Zanzibar's general elections will be held on schedule, Khamis Ali Ame, the director of election of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), announced here on Friday.

According to the NEC Chairman Louis Makame, the presidential poll originally scheduled for October 30 had been postponed until December 18 because of the sudden death of Jumbe Rajab Jumbe, vice presidential candidate of the Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) party at Wednesday night.

According to Tanzanian electoral law, if a presidential candidate or running mate dies, elections must be postponed for at least 21 days to allow the affected political party to find a replacement.

Ten out of the country's 18 fully-registered political parties are taking part in the campaign for the presidency of Tanzania while six parties are vying for the presidency of Zanzibar, a part of the united republic yet with its own president, cabinet and parliament. Endittem

Source: Xinhua