This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 002321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR DON YAMAMOTO 
ALSO FOR AF/E BYODER AND AF/RSA FOR JNAY 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2015 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL TZ
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRAZER'S DECEMBER 22, 2005 
CONVERSATION WITH TANZANIAN SECRETARY GENERAL OF CIVIC 
UNITED FRONT, SEIF SHARIF HAMAD 
 
 
Classified By: Classified by Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer 
for reasons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
¶1. (U) December 22, 5:45 p.m., Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 
 
¶2. (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs 
Purnell Delly, Charge d'Affaires 
Mary Johnson, Political Counselor and Notetaker 
 
TANZANIA 
Seif Sharif Hamad, Secretary General of Civic United Front 
(CUF) 
Ismail Jussa, Advisor and Campaign Manager, CUF 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶3. (C) Seif Sharif Hamad, the Secretary General of the Civic 
United Front (CUF) and CUF presidential candidate in the 
Zanzibar October 30 elections, told A/S Jendayi Frazer 
December 22 that the mood among CUF supporters is "gloomy" 
and many youth CUF members may be losing all confidence in 
the democratic process.  A/S Frazer suggested that CUF reach 
out to reconcile with President Karume and the CCM leadership 
on Zanzibar, but Hamad adamantly stated neither his CUF 
leadership nor members are ready to try a third 
reconciliation attempt between the two sides since the 
previous efforts (Muafaka I, Muafaka II) did not steer the 
CCM from trying to "rig the elections in Zanzibar."  In 
addition, Hamad stated that human rights abuses by the 
Zanzibar security forces were severe both in Pemba after 
October 30 and Unguja after the December 14 elections.  A/S 
Frazer strongly urged Hamad to move quickly to meet with and 
speak frankly to Tanzania's newly inaugurated Union 
President, Jakaya Kikwete, about the polarization on Zanzibar 
between Pemba and Unguja as well as between CUF and CCM.  She 
stressed that the situation cannot be ignored and a way 
forward must be found.  End summary. 
 
Election Irregularities, Human Rights Abuses 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Seif Hamad relayed to A/S Frazer in detail the severe 
election irregularities that had occurred on both October 30 
and December 14 election days in Zanzibar and the human 
rights abuses in Pika Village of Pemba and Tumbatu Island of 
Unguja respectively in the wake of those elections.  Hamad 
said that homes were looted, persons beaten and women had 
been sexually abused.  He claimed that hundreds had fled Pika 
village to hide in the forest; dozens more had fled from 
Tumbatu Island in northern Unguja to other parts of Zanzibar 
from December 15 to 18, as militia forces, under the 
direction of Zanzibar government, looted homes and beat both 
men and women, saying: "Why did you vote for CUF?" 
 
¶5. (C) Hamad said these abuses are known publicly and in the 
press, but no action has been taken to bring any of these 
militia members before a court or to be held accountable for 
these abuses.  Unless action is taken by the Union 
authorities, he is convinced these abuses will continue.  A/S 
Frazer assured Hamad that all alleged human rights abuses 
need to be investigated and the perpetrators held 
accountable.  She promised to raise this concern with both 
President Kikwete and President Karume at the earliest 
possible opportunity. 
 
Polarization 
------------ 
 
¶6. (C) Hamad stated the only lasting approach to ensuring 
that true democracy develops in Zanzibar is to allow the 
people to determine their leader.  CUF remains convinced that 
the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) was in collusion with 
the ruling CCM party to ensure that Karume would become 
president again.  Hamad and his policy advisor, Ismail Jussa, 
tried to convince A/S Frazer that the division between Pemba 
and Unguja has been "artificially created" through election 
rigging.  They believe that if the polling process in 
Zanzibar had been truly free and fair on October 30, CUF 
would have won up to 15 seats in the House of Representatives 
on Unguja Island which, combined with the 18 seats on Pemba, 
would have given CUF 33 seats in the House of 
Representatives.  Instead only one seat on Unguja was won by 
CUF. 
CUF Youth Losing Hope 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Hamad continued by explaining the difficult challenge 
the CUF leadership faces:  there is very strong "resistance" 
among CUF supporters to a third Muafaka Agreement or any 
reconciliation efforts with CCM.  If the CUF leadership 
starts to push in this direction, it could be regarded as 
"selling out."  If Hamad and his core leadership do nothing, 
"our people will look for other ways."  Ismail Jussa 
recounted in detail the despondent mood at a recent meeting 
of CUF youth members who were saying, "Why should we vote; 
they  always steal the election anyway.  Why should we even 
live if we have no hope that it will be any different in 
2010?" 
 
¶8. (C) A/S Frazer stated that if this is what Hamad and the 
CUF leadership is facing, it is imperative that Hamad meet 
with President Kikwete "very early" to clearly outline CUF's 
concerns.  When Hamad hesitated, implying that President 
Kikwete may only follow in the footsteps of President Mkapa 
(words, not action), A/S Frazer said in her view Kikwete is 
very different.  Former President Mkapa seemed insulated from 
international opinion, but she believes President Kikwete 
aspires to an international leadership role and as such, will 
act to resolve the issue of Zanzibar. 
 
¶9. (C) The Assistant Secretary inquired if CUF had won enough 
seats in the House of Representatives for a majority.  Hamad 
said that CUF has only 19 seats out of 60 because many of the 
seats are appointed.  A/S Frazer encouraged Hamad to urge 
CUF-elected representatives to play, nevertheless, a positive 
and constructive role in the House of Representatives.  She 
said that President Karume appears to be serious about social 
development, especially the recently launched USG initiative 
to eradicate malaria in Zanzibar.  However, Karume is very 
defensive about politics, "possibly because our Ambassador 
did not go to his inauguration."  She told Hamad that when 
she met with Karume, he had acknowledged a division on the 
isles and she told him that he needs to work hard toward 
reconciliation in Zanzibar. 
 
¶10. (C) Hamad stated adamantly, &We do not trust CCM. 
Karume is the last person we would trust.  He says the right 
words but he never implements them.8  Jussa outlined how CUF 
had worked for three years in the Joint Presidential 
Commission (JPC) set up as part of the Muafaka II agreement 
and had met many times with President Karume and CCM leaders 
in Zanzibar, but "they never followed through."  Hamad added 
that CUF is convinced that CCM does not like Tanzania's 
multiparty system.  Although CCM accepted it, maybe because 
of international pressure, it nevertheless wants to revert 
back to a one-party system. 
 
Pemba and Unguja Divide 
----------------------- 
 
¶11. (C) A/S Frazer then asked, &How can the two islands come 
together; what is the fundamental divide between the isles8? 
 Hamad reiterated that he believes it is an artificial divide 
because CCM decided to "let CUF take Pemba, then worked 
through election rigging to take as many seats as possible in 
Unguja."   He continued: &Hard liners within CCM want to see 
Pemba isolated.  This dates back to the politics in Zanzibar 
before the revolution of 1964."  Hamad said in reality there 
is no such divide.  "Our people intermingle and intermarry; 
we all have relatives on both islands," he stated.  Assistant 
Secretary Frazer noted that Karume had told her that he 
 
SIPDIS 
himself had relatives on Pemba. 
 
¶12. (C) A/S Frazer then asked what the U.S. Government can do 
to assist in the Zanzibar situation.  Hamad replied that the 
harassment and human rights abuses must stop and those 
militia members who have looted and raped should be brought 
before the law.  Next, Karume himself needs to be held 
accountable and allow for fair elections to be contested. 
Hamad repeated: "There is no need to have a multiparty 
election if they only want a one-party state." 
 
Political Growth Takes Time 
--------------------------- 
 
¶13. (C) A/S Frazer replied that in the U.S. it was very 
frustrating for African Americans to work within the 
political system "because we did not have the numbers and 
voters did not look at us as being capable."  Until now there 
have only been three black Senators.  She noted while more 
African Americans were elected to the House of 
Representatives, those elections  were in local 
constiuencies.  Since the Senate race is statewide, "we have 
learned that we have to build coalitions." 
 
¶14. (C) Hamad replied, "But in our case, the people HAVE 
elected us, but we have not been given our chance."  Hamad 
quipped that African countries seem to be moving ahead and 
perfecting the "art of election rigging."  He stated that CUF 
does not believe that President Kikwete really won 80 percent 
of the popular vote in the Union election.  He gave the 
example of the village of Mwanya, a CUF stronghold, where the 
CUF presidential candidate Lipumba only got 47 votes on 
December 14.  A/S Frazer replied that the "myth of election 
rigging" is always on the increase, but "I would caution you. 
 If you start to question the conduct of the elections on the 
Mainland, it would risk putting into question your own 
credibility.  There were many eyes observing the Mainland 
elections and they did not see cheating." 
 
15.(C) A/S Frazer continued, "CUF has leverage with the 
international community, and Kikwete may care enough about 
maintaining a certain stature in Africa and the world that he 
will listen to you regarding the problems on Zanzibar."  She 
repeated that Kikwete, as Foreign Minister, played a role on 
the international scene and she would appeal to the new 
President to maintain that position. 
 
CUF Election Report Being Published 
------------------------------------ 
¶16. (C) Jussa said that CUF has finally completed their 
report on the October 30 Zanzibar elections and it will go to 
the printer next week.  They will give a copy of that report 
to President Kikwete.  CUF is also comparing their recorded 
results with the official ZEC results that were published on 
December 13.  Assistant Secretary Frazer encouraged CUF to 
keep trying, noting that the opposition coalition in Kenya 
had finally defeated Moi. 
 
¶17. (C) The Assistant Secretary asked if there were any way 
that CUF would be able to work with USAID,s democracy 
programs.  Hamad replied, &We have been discussing with the 
National Democratic Institute (NDI) about possible programs. 
Also, we are considering approaching the embassy with some 
projects that might include a vocational training center for 
both Pemba and Stone Town.  We are hoping that this will 
help." 
 
¶18. (C) Assistant Secretary Frazer assured Hamad that she 
would follow up and talk to President Kikwete (Septel), but 
insisted that it is important for CUF to continue to work so 
that Zanzibar does not erupt into violence. 
 
¶19. (U) Assistant Secretary Frazer has cleared this cable. 
DELLY