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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth to send observers to Zanzibar elections

29 September 2000

Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Don McKinnon is to send Commonwealth Election Observers to Zanzibarfor the elections to be held there on 29 October 2000.

Making the announcement today Mr McKinnon said that the Commonwealth is responding to requests from both the Tanzania National Electoral Commission and the Zanzibar Electoral Commission.  An assessment mission from the Commonwealth Secretariat which visited Zanzibarlast month established that there was broad support for the presence of Commonwealth observers prior to and during the elections.

Dr Gaositwe Chiepe, former Foreign Minister of Botswana, will chair the Commonwealth Observer Group of seven eminent Commonwealth citizens, supported by five Commonwealth Secretariat officials. An Advance Group of two observers - Guyanese parliamentarian Rupert Roopnaraine and British election expert Nigel Buttler - depart for Zanzibartoday and will begin work there on Monday 2 October. The full Observer Group will arrive in Zanzibaron 23 October.  The Terms of Reference for the Observer Group will be as follows:

The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the TanzaniaNational Electoral Commission and the ZanzibarElectoral Commission. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the elections scheduled to take place in Zanzibaron 29 October 2000, in accordance with the laws of Tanzaniaand Zanzibar.  It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgment whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people.

The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgment accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections.

The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Tanzania, the National Electoral Commission and the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth governments. 

Note to Editors: 

In 1995 a Commonwealth Observer Group was present for the elections for the Zanzibar Presidency and House of Representatives (held on 22 October 1995) and the UnionPresidential and Parliamentary Elections in Tanzania(held a week later).  This will be the 31st Commonwealth Observer Group since October 1990.

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