TEAM WANTS DR SHEIN TO RUN FOR SECOND TERM

The Zanzibar President, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein (left), accompanied by Pemba South Region CCM chair Hamadi Bakari Mshindo and other officials, as he arrives at Fidel Castro Secondary School in Pemba yesterday to officiate a party meeting. PHOTO | ZANZIBAR STATE HOUSE 

By Mwinyi Sadallah ,The Citizen Correspondent

Zanzibar. A minister in the Isles yesterday revealed that a special CCM committee has resolved to back the incumbent Zanzibar President, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, to run for another term in the 2015 General Election.

The Minister of State in the Second Vice President’s Office, Mr Aboud Mohamed Aboud, told a meeting in Pemba that CCM has requested Dr Shein to take another shot at the presidency owing to his “impressive track record”.

“Our committee is satisfied by Dr Shein’s administration in implementing the party’s 2010 Election Manifesto and have thus asked him to vie for the presidency for a second term in the October polls,” said Mr Aboud.

The announcement was received by a thunderous applause from the gathering that was attended by, among others, a cross-section of local leaders. The meeting at Fidel Castro Secondary School in Pemba was ostensibly meant to take stock of the last five years of Dr Shein’s administration.

The Isles President, who was the chief guest at the meeting, did not directly respond to “the CCM request” at the meeting during which he hailed the unity within his administration for delivering as per the expectation of the people of Zanzibar.

The announcement by Mr Aboud is likely to heighten the political temperature in the Isles, even though the official time for CCM to pick its presidential flag bearers for both the Isles and the Mainland is a few months away.

Dr Shein narrowly defeated Opposition candidate Sheif Sharif Hamad of CUF in the 2010 General Election, with whom he went on to form the first Government of National Unity (GNU) as stipulated in the Constitution. The opposition leader, who serves as the First Vice President in the GNU, is also tipped to run for the same seat for the upteenth time.

Dr Shein’s candidature for Zanzibar presidency on a CCM ticket in 2010 had come as a surprise but was then seen as a uniting factor among the stiff rivals eying the same prize. The then powerful Zanzibar politician and now the Union Vice President, Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, had declared interest in the topmost post and was tipped to bag the CCM ticket before the last minute adjustments. Dr Shein earlier served as Union Vice President from 2001 to 2010.

While presenting a paper yesterday on the success of current administration in implementing the 2010 CCM Election Manifesto, Mr Aboud who in 2010 dropped his own bid for the job to rally behind Dr Shein, said the special CCM committee would give the President time to freely decide on their offer.

He, however, did not say when and why the team under the National Executive Committee (NEC) was picked to suggest their candidate ahead of the internal party mechanism.

There was recently a huge debate on social media, sparked by claims that the ruling party wanted Dr Shein to stand as its Union presidential candidate to succeed Mr Jakaya Kikwete.

According to Mr Aboud, apart from aptly implementing the CCM Election Manifesto, Dr Shein had led the GNU with wisdom, integrity and vision. He further said GNU under Dr Shein leadership has managed to achieve its objectives which include eradicating hate speech among politicians and the public at large.

“Despite some challenges that the GNU encountered, Dr Shein showed leadership prowess by enabling the government to remain united,” said Mr Aboud, who is also the ruling party’s NEC member from the Isles.

Outlining some of the economic successes that Zanzibar has achieved under Dr Shein, the minister said revenue collection increased from Sh13 billion to Sh35 billion monthly.

According to the minister, the number of tourists who visit the Isles has gone up from 180,000 to 300,000. Under Dr Shein’s administration, adding further that the inflation rate has decreased from 6 to 5 per cent. Mr Aboud also noted that the government has managed to double the salaries of public servants in the last five years.

CREDIT SOURCE: THE CITIZEN