Pemba. ACT Wazalendo’s decision on whether to join Zanzibar’s Government of National Unity (GNU) will depend on the outcome of ongoing negotiations with CCM aimed at resolving the long-standing political dispute between the two parties, the party’s national chairman, Mr Othman Masoud Othman (OMO), has said.
Speaking in North Pemba on Thursday, February 12, 2026, during a meeting with party leaders at various levels, Mr Othman said the talks, which are still underway, will determine Zanzibar’s political direction following the latest General Election and whether the GNU will remain part of the governance framework.
He said the negotiations have centred on key structural issues that have fuelled political tensions in Zanzibar, including reforms to the electoral commission and electoral system, the need for a new constitution, and other governance concerns.
According to OMO, several areas of consensus have already been reached after lengthy discussions that began on November 5, 2025.
Both ACT Wazalendo and CCM have since been instructed to seek approval of the proposed agreements through their respective internal party processes.
He added that negotiators deliberately set aside some contentious matters to allow progress on areas where agreement was more attainable.
The unresolved issues, he said, could be addressed later during the implementation phase of the agreed reforms.
Mr Othman noted that ACT Wazalendo has already secured a mandate from its leadership council to proceed with the negotiations and is now awaiting CCM to complete its own internal consultations before the process moves to the next stage.
Once both parties finalise the list of agreed reforms, he said, the outcomes will be made public, followed by the enactment of relevant laws and the establishment of a formal implementation timetable.
It is only after that stage, he explained, that ACT Wazalendo will decide whether to formally join the GNU to implement the agreed changes.
“Our position on entering the GNU will be guided by the substance and implementation of the agreements reached,” Mr Othman said, adding that the talks are intended to deliver a lasting solution to election-related conflicts and restore public confidence in Zanzibar’s political system.
He said the reforms under discussion are aimed at safeguarding citizens’ rights to vote and to be elected, while restoring dignity and trust in the electoral process, issues he described as central to Zanzibar’s long-term stability and development.
OMO also expressed confidence that once the reforms are implemented, future general elections will be conducted under a new framework capable of addressing the root causes of recurring post-election disputes.
He said a formal agreement between the parties would help rebuild public trust and renew hope among Zanzibaris, many of whom, he argued, have lost faith in the credibility and significance of elections.
It would also strengthen mechanisms for holding elected leaders accountable.
The negotiations follow the General Election held on October 29 last year, in which the Zanzibar Electoral Commission declared Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi the winner of the presidential race for a second term.
ACT Wazalendo rejected the results, alleging widespread irregularities, including manipulation, fraud, and vote theft.
The party subsequently filed petitions challenging the outcomes in 28 parliamentary seats, 25 House of Representatives constituencies, and one councillor position.
However, the High Court of Zanzibar ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to hear parliamentary election petitions.
ACT Wazalendo has since appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal of Tanzania, expressing confidence that the judicial process will deliver justice.
The current negotiations between ACT and CCM are widely viewed as part of broader efforts to ease political tensions and establish a more stable governance framework in Zanzibar, where the GNU has historically served as a mechanism for political reconciliation following disputed elections.
For now, OMO said, ACT Wazalendo remains committed to dialogue, emphasising that the priority is to secure reforms that address the underlying causes of Zanzibar’s political disputes before making any decision on participation in the GNU.
