Civic United Front
Encyclopedia
The Civic United Front is a liberal party in Tanzania
. Although nationally-based, most of the CUF's support comes from the Zanzibar
islands of Unguja
and Pemba
. The party is a member of Liberal International
.
Many CUF leaders were former stalwarts of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi
(CCM), some of whom had been expelled over disputes about party and government policy. The party received full recognition on 21 January 1993.
elections.
In the 1995 presidential election, CUF candidate Ibrahim Lipumba placed third (behind Benjamin Mkapa
of the CCM and NCCR-Mageuzi
candidate Augustine Mrema
) winning 6.43% of the vote. In the National Assembly, the party won 24 of 232 elective seats, making it the largest opposition party in the legislature. Seif Shariff Hamad won 49.76% of the vote against 50.24% for the ruling party's Salmin Amour in elections for the presidency of Zanzibar. The CUF also obtained 24 of 50 elective seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives. International and domestic observers heavily criticized the conduct of the Zanzibar polls.
Following the election, the CUF boycotted the House of Representatives and refused to recognize the Zanzibari government as legitimate. In November 1997, eighteen leaders of the CUF were arrested and subsequently charged with treason
. These charges were later dropped.
In the 29 October 2000 presidential election, Lipumba placed second to Mkapa, winning 16.26% of the vote. The party maintained its status as the largest opposition party in the National Assembly by winning 17 of 231 elective seats. Seif Shariff Hamad won 32.96% of the vote against 67.04% for the ruling party's Amani Abeid Karume
in elections for the presidency of Zanzibar. The CUF won 16 of 50 elective seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives. The elections were considered largely free and fair on the mainland, but observers noted serious irregularities in the Zanzibar polls, with some calling for a complete re-run of the polls. When the electoral commission nullified the results in only 16 constituencies, the CUF announced that it would boycott the new elections conducted on 5 November 2000.
Elections for the Zanzibar Presidency and House of Representatives took place on 30 October 2005. Seif Shariff Hamad placed second to incumbent Amani Abeid Karume, winning 46.07% of the vote. The party won 19 seats in the House of Representatives.
National elections
were held on 14 December 2005. Ibrahim Lipumba
placed a distant second to CCM candidate Jakaya Kikwete
, winning 11.68% of the vote. Out of the 232 National Assembly seats filled through direct election, the CUF won 19.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. Although nationally-based, most of the CUF's support comes from the Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
islands of Unguja
Unguja
Unguja as mentioned in The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea is the largest and most populated island of Zanzibar, in Tanzania.-Geography:...
and Pemba
Pemba, Tanzania
Pemba Island, known as "The Green Island" in Arabic , is an island forming part of the Zanzibar archipelago, lying off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is situated about 50 kilometres to the north of the Unguja . In 1964 Zanzibar was united with the former colony of Tanganyika to...
. The party is a member of Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
.
History
The Civic United Front was formed on 28 May 1992 through a merger of two formerly existing movements - KAMAHURU, a pressure group for democratization in Zanzibar, and the Civic Movement, a human rights organization based on the mainland.Many CUF leaders were former stalwarts of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi
Chama Cha Mapinduzi
The Chama cha Mapinduzi is the ruling political party of Tanzania.- History :The party was created February 5, 1977, under the leadership of Julius Nyerere as the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union , the then ruling party in Tanganyika, and the Afro-Shirazi Party , the then ruling...
(CCM), some of whom had been expelled over disputes about party and government policy. The party received full recognition on 21 January 1993.
Party leadership
- Professor Ibrahim LipumbaIbrahim LipumbaIbrahim Haruna Lipumba is a Tanzanian economist, politician and Chairman of the Civic United Front party.Although he is more known for his involvement in the political arena, Professor Lipumba, born in the Tabora region of Tanzania, and holding a doctorate in Economics from Stanford University is...
, Chairman - Machano Khamis Ali, Vice-Chairman
- Seif Shariff HamadSeif Shariff HamadSeif Sharif Hamad is a Zanzibari politician. He is currently the secretary-general of the opposition Civic United Front party and 1st ever vice president of Zanzibar.-Early life and career:...
, Secretary-General - Julius Mtatiro,Deputy Secretary General[Tanzania mainland]
- Ismail Jusa,Deputy Secretary General[Tanzania Island]
Elections
The Civic United Front participated in the 1995, 2000, and 2005Tanzanian elections, 2005
Tanzania held presidential and parliamentary elections on 14 December 2005. Originally scheduled for 30 October, the elections were postponed due to the death of a vice-presidential candidate. These polls were the third since the country returned to multiparty rule in 1992...
elections.
In the 1995 presidential election, CUF candidate Ibrahim Lipumba placed third (behind Benjamin Mkapa
Benjamin Mkapa
Benjamin William Mkapa was the third President of the United Republic of Tanzania and former Chairman for the Revolutionary State Party .-Biography:...
of the CCM and NCCR-Mageuzi
National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi
The National Convention for Construction and Reform–Mageuzi is a political party in Tanzania. The party was registered on 21 March 1993....
candidate Augustine Mrema
Augustine Mrema
Augustine Lyatonga Mrema is a Tanzanian politician and chairman of the Tanzania Labour Party party. Mrema is a member of the chaga tribe from Kiraracha Village in Kilimanjaro...
) winning 6.43% of the vote. In the National Assembly, the party won 24 of 232 elective seats, making it the largest opposition party in the legislature. Seif Shariff Hamad won 49.76% of the vote against 50.24% for the ruling party's Salmin Amour in elections for the presidency of Zanzibar. The CUF also obtained 24 of 50 elective seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives. International and domestic observers heavily criticized the conduct of the Zanzibar polls.
Following the election, the CUF boycotted the House of Representatives and refused to recognize the Zanzibari government as legitimate. In November 1997, eighteen leaders of the CUF were arrested and subsequently charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. These charges were later dropped.
In the 29 October 2000 presidential election, Lipumba placed second to Mkapa, winning 16.26% of the vote. The party maintained its status as the largest opposition party in the National Assembly by winning 17 of 231 elective seats. Seif Shariff Hamad won 32.96% of the vote against 67.04% for the ruling party's Amani Abeid Karume
Amani Abeid Karume
Amani Abeid Karume is a former president of Zanzibar. He held the office from 8 November 2000 to 3 November 2010. He is the son of Zanzibar's first president, Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume and a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party....
in elections for the presidency of Zanzibar. The CUF won 16 of 50 elective seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives. The elections were considered largely free and fair on the mainland, but observers noted serious irregularities in the Zanzibar polls, with some calling for a complete re-run of the polls. When the electoral commission nullified the results in only 16 constituencies, the CUF announced that it would boycott the new elections conducted on 5 November 2000.
Elections for the Zanzibar Presidency and House of Representatives took place on 30 October 2005. Seif Shariff Hamad placed second to incumbent Amani Abeid Karume, winning 46.07% of the vote. The party won 19 seats in the House of Representatives.
National elections
Tanzanian elections, 2005
Tanzania held presidential and parliamentary elections on 14 December 2005. Originally scheduled for 30 October, the elections were postponed due to the death of a vice-presidential candidate. These polls were the third since the country returned to multiparty rule in 1992...
were held on 14 December 2005. Ibrahim Lipumba
Ibrahim Lipumba
Ibrahim Haruna Lipumba is a Tanzanian economist, politician and Chairman of the Civic United Front party.Although he is more known for his involvement in the political arena, Professor Lipumba, born in the Tabora region of Tanzania, and holding a doctorate in Economics from Stanford University is...
placed a distant second to CCM candidate Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is the 4th and current President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Kikwete was born in Msoga, Bagamoyo District, Tanganyika in present day Tanzania...
, winning 11.68% of the vote. Out of the 232 National Assembly seats filled through direct election, the CUF won 19.
External links
- Civic United Front official site domain expired?