This is Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad's family, political life

Qn: What kind of person is Seif Hamad?

Answer: First of all, Seif Sharif Hamad outside politics is a family man as I have one wife with five daughters, who are all now grown-ups, but only one is married and lives in Zanzibar and the rest are living outside the country with their partners.

So, I would say, I’m lucky to have all girl children as it is a blessing to me. The Almighty God has blessed me with girl children and I thank him that all my daughters have their husbands and are doing well, continuing with their daily activities. So, I’m a family man.

I’m also a person with friends, who are very close to me as others schooled together with me and now we are grown-ups. We were in secondary school, but a number of them are my students because I started off as a teacher. I completed my high school education (Form Six) in 1963 when most of you here were not born.

Contrary to my expectations however I missed the chance of continuing with my studies directly because I had to wait for some time before proceeding with education.

After the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964, the Revolutionary Government ordered that the youth, including myself, who completed high school education had to work first to help build the country.

This was because the government took the decision of expelling all colonial officers whose positions were filled by the youth. At that time, I had already applied to continue with my studies at different universities including Makerere University in Uganda, Oxford University in the UK and several other universities in Canada and the US.

The government continued to tell us to be patient until 1972, after the death of Zanzibar’s first President, Mzee Abeid Amani Karume when his successor Aboud Jumbe, who was my secondary school teacher, ordered all the youth to get back to school.

That was how I and 12 others got selected for further education. I joined the University of Dar es Salaam. All these people are still my friends and some of them are working with us.

In short, therefore, outside politics, Maalim Seif, is an ordinary human being, who loves making jokes with people.

Why do people still have confidence in Maalim Seif?

It is because I do not discriminate anybody. Even my guards get some difficulties (laughter). Because when I go to Baraza, I stay with different people, but my guards don’t want it at all. So, I tell them that they guard me physically and physically look at my life, but they don’t look at my political life (laughter).

I am a jovial person who loves reading books, particularly fictitious ones.

What role does your wife play in your family and political life?

I thank my wife, Ms Hawaina, a lot for her tolerance and for looking after the children as most of the time she was alone and I had no ample time, as a parent, to participate because I used to make official visits to different places.

You know, I regard politics as my second wife. I have only one wife, but I regard politics as my second wife. I feel pity for my wife. Ever since I was the head of a department at CCM, I was not used to staying in Zanzibar as I moved around all the regions of the mainland.

And when I became Zanzibar’s Chief Minister - and, thereafter, CUF Secretary General - I rarely went there, because I used to go outside the country often. So, I really feel pity for my wife because my children had no ample time to spend with their father.

What is your favourite food?

I’m a Zanzibari … I like any kind of cooked rice including pilau, white cooked rice, cooked rice mixed with fried steak and pepper, and cooked rice mixed with fish that is my side dish.

I do also like eating stiff maize and cassava porridge mixed with cooked greens.

How did you get an interest for politics?

How did you get into politics?

Some people told me that I possessed unique leadership qualities, but by then I had never dreamt of becoming a politician. I mirrored myself being a great public servant like a permanent secretary in the ministry, but in politics I was just immersed.

I completed Form Six in 1963 but the Revolutionary Government in 1964 banned all Form Six leavers from joining university wanting them to work for the country since all colonial officials were dismissed after the revolution. At that time I had already applied to join Makerere, Oxford and one another from the US, but the government told me to wait.

I (with my colleagues) waited until 1972, when the second phase President gave us a go ahead. I, with 12 other fellows including my students joined the University of Dar es Salaam.

After completing my studies at UDSM, under the regime of Abdul Jumbe, I was selected to work under him as his assistant. At the time of appointment I was in Pemba taking care of my father who was sick. So one day a police officer received a phone call to bring me a ticket to go to Tanga where Mr Jumbe was at his normal work tour in Tanga. So I was told to go to Tanga Region.

When I arrived, he (Jumbe) was still busy with his tour. After coming back he declared that ‘from this time you are a member of the team to my office’. He told the responsible minister about me. Mr Jumbe was the President and chairman of the party so I worked for the party and the government at the same time.

I did my job faithfully. One day, I was summoned to the State House. I did not expect anything new, I just went there expecting to continue with my daily duties.

When I got there I was surprised to see State House officials directing me to occupy a different place other than my usual. Most of those present were ministers and members of the Revolutionary Council. I started thinking that may be I would be given a ministerial post.

When the president arrived, he said that he had made some changes in the Cabinet and had appointed me minister for Education. I was 33 years old.

In the same year, I had been appointed as the minister for Education in 1977, the first CCM General Election was held in October. I joined the election as a member of the Revolutionary Council. I did not ask for any position at the moment, but the executive secretary of that time, Mr Pius Msekwa gave me a form to fill, saying that it was an instruction from the chairman.

There were two of us who were handed the forms to fill. We went back to Zanzibar, but at night, Mr Msekwa called me, telling me that there would be an executive committee meeting on the next day so I had to go back - and I was elected as a member of the executive committee. This was how I got into politics.

This is your sixth attempt at the Zanzibar presidency after doing so on five different occasions during your time as member of the Civic United Front (CUF). What motivated you to seek your new party’s endorsement to vie for the highest office in the Clove Isles, pray?

Firstly, I can declare that I won all the previous presidential elections but electoral authorities denied my victories for reasons only known to them. The people of Zanzibar have been supporting me and this can be justified through the way the number of votes in my favour have been going up in each and every election.

Besides, the people of Zanzibar are the ones who have requested me to contest in the elections.

I have always promised to work for the people of Zanzibar even after I was ousted from Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) decades ago.

This time, I hired specialists who conducted a research in the Isles with the aim of identifying the number of people who would vote for me during this year’s General Election.

Despite CCM’s recent claims that I am too old to compete with its nominated Presidential candidate Dr Hussein Mwinyi, the research results showed that a large number of people, particularly the youth, expressed their confidence in me to lead Zanzibar.

Winning the election in Zanzibar was one of the things that you failed to achieve during your days at CUF. Do you think you can achieve it under ACT-Wazalendo?

Hopefully, I will become victorious in this year’s presidential election. This is because I am now in a party that is under the leadership of the right people and who are committed and faithful.

Sometimes, the failures are attributed to betrayal by some unfaithful people in a particular party. But I don’t expect such issues to happen within ACT-Wazalendo.

It is our expectation that if we win the elections, the relevant electoral authorities will declare us winners. And if we lose, then we will be the first to congratulate Dr Hussein Mwinyi and wish him good luck in his new duties.

Personally, I won’t hold grudges against the winner, unless I doubt the election results.

If you are elected President of Zanzibar, what would differentiate your administration from previous ones?

Firstly, I would strengthen unity among the people of Zanzibar as the current CCM administration has proved failure to do so, something which has resulted in the division of people based on political affiliations.

Secondly, my administration would focus on eradicating poverty among Zanzibaris.

Currently, the poverty level is high in Zanzibar as some people can’t even afford a day’s meal.

To address this challenge, if I am elected President, I would improve the Isles’ economic growth by investing massively in aviation and other transport sectors, particularly port operations.

As you know, Zanzibar’s economy is different from Tanzania Mainland’s economy. Tanzania’s is driven by the mining sector and agriculture while Zanzibar’s is driven by the service sector. Therefore, more investment is required in the service sector in order to bolster the Isles’ economic growth.

Last but not least, my administration would focus on creating employment for the youth by supporting initiatives designed to create direct and indirect jobs or supporting the initiatives designed to improve businesses.

This can be achieved by creating a favourable business environment by removing taxes and levies that are a burden in both Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland.

This move would also help in removing economic barriers that hamper the country’s economic development.

But also, if I am elected the President, I would focus on eradicating corruption in both the public and private sectors which in fact accelerates the deterioration of Isles’ economic growth.

Corruption is seen in road projects and other related construction projects as their values for money are questionable.

What is your perspective on sports development in Zanzibar?

Historically, Zanzibar had many sports; but, currently, only football remains popular. I used to be a certified cricket player, volleyball, and little bit of soccer when I was young. However, even the football which seems to be much liked by young people is so far not given proper priority in Zanzibar.

It is difficult to get good results in football right now since there are no investments. The Zanzibar national football team does not get the proper respect it deserves, sometimes it is difficult for them to even get new jerseys.

If I become the President, I will invest more in sports because they are entertaining, provide employment to young people and give an opportunity to advertise our Zanzibar. I will therefore invest in facilities such as stadia in every district and other required facilities.

On several occasions, you have been quoted as speaking about a Government of National Unity (GNU). How do you assess the current government structure? If you are to be elected President of Zanzibar, would you form a GNU?

GNU is not a personal issue. It is a constitutional arrangement. Zanzibar was at peace during its implementation and we cannot go against the constitutional necessities which run the country.

The Constitution states that the first winner becomes President and the runner-up becomes the first Vice President. Even the structure of the ministerial cabinet depends much on the number of representatives available.

The biggest problem is for CCM cadres who do not want to give me my right of becoming the President, fearing that I would take revenge on them but the fact is that I truly hold no grudges against anyone.

Why should I take revenge? What have they done to me? Sincerely, I would just like to assure them that I have no plans to take revenge on anyone. I will rule the country fairly and as per the laws of the land.

Can you mention anything/issue that you are satisfied with in the current Zanzibar regime and the Union Government of President Magufuli?

Each coin has two sides. Despite numerous shortcomings like infringing democracy and freedom of expression during President John Magufuli’s regime, he got two things right.

I respect President Magufuli for restoring discipline in public service and his attempted fight on grand corruption, something which is different from Zanzibar. However, the achievements are meaningless if he cannot maintain democracy and civic liberties.

Fourth President Jakaya Kikwete, for instance, despite his many shortcomings, remained tolerant to criticism. No President has ever been criticized and, sometimes insulted, like him. But he tolerated it - and for that gained much respect.

What are the biggest tragedies you have ever experienced in your political life that you will never forget?

Being expelled from CCM on groundless allegations - and later detained and imprisoned. These remain my greatest tragedy in politics.

My colleagues and I were falsely accused of being in the opposition. With no evidence, President Julius Nyerere asked me to resign but I disagreed. He threatened me with dismissal from the party, I said ‘Ok’. Then, they expelled me. This was a source of CCM’s natural death in Zanzibar.

After being expelled, I went to Pemba where I met several people but later I was arrested for organizing illegal meetings, something which was untrue. I was jailed and denied bail despite the fact that the offense was not that big. I struggled to get bail but later my charges were changed.

After a long struggle for bail, the judge responsible for my case asked his fellow judge as to how long would they keep me in remand prison. He said he was finding it difficult to decide due to ‘orders from above’.

The offence was changed and I was then charged with the crime of holding confidential documents. I was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The controversy caused a great tension among different quarters around the world. I remember the then German ambassador came to visit me and asked me to abandon my political career.

He told me that he had spoken to the President and that he [the President] had agreed to set me free but on condition that I should not get involved in politics. I said, No. I better spend my whole life in jail than quitting politics.

I told the ambassador how grateful I was for him but reminded him to tell the President that I did not agree with the condition that violated my freedom. Almost a few days later, the Registrar of the High Court called me up and granted me the bail so I took my belongings and left.

On the road, people saw me in a prison vehicle. In a short while, residents of Unguja and Pemba recognized me and started gathering.

The crowd scared the government that soldiers were ordered to surround my house to block anyone who tried to come in.

After being released from prison I got strict conditions. I was not allowed to go beyond the 5-kilometre radius of my house after securing a permit from the court. I was not allowed to meet more than three people at a time. I was ordered to submit my passport.

Fortunately, my lawyers, Lamwai and Mchora, filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal after hearing those conditions. The judges ruled in our favour and ordered my passport back - and I was set free.