Resolving Zanzibar dispute long overdue

Resolving Zanzibar dispute long overdue
Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume's meeting with
his erstwhile foe, Civic United Front (CUF) Secretary-General
Seif Shariff Hamad, on Thursday, is probably the best
news to have come out of the Isles in the recent past.

The two leaders have not seen eye to eye since the country
reverted to multiparty politics in 1992. Subsequent general elections in 1995, 2000 and 2005, were hotly disputed by CUF, which lost by razor-thin margins.

Since then, there has been intense animosity between the
leaders of the major rival parties, and their members. At times
the rivalry has been so intense that even relatives could not
attend the funerals of those belonging to the opposing party.

In a country that professes to be the beacon of peace and
tranquility in a troubled region, that was pretty bad, to say the
least.

It is against this backdrop that we see the meeting between
Maalim Hamad and President Karume as a positive sign that
could lead to the thawing of the three decades of frosty relations and intermittent violence.

But the gesture should not end there. The two leaders should
also send candid messages to the members of their parties,
preaching reconciliation, harmony, peace and tranquility.
This is because it would be futile for the two leaders to sit
down and sip coffee at the State House, while members of their
parties are still going for one another's jugular.

President Karume and Mr Hamad should not let this golden
opportunity to make amends and open a new chapter for Zanzibar slip through their fingers. A peaceful Zanzibar is a plus for Tanzania, which has distinguished itself as a regional peacemaker.

President Jakaya Kikwete's stature has been somewhat diminished by the simmering conflict in his own backyard. Ending the Zanzibar impasse will be the icing on the cake for a consummate regional leader and diplomat.