Voting Starts In Tight Tanzania General Elections

Opposition presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, who heads the four main opposition parties, speaks at his closing campaign rally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

Tanzania's public works minister and presidential candidate John Magufuli speaks at an internal party poll to decide the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party's presidential candidate, which they later chose him to be, in Dodoma, Tanzania. Saturday, July 11, 2015 (AP Photo/Khalfan Said)

Voting has started in Tanzania's general elections in which the ruling party faces a strong challenge from a united opposition. Tanzanians vote Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015 in landmark elections that could end the dominance of the ruling party, which has held power for decades but faces a united opposition buoyed by growing discontent over official corruption.

Associated Press report continues:

In the presidential race, the ruling party's candidate, John Magufuli, is battling former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, who defected to the opposition earlier this year after being rejected as the ruling party's candidate.

Voters Sunday are also choosing lawmakers in the country's parliament and local officials.

The electoral commission says it hopes to announce the winning candidate within three to four days.

Damian Lubuva, the commission's head, said Saturday that a total of 23,254,485 voters are registered to vote across the East African country.

The semi-autonomous island archipelago of Zanzibar is also voting for a president and local leaders.