Zitto plays down anxiety over Seif’s arrival in ACT
Unguja/Dar es Salaam. ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe said yesterday that the aim of his teaming up with former Civic United Front (CUF) secretary-general Seif Shariff Hamad was not to stoke political tensions, but to peacefully fight for the rights of ordinary Tanzanians.
Addressing journalists in Unguja, he said it was both wrong and unreasonable to claim that the decision had the hidden agenda of disrupting peace and cause chaos in the country.
Mr Kabwe added that ACT-Wazalendo is a peace-loving party, which abides by the law and respects the rights of others.
He said this is not the time to engage the government in a shouting match about “trivial matters”, adding that the party’s focus is on attracting more members to boost its profile and status.
This is why ACT-Wazalendo leaders will visit various areas in Zanzibar, beginning today with a four-day tour of Pemba before moving to Unguja, Mr Kabwe, who is also the Kigoma Urban MP, said.
Party leaders will speak to new members and present them with membership cards during the visits.
“I’m asking Zanzibaris not to break the law in any way. This is crucial to our plan to attain our political goals,” Mr Kabwe said.
He added, however, that ACT-Wazalendo’s position of not recognising the Zanzibar government has not changed.
“ACT has time and again made it amply clear that it doesn’t recognise Zanzibar’s seventh phase government due to flagrant violation of the law and basic rights during the elections which put it in power,” Mr Kabwe said, adding that Zanzibaris should remain calm as ACT-Wazalendo embarks on a struggle to restore the rule of law and genuine democracy in Zanzibar.
In another development, police in Pemba warned the public against actions that could lead to disruption of peace when Mr Hamad and Mr Kabwe visit the island.
Pemba South Regional Police Commander Hassan Nassir Ali told The Citizen that although Mr Hamad has the right to visit Pemba and other parts of Zanzibar, the politician should ensure that his supporters would not be the source of trouble during his visit.
He said any plan or intention to hold political gatherings must be communicated to police, adding that he had not been informed whether ACT-Wazalendo plans to hold any meetings in Pemba during the two leaders’ visit.
Meanwhile, CUF youth wing leaders announced their defection to ACT-Wazalendo, saying their aim was to strengthen the opposition for the benefit of the entire nation.
The wing’s vice former chairperson, Ms Aisha Said, was among several former CUF members who were presented with ACT-Wazalendo membership cards in Makubusho, Dar es Salaam. Others included the wing’s former director of planning and elections, Mr Anderson Ndambo, and the director of information and public communication, Mr Abeid Khamis Bakari.
Additional reporting by Muhammed Khamis in Pemba
