.jpg)
Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein has issued a stern warning against the breach of peace as the Isles heads towards the General Election on October 25.
Dr Shein, who is vying for a second term through the ruling CCM ticket, said that the government will take stern measures against anyone who will try to breach the prevailing peace.
Addressing a campaign rally on Monday at Makoba Primary and Secondary schools’ grounds in Bumbwini constituency in Unguja, Dr Shein said during his ending five year leadership term the government has managed to unify the people of Unguja and Pemba and they now live peacefully.
He noted that as President, he will not allow any person or group of people with ill motives to ruin the prevailing peace.
The government made efforts to unite the peoples of Pemba and Unguja and uphold peace. “We worked hard to promote tolerance, cooperation and trust among the people of Zanzibar in order to live peacefully,” he said.
Dr Shein added: “There is no substitute for peace … I will make sure that peace, tranquility and unity are maintained in Zanzibar.”
The President however said that there is no person capable of threatening the government because it belongs to the people.
He said that people are the ones who elect leaders to lead them, thus no one can threaten the government.
He said that no one can intimidate him in his leadership because he abides by the Constitution and other laws governing the country.
He said that no one can intimidate him in his leadership because he abides by the Constitution and other laws governing the country.
“There is no need of giving out threats, people will decide themselves on who should lead them,” he insisted.
Commenting on Zanzibar’s autonomy, Dr Shein said that his government has full autonomy within the Union government.
He said that the Union government is a unification of two governments -- Zanzibar and Tanganyika and was founded by the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume.
“We have our own government, we are satisfied and operate like other governments in the world … we shall also conduct activities related to oil and natural gas on our own,” he said.
For his part, Zanzibar Second Vice President Ambassador Seif Ali Idd cautioned CCM supporters against harbouring chaos during the election.
He said that people should abide by the laws governing elections by casting their votes and return home.
Ambassador Idd accused the Civic United Front (CUF) over instigating chaos which would lead to the breach of peace.
He said that in 2010 CUF supporters remained at the polling stations after casting their votes as they waited for election results … “if they will try to do the same this time they will face the music.”
Launching election campaigns on September 9, this year at Kibanda Maiti grounds in Zanzibar, the Civic United Front’s presidential candidate for Zanzibar, Seif Shariff Hamad, said it was crucial that the Isles’ autonomy in the Union setting be “reinstated”.
Hamad, who doubles as the opposition party’s Secretary General said time had come for Zanzibar “to regain its autonomy as a fully fledged government within the Union”.
He said Zanzibaris sought a contractual Union between Mainland Tanzania and the Isles in the proposed Constitution drafted by the commission and chaired by Judge (retired) Joseph Sinde Warioba.
“Unfortunately the ruling CCM killed off the draft and buried the people’s dream,” he stated.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments :
Post a Comment