WITH six days to go before the polling day, two main Zanzibar presidential hopefuls, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein (CCM) and Mr Seif Sharif Hamad (CUF) are engaged in the final battle in Pemba.
Both candidates are staging vigorous campaigns to woo as many votes as possible in the race for the Zanzibar State House. Dr Shein is reported to have intensified door-to-door campaigns by meeting the elderly, women and youth groups and is engaged in a few selected public rallies.
Mr Hamad, on his part, is staging campaign rallies and visiting villages. Dr Shein and the CCM campaign team in Pemba are asking over 100,000 potential voters to pick the ruling party.
Dr Shein says CCM has proved to be the champion of development, with practical and implementable election manifesto compared to other parties in the race.
"Elect me and all other CCM candidates so that we continue developing Zanzibar. "CCM governments have done a lot. The success stories include roads, bridges, electricity and better living standards.
"I will follow footsteps of my predecessors in preserving our unity, peace, and stability," Dr Shein says.
He is expected to have a public rally at Chakechake, Monday afternoon.
Dr Shein who always holds his party's manifesto in his hands when addressing campaign rallies, argues that he would make the best ever president for Zanzibar. He says that he has enough experience in leadership after more than nine years as union vice- president.
He promises to continue improving education, farming and fishing and strengthening of the union, fighting graft and minimise crime. Mr Hamad who had been addressing campaign rallies twice a day over last week, called for free, fair and transparent polls next Sunday.
He said he was not going to rest until his ambition of making each family in Zanzibar manage to have good meals.
Speaking at campaign rallies at Chambani and Mtambile constituencies in Pemba on Saturday, Mr Hamad promised to create more jobs for youths, reduce tax, ensure commitment to work, improve health and fight discrimination.
"Shortly after taking over the Zanzibar presidency, I will abolish the law that prohibits farmers from selling cloves freely. This is a despotic law.
"I will make sure farmers enjoy free market for cloves," Mr Hamad said. Cloves remain the leading cash crop on Pemba Island.
He said that review of revenue plans and reduction of tax would enable women buy the popular traditional cloth, khanga, at a cheaper price compared to the current 4,000/- a pair and youth would afford new clothes instead of relying on second-hand ones.
Mr Hamad said that he would need just 100 days for people to start witnessing changes including cleanliness in hospitals and availability of essential drugs, as he asked to votes.
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