Karume made the call for peceful election next year ?

President Amani Karume has called on the people in Zanzibar to ensure that peace and tranquillity are maintained, especially at this time when the country is heading to general elections.

Karume made the call on Thursaday in his New Year's message.

He said it was high time people worked together to root out setbacks which had been derailing the isles’ socio-economic development for many years.

Karume said this year’s general elections would serve as a litmus test for Zanzibar’s democratic maturity.

He said Zanzibaris and the international community had received positively the reconciliation reached by the two rival parties, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi and the opposition Civic United Front.

“These political achievements should be nurtured and maintained for the betterment of Zanzibar and the country at large,” he said.