Zanzibar politics hots up as 2020 looms

Dar es Salaam. Political intrigues in Zanzibar are likely to intensify on the backdrop of recent claims around a reported plot to sabotage opposition party ACT-Wazalendo in the Isles.
CCM secretary general Bashiru Ally has become the latest figure from the party to fight back against accusations that it was behind an alleged plot to lockout ACT-Wazalendo from the 2020 general election as well as vandalise its offices.
Nonetheless, Dr Ally denied the allegations after the Civic United Front (CUF) party appeared to give credence to the reports yesterday by announcing that they will embark on an operation to “reclaim their offices” from ACT-Wazalendo next week. On Monday, Mr Seif Sharrif Hamad, who is ACT-Wazalendo’s senior advisor, told a press conference that they were privy to a plot hatched by CCM to forcefully kick them out of their offices. Mr Hamad revealed also that the ruling party had directed the government of Zanzibar to amend the election law with a view to blocking ACT-Wazalendo.  Both the Zanzibar Attorney General and the Clerk of the Zanzibar House of Representatives have nevertheless denied any existence of such a bill. Dr Ally called Mr Hamad’s allegations “ill-conceived”, according to the statement posted on Twitter yesterday by his party, CCM. He made the remarks from Pemba where he yesterday ended his three-day party building tour of isle ahead of the 2020 polls. “Maalim Seif might have been misled by his own people. He is no longer interested in seeking accurate information anymore before he speaks to the public,” said Bashiru. In his press conference on Monday, Mr Hamad said: “Reliable sources have informed us that the CCM secretary-general held meetings with party stalwarts and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar was directed to send a bill to the House of Representatives under a certificate of urgency, seeking to amend the Electoral Law that would require aspirants who would like to contest the presidency, House of Representative seats or civic posts to have been members of the political parties sponsoring them for not less than three years before the election day,” Mr Hamad said.  A member of CUF’s Board of Trustees, Mr Mussa Haji Kombo, confirmed yesterday that it was true that the party had a plan to reclaim its offices, which were taken by ACT-Wazalendo.