Opposition ACT-Wazalendo party advisor Seif Sharif Hamad to vie for ACT chair

Zanzibar. Opposition ACT-Wazalendo party advisor Seif Sharif Hamad yesterday collected nomination forms to contest for chairmanship of the party, a move analysts say will add a new impetus in Zanzibar politics ahead of the general elections in October.

Mr Hamad, the key opposition figure in the Isles, said after collecting the forms that he wanted to push for greater changes inside the party currently re-aligning its leadership from the grassroots to the top.

Mr Hamad and thousands of his loyal supporters joined ACT-Wazalendo last year after losing a protracted legal battle to hold on to their old and once leading opposition party, the Civic United Front (CUF) following leadership crisis.

He had contested for Zanzibar presidency through CUF five times in elections Mr Hamad claimed he had was being robbed of victory..

Receiving the forms at the ACT-Wazalendo Vuga offices in Unguja, Mr Hamad said the main reason he contest for chairmanship of the party was his capability and over 25 years of experience in opposition politics.

“As the national chairman, I would strengthening and spearheading great changes within the party,” he said.

Hours after collecting the forms, residents of Pemba Island, Hamad’s stronghold, said they would continued to have faith on him. Mr Aley Massoud Aley said he knew Mr Hamad as a firm politician who knows how to lead political struggles.

“The picking of forms by Mr Hamad will open up new opportunities for more ‘wananchi’ to join the party,” he said.

Aisha Suleiman said Mr Hamad would remain her hero because ‘they don’t have anyone else they trust.”

She said the collection of forms by Hamas has given them new hope that the former Firt-Vice President of Zanzibar will finally vie for the Isles’ presidency later this year.

But Mr Ame Silima said Mr Hamad should have not planned to vie for the position and instead hold on to the post of advisor because his political tricks are well known by his opponents and has run out of new strategies in opposition politics in Tanzania.