DO ELECTIONS MATTER IN ZANZIBAR?
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Date
2009-10-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sabinet
Abstract
Do multiparty elections facilitate or hinder the process of democratic
consolidation in Zanzibar? Since Tanzania’s return to a multiparty system
in 1992 three rounds of general elections have been held in Zanzibar, all of
them marred by gross irregularities, fraud, violence, and insecurity. All three
elections were also followed by a political stalemate, with a major opposition
party rejecting defeat, refusing to recognise the elected government,
and challenging the results. Consequently, the legitimacy of the elected
government has remained questionable for more than a decade. This puts in
question the reliance on the ‘election-centric concept’ of the ‘consolidation’
phase, which tends to place a great deal of hope in the holding of periodic
elections. This by no means suggests that elections do not matter in Zanzibar.
They matter in terms of keeping the flame of democratic struggle alive. Also,
as the findings in this article indicate, there is a need to pay attention not
only to elections but, equally importantly, to other processes and institutions
of governance that enhance the rule of law and individual rights.
Description
Keywords
political science, democratization
Citation
Killian, B., (2009). Do Elections Matter in Zanzibar?, Journal of African Elections 8(2), 74-87