Shortly afterwards Zanzibar joined then Tanganyika the mainland in the heady days of African nationalism. The terms of the Union have never been fully laid out. Much of the difference between the two main parties concerns their attitudes to the issue of Union with the mainland. The Zanzibari community is deeply divided. Bars, football teams, businesses are all perceived as either CUF or CCM supporters.
Little room is left for neutrality.
Racial and religious stereotyping also play a role, with one pro-CCM newspaper, Jukwaa , using cartoons of men with beards and Muslim hats to represent the opposition. CUF has used inflammatory language to support its campaign. The role of the security forces, police and army, is the responsibility of the Union Government. No official figures are available, but extra security forces have been deployed in advance of the elections. Armoured Personnel Carriers have been publicly paraded in known CUF areas, giving the opposition little expectation of the even-handedness of the security forces.