Voters registration went underway on Monday in Zanzibar, after a couple of postponements due to lack of equipment and funds, according to reports reaching here.

The registration stations were open at 7:30 a.m. (local time) and the local electoral body, Zanzibar Electoral Commission, urgedall those eligible to register as preparation for next year's general elections of the country.

The Zanzibar Electoral Commission said in a statement that the voters registration would start in the Pemba South region with theChake Chake and Mkoani districts and would later continue in otherregions as well on the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Commission Chairman Masauni Yussuf Masauni estimated that some 90,000 people would register in the 58 registration stations in Zanzibar and he called upon all those eligible to exercise their democratic rights by registering for next year's general elections.

The voters registration started earlier last month on the mainland of the United Republic of Tanzania.

It will be the first time for the east African republic to use a voters registration in its general elections ever since the union was formed in April 1964.

Source: Xinhua