Seif lays down case for Zanzibar full autonomy

Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar presidential candidate for ACT-Wazalendo ticket yesterday reiterated the need for the Isles to be a full autonomy government, which will build its own economy and respect the people’s humanity.

Seif Sharif Hamad said this yesterday when continuing with his campaigns in Pemba Kiwani.

He said to date Zanzibar has had no authority over the country to an extent even the police force is selected from Tanzania Mainland.

“Ole constituency chairman has been arrested and still in police custody for over a week now despite the law being clear that within 24 hours a person should be arraigned,” he said.

He stressed that in such a scenario Zanzibar needs to have its own police and army force instead of continuing to rely on Tanzania Mainland who do not adhere to the law.

He noted that it was discouraging that the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) was established and headquartered in Tanzania Mainland with only a branch in Zanzibar.

“Since its inception we have never had a governor from Zanzibar. Does this mean we don’t have the capacity to run the institution?,” he queried at a fully packed crowd.

Further he noted that the Tanzania mainland was expanding its Ports to other parts of the region including Tanga while the Isles had none stressing that such a situation warranted change that will ensure Zanzibari’s make own decision over the country.

In another development, he assured all public servants that threat they had been receiving warning them they would be sacked if they voted for the opposition was not true.

“I assure you there is no technology that can detect what any person has put on the ballot box, vote for me and any government official who sacks a person for doing that will face the law while paying the salaries of those they sacked,” he said.

Earlier Act Secretary General Nasoro Ahmed called on Zanzibar Electoral Commission to work towards protecting the people to ensure nobody interferes with the elections on October 28, this year.

This is following threats that those who will vote for the opposition especially public servants might lose their jobs.