Unguja. Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi said the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGZ) recognises the contribution of women to national development.
Dr Mwinyi made the remarks on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, through a speech read by the Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, who represented him at the sixth edition of The Citizen Rising Women forum.
“Government recognises and values the contribution women make to development in the country. All women who are given various opportunities, including in decision-making bodies in government and private institutions, work with great efficiency and perform well,” he said during the event taking place for the first time on the island bringing together various stakeholders dealing with women’s issues.
In the speech, Dr Mwinyi said the forum has continued to be an important platform for encouraging women to expand their contribution across development sectors.
In promoting women’s empowerment, he said the government has established strategic areas to support women with the aim of empowering them, and implementation covers the period from 2025/26 to 2029/30.
He noted that those areas include strengthening systems for women’s economic empowerment and enhancing mechanisms to address gender issues, including improving gender-related services.
“Establishing and strengthening women’s networks to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and development opportunities,” he said in his speech.
Another area is continuing to strengthen women’s participation in decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors.
He said that currently a woman is not only a family caregiver but also an engine of the economy in markets, on farms, in business and in emerging technologies, making significant contributions.
However, he said there are still challenges facing women that must be addressed to sustain the country’s economic growth.
While recalling the statement by President Samia Suluhu Hassan that women are not assistants in development but innovators and leaders of the nation.
“This reminds society to change attitudes and view women not as assistants but as key actors in driving development and success in our nation, as we are witnessing, including in community development and social welfare,” he said.
Also, to economically empower women for the period from 2022 to March 2026, the RGZ, through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Agency, has provided loans amounting to Sh53.9 billion, and among those beneficiaries, 83.6 percent are women.
Similarly, among 15,609 citizens who received entrepreneurship training, 75 percent are women who benefited from learning vegetable processing, soap-making, beekeeping, business marketing, financial literacy, and the production of solar equipment and agricultural products.
He said the step continues to build their capacity and strengthen their development initiatives.
Furthermore, he said the government will continue to create a conducive environment to economically empower women and involve them in decision-making positions as outlined in various plans.
He used the opportunity to commend Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) for its management of women’s issues.
“We thank you for the great work you are doing, and we will continue to provide all necessary cooperation in supporting women,” he said.
Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children in the RGZ, Ms Zawadi Amou Nassor, said institutions such as Mwananchi Communications Limited should be supported because they are undertaking significant work to assist women.
She used the opportunity to urge other institutions to emulate the example set by MCL.
“Institutions like this that are doing commendable work to uplift women should be supported, and others should emulate the example,” said the minister.
