Zanzibar — MEMBERS of the anti-union in the islands have been warned by Zanzibar authorities that they should abstain from breaking the law during the exercise to collect public opinion on the proposed new union constitution.
We need everyone's opinion, and all people should be free to suggest on what to be included in the constitution. Any illegal move towards breaking the union will not be accepted, warned the Zanzibar minister for constitution and legal affairs Mr Abubakari Khamis Bakar.
Bakar was speaking during a meeting with some leaders from UAMSHO Islamic group involved in the anti-union campaign. Minister for state (State House) Dr Mwinyihaji Makame, Minister for state (second vice president) Mr Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, and Zanzibar Police Commissioner Mr Mussa Ali Mussa also attended the meeting held the ministry of Information hall, Kikwajuni.
For weeks, anti-union groups in Zanzibar have conducted public rallies to motivate Zanzibaris against the union, saying the union is to blame for the economic and social challenges in the islands.
Sheikh Msellem Ali, Sheikh Farid Hadi, and Sheikh Azzan Khalid said at the meeting that the "Zanzibaris demands are open and clear. We need autonomy before discussing suitable political structure between Zanzibar and Tanganyika."
President Jakaya Kikwete, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, and Zanzibar leaders have said, at different occasions, that the upcoming opinion giving on "constitution review", excludes "to dissolve the union or not."
However, the faith-based public rallies, on Thursday and Friday continued to mobilize people against the union, as the anti-riot police patrolled the Zanzibar streets.
EEZ issue to be debated by House of Reps; THE Zanzibar government has said it has mandate to stop the Union Government from extending the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Indian Ocean.
The government declared this amid pressure from the public as well as some members of the House of Representatives, who have been speaking out against the Union Government's move to demarcate its exclusive economic Zone. "We stick to our promise that the government.
will give its position about EEZ during the next session of the House of Representatives scheduled for March 28, this year," said Mr Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, State Minister in the Second Vice-President's office.
"We cannot stop the process, and I do not think we have reasons for doing so. Let us wait, we are discussing it and the government's position will be out during the next session." He said.
Zanzibar Attorney General (AG) Mr Othman Masoud also said that it might look embarrassing and illegal for Zanzibar to stop the Union government to extend the EEZ from the current 200 to 350 nautical miles. "I think people don't understand the EEZ issue, because of poor media coverage, and statements by politicians. It is high time the people, including reporters and politicians, read about EEZ and the process of demanding for the extension, so that people can be well informed instead of exaggerating the matter," said the AG.
Some legislators during recent House session proposed that Zanzibar government write immediately to the Union government, asking it to halt the EEZ request process, until the internal dispute over the sea area was resolved. The legislators, led by Mr Ismail Jussa Ladu (Mji Mkongwe - CUF), asked the speaker to allow a debate on the motion. The angry legislators reminded the speaker about the 2010 resolution in which oil and natural gas were removed from the list of union matters as well as the EEZ.
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