Dr Mwinyi returns nomination forms, thanks sponsors

Unguja. The CCM Zanzibar presidential candidate, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, has submitted his nomination form at the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) offices, expressing hope to be officially nominated.

Dr Mwinyi, also the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council seeking re-election, was the first to collect the form on August 30, 2025, has returned the documents on Saturday, September 6, 2025.

The son of the second-phase national leader, the late Ali Hassan Mwinyi, submitted his forms after meeting ZEC’s requirements, including securing 200 sponsors from each of Zanzibar’s five regions.

Addressing the media after submission, Dr Mwinyi thanked CCM members for their strong turnout in sponsoring him, which exceeded expectations.

“I sincerely congratulate them for their readiness. I received more sponsors than expected. Today, I have returned my form as the first candidate, and I thank Almighty God for enabling me to complete this important step in our election,” he said.

He noted that the major step of submitting the form is complete, with the official nomination scheduled for September 11, 2025.

Dr Mwinyi said the party plans to officially launch its campaign on September 13, 2025, following the nomination.

Responding to remarks from other party candidates who said they cannot compete against him and aim for the First Vice President position, he said it is clear they cannot defeat him.

“That is indisputable. Other parties cannot beat CCM, but they should at least aim to secure the percentage of votes required for the vice-presidency. I thank those who have said so because they acknowledge the reality,” he said.

Those seeking the vice-presidency include AAFP candidate Said Soud Said and Ada-Tadea candidate Juma Ali Khatib, who have expressed respect for Dr Mwinyi’s work but wish to contest the second position.

Dr Mwinyi said they must compete for the role as many candidates are vying for it.

According to the 2010 Zanzibar Constitution, a party receiving at least 10 per cent of all votes is eligible for the First Vice President position.

He urged other candidates to prioritise national peace and maintain unity, encouraging civilised campaigns to preserve peace and ensure the winner leads the country forward in development.

Upon receiving the forms, ZEC Chairman Judge George Joseph Kazi said the submission complies with Section 47 of Zanzibar’s Election Act No. 4 of 2018.

He explained that the Commission will review forms for completeness and allow candidates to correct any errors.

After nomination, forms will be displayed at the Commission’s office for 24 hours to allow objections.

ZEC Electoral Director Thabit Idarous Faina said the Commission issued forms to 17 political parties, with one candidate having returned theirs, while others are completing the process.

He stated that ZEC expects the deadline for returning forms to be September 10, 2025, at 10:00 pm, with official nominations scheduled for 11 September after the 24-hour display period.

“We will display the forms, and if no objections arise, all candidates will proceed to the general election slated for October 29, 2025,” he said.

He added that both early and late submissions will be checked for deficiencies.

“Our goal is to ensure that by the time we display them, any corrections have been made. Some candidates, particularly for representative positions, have already corrected their forms. For the presidential level, we will review them to prevent baseless objections,” he said.

He added that ZEC guides mobile phones to candidates, giving step-by-step instructions. Four candidates have visited the Commission for in-person assistance to ensure their forms are correctly completed.