Zanzibar president's term extended

Zanzibar's president has had his term extended after elections on the semi-autonomous Tanzanian archipelago were cancelled last week by the electoral chief, citing fraud.

Ali Mohamed Shein's term in office was due to expire on Monday Nov 01,2015

He was seeking re-election as the ruling CCM's candidate; his rival Seif Sharif Hamad has declared himself the winner of the October  25,2015 vote.

A statement from Zanzibar's government said Mr Shein would remain in office until fresh elections were held

About Zanzibar

The Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar and Pemba lie off the east African coast. 

The semi-autonomous territory maintains a political union with Tanzania, but has its own parliament and president

Zanzibar has its own cabinet, known as the Revolutionary Council, and a 50-seat house of representatives.

A former centre of the spice and slave trades, present-day Zanzibar is infused with African, Arab, European and Indian influences

In 1964 members of the African majority overthrew the established minority Arab ruling elite. The leftist revolution was swift but bloody; as many as 17,000 people were killed.

A republic was established and the presidents of Zanzibar and Tanganyika, on the mainland, signed an act of union, forming the United Republic of Tanzania while giving semi-autonomy to Zanzibar.