confirmed that the legal framework for early voting remains unchanged. “The Zanzibar Electoral Commission Act clearly provides for early voting, and our regulations state it will be held a day before the main election,” the official stated.
The electoral body plans to announce the full election timetable on August 18, underlining its dedication to following established legal procedures. This comes after recent political challenges to the early voting process.
During a comprehensive five-day training session for 100 assistant returning officers, ZEC Vice Chairperson stressed the importance of maintaining election integrity. “The success of this election depends greatly on your work. Every polling area must be managed according to the law, without favouritism,” she emphasized.
Key training topics include electoral law, ZEC regulations, and practical election procedures. The trained officers will subsequently train polling station staff to ensure smooth vote counting and result announcements at the constituency level.
The Commission has called for close cooperation among electoral bodies, security organs, political parties, civil society, religious leaders, and citizens to ensure a free, fair, and credible electoral process.
