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Tanzania

Tanzania set to re-elect Kikwete in polls

Voters in Tanzania are going to the polls Sunday for general elections in which President Jakaya Kikwete is expected to win a second and final term. More than 19 million people are registered to vote in the country's fourth election since it re-introduced multi-party politics in 1992.

Reuters
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Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar Island is also holding elections today.

Voting began smoothly in Tanzania's economic capital Dar es Salaam, although some people complained that they had not been briefed on the procedure or that their names were missing from the list.

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David Martin, Chief Observer for the European Union Election Mission

“We think the campaign and the election has been conducted well," says David Martin, Chief Observer for the European Union Election Mission. "Most polling stations opened on time and information materials and ballot papers were available. The country is very calm.”

He adds that there were one or two minor concerns – there was shortage of voting materials on Pebma island and some reports from the south that the head of a family was voting for the whole family.

Moses Urio, one of the voters in Dar es Salaam this morning said turnout looked good. “Youth have come out in big numbers compared to previous elections,” he said, adding that there were a few administrative problems, especially as some people cannot read.

“People didn’t come some days before to check their names so they are coming to check their names now,” he said. “If you check now you cannot necessarily know where you name is.”

Kikwete's Chama Cha Mapinduzi party won 80 per cent of the vote five years ago. Wilbrod Slaa of the Chadema party is Kikwete's closest rival but scored only 10 per cent in opinion polls released this month.

Civic United Front presidential candidate Ibrahim Lipumba is running for the fourth time, after losing twice to Kikwete's predecessor and to Kikwete himself in 2005.

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