(KDRTV) – Reports in Tanzania claim that Zanzibar’s main opposition leader in the just concluded elections has been arrested by police.
ACT Wazelendo Party leader Zanzibar’s Presidential candidate Seif Sharif Hamad was arrested on Thursday afternoon. Senior party officials are also in custody.
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“Mwenyekiti wa Chama cha ACT Wazalendo Taifa Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, Makamu Mwenyekiti Juma Duni Haji, Mjumbe wa Kamati Kuu Ismail Jussa na Viongozi wengine wamekamatwa muda huu huko Zanzibar eneo la Michenzani,” ACT Wazelendo announced on social media.
Mwenyekiti wa Chama cha @ACTwazalendo Taifa Maalim @SeifSharifHamad Makamu Mwenyekiti Juma Duni Haji, Mjumbe wa Kamati Kuu @IsmailJussa na Viongozi wengine wamekamatwa muda huu huko Zanzibar eneo la Michenzani pic.twitter.com/v7q4iICiml
— ACT Wazalendo (@ACTwazalendo) October 29, 2020
The arrest happened just a few hours after Seif Sharif had called all Zanzibar residents to for a public demonstration against what he claimed to be vote-rigging.
BREAKING: Maalim @SeifSharifHamad kuongoza maandamano hivi punde, awataka watu waliopo Unguja wakutane Michenzani Roundabout pic.twitter.com/dEmgK4cuXF
— Hassan Khamis (@hassankham1s) October 29, 2020
This is the second time in less than 48 hours that Hamad has been arrested. He was arrested at a polling station on Tuesday as he went for early voting. ACT said he was released a few hours later.
The party also accused police of killing at least eight people between Monday and Tuesday.
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Unconfirmed reports indicate that Hamad is leading the race to be next President against Hussein Ali Mwinyi, of the ruling CCM party.
Opposition candidate in Zanzibar who won the Zanzibar Presidential Elections by 53% has been arrested about an hour ago. They are about to announce CCM Hussein Mwinyi as President. Hussein lost with 44% of the vote. Jail the winner, crown the loser. #TanzaniaElections2020
— Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) October 29, 2020
Unconfirmed reports indicate that Hamad is leading the race to be next President against Hussein Ali Mwinyi, of the ruling CCM party.
The arrest is just the latest in a series of bizarre incidents that have married Wednesday’s national elections in Tanzania. The opposition has accused President Pombe Magufuli of rigging elections.
There have been several reports of ballot stuffing. The government also blocked independent observers from the elections while foreign journalists were not accreditated to cover the elections.
Magufuli’s main challenger Tundi Lissu has issued a statement, saying they will not accept election results.
