Ruling Party Favored in Tanzania

Tanzania’s ruling party looked set to extend its four-decade grip on power in Wednesday’s elections, but trouble flared on the volatile Zanzibar islands, where police fired over a rowdy crowd.

Foreign Minister Jakaya Kikwete, 55, was the runaway favorite to succeed President Benjamin Mkapa, who is stepping down after two terms in accordance with the Tanzanian Constitution. That has won him plaudits across a continent where incumbents have often sought to prolong their rule by any means possible.

Kikwete, a former head of military intelligence, collapsed from exhaustion Tuesday during his last campaign rally, but looked well and joked with reporters as he voted Wednesday.

“I am very confident I will win,” Kikwete said after voting in his hometown of Chalinze, north of Dar es Salaam.

Kikwete has pledged to create 1 million jobs annually, reduce poverty and boost women’s representation. Although he has socialist roots, he has indicated he would follow the free-market policies of Mkapa.

The election results were due today or Friday.

The national vote revived tensions on the semiautonomous islands of Zanzibar -- a traditional opposition stronghold -- where there was unrest and allegations of irregularities.

On Zanzibar, the main island that is also known as Unguja, police opened fire to disperse opposition Civic United Front supporters who were chasing away voters they said were not from the area.

The CUF -- Tanzania’s main opposition party -- also complained of irregularities.

Juma Duni Haji, the party’s vice-presidential candidate, said five party members were arrested Tuesday night. A group of Tanzanian journalists said they were accosted by security forces and saw other people being roughed up.

The CUF’s candidate for the presidency is U.S.-trained economist Ibrahim Lipumba, who is running for the third time after defeats in 1995 and 2000.