Zanzibar's newly-elected President Ali Mohamed Shein called for unity and calm on Thursday after being sworn in following controversial re-run elections in Tanzania's semi-autonomous islands.
"The elections are now over, let us turn to work for the development of our islands," Shein said, after taking the oath of office in the national football stadium in the capital after a vote boycotted by the opposition.
"As I form a new government, I appeal to everybody to play their role in building Zanzibar, and I will have zero tolerance on people who attempt to cause instability."
Zanzibar has experienced sectarian and political tensions in recent years -- including grenade explosions -- with the unrest affecting the key tourist industry.
The ceremony was attended by Tanzanian President John Magufuli, from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the same party as Shein.
European and US diplomats have said they regretted the election re-run, in which the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) did not participate.
The March 20 presidential and legislative elections were a re-run of October polls that were cancelled by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) over fraud allegations.
The annulment came after opposition CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad declared himself the winner before the results were officially announced. In Sunday's vote, the CCM party won 91.4 percent.
CUF's Hamad, who was first vice president in the unity government that ruled Zanzibar from 2010, has said he was "robbed of victory" and would not participate in any future administration.
"We will keep on struggling for our rights diplomatically," he said.
Zanzibar’s newly-elected President Ali Mohamed Shein called for unity and calm on Thursday after being sworn in following controversial re-run elections in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous islands.
“The elections are now over, let us turn to work for the development of our islands,” Shein said, after taking the oath of office in the national football stadium in the capital after a vote boycotted by the opposition.
“As I form a new government, I appeal to everybody to play their role in building Zanzibar, and I will have zero tolerance on people who attempt to cause instability.”
Zanzibar has experienced sectarian and political tensions in recent years — including grenade explosions — with the unrest affecting the key tourist industry.
The ceremony was attended by Tanzanian President John Magufuli, from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the same party as Shein.
European and US diplomats have said they regretted the election re-run, in which the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) did not participate.
The March 20 presidential and legislative elections were a re-run of October polls that were cancelled by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) over fraud allegations.
The annulment came after opposition CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad declared himself the winner before the results were officially announced. In Sunday’s vote, the CCM party won 91.4 percent.
CUF’s Hamad, who was first vice president in the unity government that ruled Zanzibar from 2010, has said he was “robbed of victory” and would not participate in any future administration.
“We will keep on struggling for our rights diplomatically,” he said.
