Civic United Front (CUF) secretary-general Seif Shariff Hamad has dismissed the assertion that his decision to reconcile with the Zanzibar government was part of a plot to weaken and ultimately kill the Union.
Speaking on Saturday during an Idd Baraza organised by the opposition party, Mr Hamad said, on the contrary, his working together with President Amani Abeid Karume's government would strengthen the Union.
He told CUF supporters and other guests that the Union was facing "many challenges", adding that it was important that Zanzibaris united to be able to effectively address the difficulties.
Mr Hamad said his decision to agree to work together with President Karume's government was a unifying factor that could help Zanzibaris find solutions to most of the problems bedevilling the Union.
The opposition leader denied that he and President Karume harboured a hidden agenda that aimed to sabotage the Union.
"People from both sides of the Union have their views about the agreement. However, I wish to make it clear that there is nothing sinister in our decision to put our differences aside.
Zanzibaris will now be working together as one people�it will be easier for them to fight for their interests in the Union and this will, in turn, strengthen, not weaken, the Union."
Mr Hamad said Union problems were "too complex", and matters had been made worse by divisions among Zanzibaris.
"But we (Zanzibaris) are now united�we will be presenting our case collectively, and it will be easier to say exactly what Zanzibaris want from the Union."
Mr Hamad met with President Karume behind closed doors at the State House in Zanzibar on November 5. The State House said in a statement that the two leaders had decided to bury the hatchet after years of animosity.
Mr Hamad announced at a chaotic public rally two days later that he had decided to recognise Mr Karume as President of Zanzibar, finally abandoning a stance to which he had doggedly held onto for nine years.
President Karume also addressed a public rally last week, and praised Mr Hamad for his "bold" decision to meet him. He said his Government was committed to working with CUF for the prosperity of Zanzibar and its people.
There has been widespread speculation that the meeting has paved the way for the formation of a coalition government ahead of next year's elections in which President Karume will not seek re-election after serving his second and final five-year term.
However, a number of influential figures within the ruling CCM contend that the formation of a unity government in the Isles is not possible at this moment.
Key among those holding this view are two senior Zanzibari ministers.
Speaking on separate occasions last week, the Zanzibar Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Ali Juma Shamuhuna, and the State Minister in the Vice-President�s Office (Union), Mr Muhammad Seif Khatib, opposed the idea of setting up a coalition government.
Mr Shamuhuna, who is also the Isles� minister for Information and Sports, said during a radio interview that Zanzibar did not need a unity government, as that would not solve its current problems.
What was needed in Zanzibar, he said, was to nurture a culture of accepting defeat in elections.
�Zanzibar does not need a coalition government or a government of national unity.
The most important thing is for us to promote the culture of accepting defeat after election results are announced. If we build that culture we will be able to work with any president that is elected,� he told the Zenj FM interviewer.
For his part, Mr Khatib said in Pemba that CCM did not need to merge with any other party to ensure unity among Zanzibaris.
He said only the ruling party could assure the Zanzibaris of unity, �as this is its national policy�.
Mr Hamad did not refer to the formation of a coalition government in his speech on Saturday, but said he was confident that President Karume would stick to what was agreed in their meeting.
�I have confidence in Mr Karume. I haven�t heard or seen anything that suggests that what we agreed will not be implemented."
Without going into details, he said President Karume had started taking steps to implement what he had promised.
Mr Hamad urged Zanzibaris to ignore speculation that CUF's cooperation with the government would not last.
"People who do not wish Zanzibar well have already started to speculate that our cooperation with the government will not last�such people should be ignored."
Earlier, CUF deputy chairman Machano Khamis Ali urged Zanzibaris to ignore those ridiculing CUF's decision to recognise President Karume.
"We should ignore those who belittle what has been going on in Zanzibar... we want this initiative to succeed," he said.
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