Two political parties key to resolving the dispute arising from the cancellation of elections in Zanzibar have dismissed ongoing talks as an engagement between party leaders in their capacity as government officials.

Amid reports that the talks between Civic United Front party leader Seif Shariff Hamad, who declared himself winner of the October elections, and Chama cha Mapinduzi’s Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar, whose tenure has been extended, had resulted in agreement on a rerun, CUF said only a declaration that it won the polls would resolve the crisis on the island.

The failure by the parties to recognise the outcome of the talks could portend continued political and economic uncertainty on the Isles, which harbour ambitions to secede from the Union if their interests are not well protected.

CUF spokesman Ismail Jussa Ladhu and CCM deputy secretary general for Zanzibar Vuai Ali Vuai said the political dispute had been taken over by the Zanzibar government. 

Mr Hamad is the First Vice-president and Seif Iddi — who is also involved in the talks — is the Second Vice President in the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.

“If President Shein is participating on behalf of CCM, and Hamad is representing CUF, then there was no reason for Mr Iddi to be in the talks. They are talking in their capacities as government officials. Political parties are no longer involved in the talks,” Mr Vuai said.

CUF sources said the parties had agreed that the elections be repeated, but its spokesman said the party’s position had not changed.

“If one says the talks have concluded that the election should be rerun, then we at the party are not aware. I am the party spokesman, but not the talks spokesman,” Mr Jussa said.

Mr Hamad, who contested the seat of president of Zanzibar and chairman of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Council on a CUF ticket, declared himself winner of the Zanzibar election held at the same time as the Union General Election in October. 

READ: Zanzibar opposition contender claims victory in polls

But the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) cancelled the results for the Isles, saying the elections were fraught with irregularities. It also said Mr Hamad had contravened the law by declaring himself winner, an offence for which he would pay a fine of  Tsh500,000 ($240) or spend six months in prison if found guilty. But Mr Hamad was not arrested; a decision taken, some say, to keep the peace on the island. 

READ: Zanzibar poll annulled, throws results into doubt

ZEC chairman Jecha Salim Jecha said the election was cancelled for violating electoral laws.

The coalition of opposition parties known as Ukawa rallied behind CUF to pressure ZEC to declare Mr Hamad winner, but  CCM, the ruling party in Zanzibar and the Tanzania mainland, backed the nullification and a rerun.

Mr Hamad, First Vice President of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government, travelled to Dar es Salaam last Monday to meet the Union President Dr John Pombe Magufuli about the situation in Zanzibar. 

The two later held a joint press briefing at which Mr Hamad said “we have agreed.” But he did not clarify what the agreement was about.

The US has in the meantime  suspended aid to Tanzania over the Zanzibar dispute. The board of the US government Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) met on December 16, 2015 and said it had deferred Tanzania’s eligibility for its funding pending resolution of ongoing governance concerns in Zanzibar and the cybercrime law.

A blow

By this decision, Tanzania nearly Tsh1 trillion ($472 million) in development funding from the US in 2016, a considerable blow to the government, which  planned to use the funds for electricity supply projects.

The Union government press office issued a statement saying progress had been made in resolving the dispute, which is now “a government issue.”

President Magufuli has promised to ensure peace and harmony is maintained in Zanzibar as leaders work to resolve the political situation. 

Dr Magufuli met with Mr Hamad in Dar es Salaam following numerous requests by the latter to meet and discuss the situation on the Isles. The Dar es Salaam  meeting was also attended by Union Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan.