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Don’t prioritise party ideology over Zanzibar interests, says ACT
Zanzibar First Vice President Othman Masoud Othman, who is also vice chairman of ACT-Wazalendo. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The ruling CCM in Zanzibar has dismissed as unfounded claims by opposition ACT-Wazalendo that the party has failed to govern Zanzibar
Unguja. Opposition party ACT-Wazalendo has attributed what it described as Zanzibar’s stalled growth with politicians who have for many years prioritised party ideology over national interests.
Speaking at a rally in Mkwajuni North Unguja, ACT's Vice Chairman and First Vice President said for many years the view that the party and state are the same have led to misplaced priorities.
“At any given time the party can never hold the same value as that of the nation, therefore in all our dispensations the interests of Zanzibar should come first at whatever cost,” said Mr Othman
Othman Masoud was Zanzibar’s Attorney General during the failed constitutional assembly in 2014 but he lost his position after he publicly voted against it.
He said it was because of that type of confusion and fear of losing positions that has on many occasions led to leaders failing to define what should be a national priority.
He paid homage to Zanzibar’s former President Dr Salmin Amour whom he said despite all his failings as a human being, he championed Zanzibar’s interests in key issues such as the formation of Zanzibar’s first Mobile telecom Zantel where the government had 18 percent stake.
“In one of our meetings, Dr Salmin Amour warned us that the day we mix friendship with national interests that is the day we sell out our country,” Mr Othman told the Mkwajuni gathering
According to him Salmin Amour whose reign came to an in 2000, dared to touch on issues that were considered to be taboo at the time and even now but he put Zanzibar’s interests on the fore front.
“In 1997 when we were ratifying the protocol to form the East African Community, he stood his ground wanting Zanzibar to join as an independent nation as opposed to the arrangement of joining under the umbrella of the Union. He wrote to President Mkapa outlining his concerns,” he said.
Speaking at the same rally, Ismail Jussa reiterated that the call for Zanzibar with a full autonomy is not negotiable and there is no looking back despite the various hurdles they have to go through.
“After the death of Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, we as a party were left wondering who could lead us, but a long soul searching we agreed on Othman Masoud Othman after what he did at the Constitutional Assembly. He showed that he was a true patriot who cared for the interests of Zanzibar,” said Mr Jussa.
He also claimed that CCM’s leadership on the isles has embraced corruption after several projects have been offered to private companies without due process being followed.
“There are several beneficiaries of these practices and one of them is building a hotel in Kendwa which will have 120 rooms and to show the nature of the project the project planner has been paid Sh180 million ($75,000)," claimed Jussa.
