Zanzibar polls were 'shambles'

Commonwealth observers in Tanzania yesterday described Sunday's elections in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar as a "shambles" and proof of a "colossal contempt for democracy".

Commonwealth observers in Tanzania yesterday described Sunday's elections in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar as a "shambles" and proof of a "colossal contempt for democracy".

The condemnation came after riot police fired live bullets yesterday at some 300 stone-throwing followers of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) who were protesting against flaws in the electoral process.

While voting on the mainland was said to have gone smoothly in Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections - with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi doing well - electoral officials in Indian Ocean archipelago were said to have failed to deliver ballot papers to 16 districts where the CUF was expected to do well.

A partial rerun was expected to take place within a week.