The affected parties are Chama Cha Kijamii (CCK), Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), Sauti ya Umma (SAU), United Democratic Party (UDP), and Democratic Party (DP)
Unguja. Five political parties that collected nomination forms for the Zanzibar presidential race failed to return them to the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) by the deadline on Wednesday, September 10.
The affected parties are Chama Cha Kijamii (CCK), Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), Sauti ya Umma (SAU), United Democratic Party (UDP), and Democratic Party (DP).
The Civic United Front (CUF) also fell short, having failed to secure the required 200 eligible sponsors to endorse its candidate across Zanzibar’s five regions.
Meanwhile, ACT-Wazalendo was flagged by the electoral body for irregularities in Unguja North and South, with ZEC directing the party to rectify the anomalies by 9am on Thursday, September 11. As a result, ZEC extended the nomination process until 5pm on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
ZEC chairman Judge George Joseph Kazi told reporters that ACT-Wazalendo’s sponsors had been registered with the commission but did not possess party membership cards.
“The party insisted their records are stored electronically, but they must prove this before the deadline for the process to continue,” he said.
The development leaves the fate of nominations by CCK, UMD, SAU, UDP, DP, and CUF in question.
By September 1, a total of 17 presidential hopefuls had collected forms from ZEC offices.
The exercise, which began on August 30, saw six candidates collect forms on the first day, another six on August 31, and five more before the deadline. According to ZEC, the process for presidential, parliamentary, and councillor nominations ran from August 28 to September 10.
Formal nominations are slated for September 11, after which campaigns will begin immediately.
Several parties successfully returned forms, including CCM, Makini, UPDP, ADC, and DP.
Speaking after submitting his nomination, CCM’s candidate, President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, urged for issue-based and peaceful campaigns, saying, “We must protect our hard-won peace and stability.”
UDP’s candidate, Neema Salim Hamad, pledged to prioritise women’s and disability rights, alongside health, education, and access to water.
“Women must believe in their capability and fight for their rights without hesitation,” she said, adding that she would address challenges faced by public sector workers.
Makini Party’s nominee, Ameir Hassan Ameir, made ambitious promises, including a Sh500,000 monthly allowance for every Zanzibari and a minimum wage of Sh1.5 million, although he did not disclose how this would be funded. He also vowed to safeguard dala dala and bodaboda operators from exploitation.
UPDP’s Hamad Mohamed Ibrahim proposed a radical restructuring of Zanzibar’s governance model, with a president, chief minister, and deputy chief minister drawn from the opposition.
He also promised industrial expansion, youth employment, and the establishment of nuclear power plants in Unguja and Pemba.
ADC’s Hamad Rashid Mohamed pledged to cut Zanzibar’s dependence on food imports, currently estimated at 75 percent, by boosting rice and meat production. He vowed to support farmers and fishers with free equipment and training.
DP’s Shaffii Hassan Suleiman highlighted peace, employment creation, and the development of agro-processing industries as his central campaign themes.
The nomination outcomes on Thursday will determine which of the 17 aspirants will proceed to the campaign trail ahead of the October 29 General Election.
