Seif promises better days for Zanzibaris

Dar es Salaam. ACT-Wazalendo Zanzibar’s presidential candidate Seif Sharif Hamad has promised a better future to fishermen and seaweed farmers in the Isles if elected to the highest office.

Mr Hamad made the promise in Pemba during a campaign rally, shortly after visiting fishermen and seaweed farmers in their respective areas.

He said while fishermen lacked modern vessels and fishing gear, seaweed farmers lacked gears for efficient farming at territorial waters, hence delaying their development.

Mr Hamad, who doubles as party’s national chairman, said in spite of doing a tidy job seaweed prices have remained low at Sh600 per kilo since 2015.

“We visited one province of India when I served as the first vice president where I found 400,000 fishermen equivalent to the number of voters in the Isles possessing modern vessels and fishing gear,” he said.

According to him, on his return the proposal to replicate the same was dropped by outgoing President Ali Mohamed Shein.

He pledged provision of modern vessels, fishing gear and fish processing units that would enable them to export and supply for domestic consumption.

“The ACT government under Seif Sharif Hamad will transform the Special Forces for Prevention of Smuggling Department (SFPSD) to the Coastal Guards (CFs) responsible for ocean protection,” he told a rally.

A helicopter will make aerial patrols to rescue fishermen getting troubles in the course of their fishing activities, saying services will be provided without discrimination.

“The government will ensure seaweed farmers increase quantity and quality of the produce. We will ensure the price increases from the current Sh600 to Sh1,000 and later to between Sh8,000 and Sh9,000,” he said.

Earlier, party’s deputy secretary general (Zanzibar) Ahmed Nassor Mazrui noted that it was difficult to preach maintenance of peace in the Isles while their candidates have been unfairly disqualified and soldiers have been deployed in Pemba causing fears to citizens.

Meanwhile, party’s Union presidency candidate Bernard Membe urged the police to release his personal assistant Jerome Luanda, who was arrested on Tuesday at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) as the duo arrived from Dubai.

“Mr Luanda should be released without conditions or he should be taken to court instead of holding him at an unknown place. Unfortunately, they are looking for my details, why don’t they come to me directly?” questioned the exForeign Affairs minister.

Yesterday, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa was unavailable to respond of Mr Membe’s claims.