Zanzibar's President Shein seeks second term

Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein on Monday collected presidential nomination forms on the ticket of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), seeking a second five-year term.

Speaking shortly after he had collected the forms in Zanzibar, Shein expressed optimism to win in the October 25 general elections.

He said he believed that people still trusted the ruling party that looked forward to winning a landslide victory.

"Claims by opposition parties that CCM rig elections are mere lies and that they should learn to admit defeat," said the president.

Shein, who collected the forms from Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairman Jecha Salum Jecha, said the electoral body was not partisan because it was formed by members from different political parties.

"Accusing CCM is wrong and this is a sign of failure by the opposition ahead of the elections," said the Zanzibar leader.

Responding on whether he will be ready to admit defeat in case another presidential candidate from another party won the elections, Shein asked people to be patient, saying he will respond to the matter when the time came.

Shein said if re-elected into power, his government will always defend a system of two governments of the union and Zanzibar.

The union government between Tanganyika and Zanzibar was formed in 1964 to form Tanzania.