Dr Shein.
Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Zanzibar presidential candidate, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein.Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Zanzibar presidential candidate, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, has promised South Pemba region residents of reliable and affordable electricity if he wins this month’s elections.
The CCM flag bearer was speaking at a campaign rally at Kiwani grounds in the region on Thursday where he said Zanzibar needed an independent source of power generated in the isles.
He said the power to be generated using wind, solar, water or waste would also be connected to Pemba.
“We currently get electricity from the Mainland, but the government has now decided to generate its own power,” he said.
According to him, the Zanzibar government was in consultation with the Zanzibar Electricity Company (ZECO) to advise on the way forward for the power project.
Dr Shein said the doors were open for both local and foreign businesspeople to invest in the project.
He further said that the government has been working hard to ensure that most villages were connected to power, but more efforts were still needed to cover the remaining areas.
He said electricity was now among the basic needs for the development of the people in the isles.
Dr Shein said that through reliable power people could conduct income-generating activities and thus improve their livelihood.
The president noted that in the past five years his government had managed to connect 129 villages with power which was above the targeted 125 villages.
According to ZECO, the cost of electricity in Zanzibar was 66/- per unit for those purchasing between 1 and 50 units, while it was 400/- per unit for buyers of more than 50 units. Between one and 1,500 units the cost was 222/- while for those buying more than 1,500 units it was 240/- per unit.
On health, Dr Shein said that if elected he would not tolerate any health personnel who demanded payment foe maternal and child health services.
He said his government was determined to ensure that maternal and child health services were provided for free.
Dr Shein noted that free services included surgery and medicines.
“Any person who will be asked to pay for either maternal or child health services should report to the respective authorities so that disciplinary actions are taken against the health personnel,” he said.
He noted that his government would not hesitate to fire any health worker who will be proven to have demanded payment for the services.
Dr Shein however pointed out that Zanzibar had made remarkable strides in improving health services for its people.
He further said that Zanzibar was leading in the provision of basic health services compared to other African countries, adding that the services would continue to be improved if he was elected to the high office.
He said the seventh phase government had managed to construct many health centres to ensure that its people had access to health services.
Referring to Kiwani as an example, he said in 2010 the constituency had only one health center which had now been rehabilitated but to date two more centres have been constructed.
For his part, Minister of State in the Second Vice-President’s Office, Mohamed Abdul, said CCM, under the leadership of Dr Shein, had done a great job in implementing the party’s manifesto.
He said the seventh phase government had constructed schools, roads and improved health services as stipulated in the party’s manifesto for 2010/2015.
He called on Kiwani residents to vote for Dr Shein following his good performance in implementing the election manifesto for 2010/2015.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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