ZANZIBARI WANT CHANGES

The political atmosphere in Zanzibar has totally changed and this is reflected in the feelings of the Isles dwellers.

A survey by this paper has shown that the newly emerging political feeling is at the peak as the campaigns come to a close with supporters of former rival political parties showing more respect and love to each other.

This unprecedented situation was witnessed yesterday when jubilant members of the Civic United Front and those of Chama Cha Mapinduzi were seen competing in decorating various places using either party’s symbols or colours while boasting that each of the parties will emerge the winner in the General election on Sunday.

The supporters of the two parties with biggest followings in the Isles were seen yesterday placing party flags and flowers at the junction of Michenzani Road a few metres from Mwembe Kisonge in Zanzibar town.

While CUF supporters were flying party flags and carrying huge pictures of their Isles presidential candidate, Seif Sharrif Hamad, as they paraded around the area at night, those of the ruling party went about decorating road pavements in the same place with party colours and flags.

The incident attracted the attention of many passersby forcing some of them to stop by.

Vehicle drivers were seen stopping by for a while to watch pasted pictures of CCM presidential candidate for Zanzibar Dr Ali Mohammed Shein.

At Darajani and Mbweni Streets, two similar incidents also happened yesterday whereby supporters of the two parties, peacefully embarked on decorating the streets heralding establishment of the first government of national unity in the Isles after the General Election on Sunday.

The scene this time is very different from the previous general elections whereby supporters of the two rival parties were not tolerating each other.

International observers and Zanzibaris have been watching the unfolding situation with interest as the peaceful atmosphere descends to the islands where political turmoil and violence have always reigned during election periods.

While all this is happening, both CCM and CUF presidential candidates in Zanzibar have urged supporters to prepare themselves for the swearing in of either candidate early next month.

Dr Shein who has already plied four times between Pemba and Unguja for his campaigns said he was hopeful that Zanzibaris would pick CCM to continue ruling the Spice Islands.

In a campaign rally at Dimani grounds, in Unguja West District, he said there was no party capable of wrestling down the ruling CCM.

“Just prepare your suits and wait for my swearing in on November 5,” he said.

Dr Shein, who is the outgoing Union Vice President, said he had already prepared his suit for the swearing in ceremony.

“Our way to the State House is clear and we are now heading to the House,” Dr Shein said amid cheers from supporters.

He said in the Sunday election, his party would emerge the winner by scooping all the seats.

The former medicine doctor, Shein said CCM was a strong party and the only one capable of bringing solutions to problems facing Zanzibaris.

He further said that his party had done a great job in the past 45 years of bringing progress to people in the Isles and had a clear and strategic manifesto spelling out the direction of the islands.

For his part, Seif Sharif Hamad, who is in Unguja to finalise his campaign trail, called upon his supporters to believe that their party “will win the Isles presidential post for the first time.”

Hamad, a former teacher turned politician, said that he had no problem with Dr Shein’s bid to prepare his suit for the swearing event because “he will use it when swearing as first Vice President on November 5.” Under the government of national unity, Zanzibar will have a president at the top and two vice presidents from the two parties of CUF and CCM.

He called on the people not to fear the presence of Tanzania People’s Defence Forces in the Isles because they would respect the people’s decision after the election.

He said the presence of the forces in Zanzibar was constitutional and it was not established for the purpose of safeguarding CCM and when the people make decisions it must respect them.