TANZANIA: Zanzibar boycott

Security was tight in Zanzibar after violent protests over recent elections.

The BBC's Tulanana Bohela reports that there were not many voters in the polling stations she visited.

The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) had urged its supporters to boycott the poll.

October's election was cancelled after CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad declared himself the winner before results were officially announced.

CUF says the annulment was because it had won, while the electoral commission said there had been widespread fraud.

With the CUF boycotting, President Ali Mohamed Shein of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which is in power across Tanzania, looks set to be re-elected.

As the polls closed, election official Salum Kassim Ali said he had not "received any big complaints. The vote counting is underway and the results will be out as soon as possible, and within 72 hours".