Early this week, President John Magufuli, in his maiden New Year reception with the diplomatic community since assuming office, told the ambassadors there was still room for dialogue among political players in Zanzibar on how to make the re-run of the Zanzibar vote more acceptable to democratic norms.
The president, as quoted by the local print media said talks have not been closed on how to make the vote free, fair and transparent to meet global democratic norms. In his formal remarks aired by his Foreign Minister, Dr Augustine Mahiga, the president said the political crisis in Zanzibar had emerged following the unilateral claim of victory in last year's polls by one of the major political parties in the islands.
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