§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the(a) first and (b) second elections in Zanzibar. [137940]
§ Mr. HainWe have been following the situation in Zanzibar with concern. Commonwealth and other international observers were unanimous in their condemnation of the organisation of the elections on 29 October. We, with EU colleagues, criticised the decision to rerun the elections in only 16 constituencies and under the supervision of the current electoral commission in a statement issued on 3 November.
We will continue to press the Tanzanian authorities to find a solution to the political crisis that respects the democratic and human rights of all Zanzibaris.