Up to 50 women in Zanzibar have been divorced for taking
part in the recent Tanzanian elections against the wishes of their husbands,
according to lawyers and women’s rights campaigners.
Mzuri Issa, coordinator of the Tanzania Media Women’s
Association (TAMWA) in the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago, said 47 women
were divorced for voting contrary to their husband’s orders in a tightly fought
ballot that remains undecided.
Issa added some women did not take part in the election
for fear of being divorced or for fear of violence, while others complained
that they were forced to cast ballots for candidates they did not support.
The divorces were confirmed by the Zanzibar Female
Lawyers Association (ZFLA) and the Mwanakerekwe district Kadhi court in
Zanzibar.
“Some of the women were not allowed by their husband to
vote but those who refused to see their right trampled on were either divorced
or abandoned,” Issa told reporters.
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