The ruling party in Zanzibar on Sunday condemned opposition party Civic United Front ( CUF) for breaching a mutual responsibility to ensure a free and fair election.

Saleh Ferouz, deputy secretary-general of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, told journalists that CUF supporters had earlier in the day attempted to disrupt the polls by using violence to intimidate scores of eligible voters away from polling stations.

CUF supporters were alleged to have thrown stones at and physically assaulted innocent voters, according to the ruling party official who called a press conference while 1,560 polling stations in the Indian Ocean archipelago started to count the votes for members to the Zanzibar House of Representatives and for local government officials.

CUF supporters were also said to have attacked a young CCM supporter with machetes and the attacked was hospitalized.

CUF supporters stole from eight young ladies their voting identification documents and therefore stripped them of their voting rights.

These acts of polling violence was a clear indication that CUF had regrettably paid no heed to its political responsibility in a democratic society, said the CCM official.

"We deeply condemn the action of the opposition party CUF," said the CCM deputy secretary-general, adding "successful free and fair elections are the responsibility of both the ruling party and parties in opposition."

"CCM has taken its responsibility seriously by constantly advocating 'amani na utulivu' (peace and stability) to its supporters."

When asked to comment on the CUF usage of its own seals on ballot boxes during Sunday's polls, the CCM official said that it is against the Zanzibar election law.

Source: Xinhua