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President Jakaya Kikwete with Zanzibar President Ali Mohammed Shein during celebrations to mark the 51st anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution yesterday. PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN
By Bernard Lugongo,The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar President Ali Mohammed Shein declared free primary education to the Isle youth effective this year as Tanzanians celebrated the 51st anniversary of the Revolution during a colourful ceremony held at the Aman Stadium.
Thousands of Zanzibar residents who packed the Aman Stadium erupted in jubilation after the President’s pronouncement. Dr Shein noted that the move would be part of implementation of the 1964 Revolution goals set by Zanzibar’s first President of the Revolutionary government, Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume.
“As from 2015/16 which starts in July, there won’t be any contribution from parents ostensibly to finance their children’s primary education in public schools; all costs will be covered by the government,” he said in his address to the nation.
Tanzania Mainland started providing free primary education over 13 years ago under Universal Primary Education (UPE). However, parents have been complaining about being required to cough up money in the name of “contributions”.
Yesterday’s event was attended by various dignitaries including top government leaders, diplomats and heads of security organs.
President Jakaya Kikwete, Vice President Mohammed Gharib Bilal, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, Speaker of National Assembly Anne Makinda added significance to the important occasion.
Other VIPs were the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Davis Mwamunyange, First Vice President of Zanzibar Seif Sharif Hamad and Second Vice President Seif Ali Idd and Speaker of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, Mr Pandu Ameir Kificho were there too.
Others were Former Presidents, Dr Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Mr Benjamin Mkapa, Former Prime Ministers, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim and Mr Edward Lowassa as well as Chief Justice Chande Othman.
From around 8am, people from different corners of the Clove Isles were flocking to the stadium to join government and political party leaders and other dignitaries to mark the auspicious day. From around 9am, senior government officials started arriving, with Mr Pinda turning up at 09.28am, followed by Dr Bilal who got there five minutes later.
President Kikwete, who was honoured with the national anthem as he stood at the red-coloured podium set at the middle of the ground, arrived at 10.03am.
The key personality of the event, President of Zanzibar, Dr Shein, appeared about 10 minutes after Mr Kikwete, on a special military vehicle which cruised around the grounds to give him an opportunity to greet to the crowd by waving his hand.
After alighting, he was honoured with a 21-gun salute from the military before he inspected a guard of honour.
In his speech, Dr Shein touched on various issues including Zanzibar’s economy, society and politics.
He said his government would continue to respect and protect the Union while commended all for working towards maintenance of peace and security in the Isles.
“Our unity and peace have largely contributed development of the Zanzibar for the past four years of the Government of National Unity,” he said.
Economically, Zanzibar has managed to increase its annual income from Sh900 billion in 2010 to Sh1.4 trillion (53 per cent increase) by last year as the GDP shot up from 6 to 7.4 per cent during the same period and it is expected to grow by 7.8 per cent by end of this year.
Similarly, individual annual incomes have improved from the average of Sh738,000 during 2010 to Sh1.7 million by 2013.
Dr Shein said in higher education, the government managed to push up enrolment in colleges from 3400 students in 2010 to 6,000 students by last year.
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