Selous
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- Jan 13, 2008
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armed soldiers of the tanzanias people defence forces (tpdf) have been deployed to guard all sensitive areas in the indian ocean archipelago of zanzibar ahead of the october 31 election next week, the guardian on sunday has learnt.
Before the deployment of the soldiers, all these sensitive institutions were being manned by tanzania police forces anti-riot squad, the field force unit (ffu).
Among sensitive areas currently under the watch of military personnel include the stations of radio tanzania zanzibar (rtz) and television zanzibar, a week ahead of the general elections due on sunday. Also guarded by the tpdf soldiers are abeid amani karume international airport and malindi harbour.
A survey conducted by this newspaper has established that the tpdf replaced the ffu in discharging that role on friday.
The soldiers have been checking on all people entering the institutions, including their staff as well as visitors, and vehicles.
This reporter witnessed workers of rtz queuing in a long line and were let into the building after showing their identity cards.
The isles chief of police, commissioner mussa ali mussa, said the change from the ffu to the tpdf was an ordinary security measure especially at this time ahead of the elections.
Police commissioner mussa the change would allow police personnel to concentrate on overseeing the elections at the more than 1,200 polling stations.
we have temporarily changed the security details so that the police concentrate more on the general elections as we have the responsibility to oversee security at polling stations, remarked the police chief.
The minister of state in the office of the chief minister, hamza hassan juma, said it was true security had been stepped up at all sensitive areas to ensure all goes well, as election day approaches.
Hamza said the change was actually aimed at allowing voters to exercise their constitutional right in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, adding that there was nothing to worry about.
Some of the visitors to zanzibar from dar es salaam through zanzibar harbour have complained about the stepped up security, fearing it could pose as a threat to the public.
They said that they were used to security details by the police force but the growing number of tpdf personnel was casting some fears to the general public and tourists getting into zanzibar.
many tourists have asked us several times after arriving at zanzibar port because they found it was out of the ordinary for military personnel to patrol areas that they said have sufficient security, said tour guide halfan idd khamis who was receiving tourists at the port yesterday.
The situation also shocked some of the people who visited rtz along rahaleo street to submit death announcement messages.
However, minister hamza pointed out, however, that whoever was fearing the soldiers must be a criminal as they were there to defend public security, asking such people to instead hail the governments move to step up security. when you see someone keeping away from the soldiers, you must suspect him to be a criminal. The people should be happy and must free themselves from worry, said the minister.
Political parties are on the final leg of campaigning with zanzibar presidential candidates shuttling between pemba and unguja.
The people of zanzibar will go to the polls on sunday under tight security on the semi-autonomous indian ocean island after rival leaders pledged co-operation to stem acts of violence
the indian ocean archipelago has been rocked by election related skirmishes in 1995, and 2000, which left thousands injured, hundreds killed after the allegations of votes rigging marred the isles.
The first multi-party polls in 1995 were strongly disputed after the leader of the opposition civic united front (cuf), seif shariff hamad claimed that incumbent dr salmin amour had rigged the elections.
Hamad, who is again vying for the presidency, led a popular protest and embarked on a diplomatic onslaught that led to suspension of donor aid on charges of human rights violations.
These included what the opposition alleged were fabricated treason charges against its members.
Meanwhile, tanzania armed forces, led by the tpdf, yesterday officially bid farewell to zanzibar president amani abedi karume by a colourful parade mounted at ziwani police grounds here.
President karume arrived at the grounds at 10 am where he inspected a guard of honour after receiving a 21-gun salute under a new procedure by the revolutionary government to have its special forces bid farewell to their commander-in-chief and later the armed forces of tanzania.
source: Guardian on sunday
