Media Reports about Zanzibar

                           2002

Court orders arrest of Dr Salmin's son

December 28, 2002 .

By Correspondent, Zanzibar

The court in the West Urban, Zanzibar yesterday issued an order for the arrest of the former President Dr. Salmin Amour' son, Amin, after he allegedly failed to respond to an order to appear before the court.

The former president' son is alleged to have obtained 2,000 US dollars from a businessman through illegal means.
In the order, the court Magistrate Idd Abdallah Hussein said the order followed refusal by Amin to attend a court session on the civil case No. 48 of 2000.
The magistrate has ordered that the president' son be arrested and put in remand until his case comes up for mention on January 6 next year.
Reports from Zanzibar say the Malindi Police Station have been directed to implement the order.
The case was filed on September 7, 2000 a businessman, Mohamed Ali of Zanzibar, who is alleged to have given Amin 2,000 US dollars to find him a visa to United States of America.
This is the second time for Amin to appear in the same court for civil charges.
It was not known immediately if the son of the former president was a US Embassy officer or an agent of the Embassy.
The High Court Registrar in Zanzibar Ali Salim Mbaruouk confirmed the issuance of the court order.
Investigations revealed that as of yesterday, the order had not been implemented although there were reports that Amin was still in Zanzibar.

ISLANDS' TERROR ALERT

Sky News Online
UK, Tuesday December 24, 2002

British holidaymakers planning to travel to the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar or the Pemba group were reminded today of the increased terrorist threat posed to the region.

The Foreign Office amended its travel advice about Tanzania to include the areas because of fears that visitors would not realise the destinations were part of the country.

A warning of a possible threat to Tanzania followed the bombing on a nightclub on the holiday island of Bali on October 12 and the hotel blast in Mombasa, Kenya, on November 28.

The travel advice says: "We believe that Tanzania, including Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, is one of a number of countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa where there may be an increased terrorist threat.

"British nationals in Tanzania should be vigilant, particularly in public places frequented by foreigners such as hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, markets, bars and nightclubs."

Conflict over water in Zanzibar

21/12/02 TANZANIA

A vice minister related to President Amani Karume calls the shots at the Zanzibar government's ministry of water
The eviction of Ali Khalil Mirza, permanent secretary at the Zanzibar ministry of water, energy, and land is linked to his opposition to the purchase of equipment for water supply in the island's capital. The chronic lack of water lead President Amani Karume to promise at his election in 2000 that he would resolve the problem. Once he took his post, he ordered the purchase of water supply equipment for Zanzibar, and the vice-minister of water, Mansour Yussif Himid took care of it, signing $400,000-worth of contracts with suppliers. But the equipment quickly broke down, and experts, who weren't consulted for this purchase, indicated that it wasn't adapted to a tropical climate.

Meanwhile, Mirza opposed this purchase and had refused to include it in the 2002/2003 budget of the ministry. Resisting pressure from his hierarchical superior, Mirza was accused of having disobeyed president Karume, but defended himself in retorting that he hadn't received any direct orders from the president for the purchase of this equipment. A little later, he learned through the radio that he was replaced by Yasser de Costa. The latter, already promoted after the 2000 elections from cartographer to director of public works, is now principal secretary at the ministry of water.

Costa didn't wait to be confronted by the same problems as Mirza. Informed by residents that a Chama cha Mapinduzi (CMM, ruling party) representative was building himself a house above a water pump, which is illegal, Costa ordered a halt to the work. Not only did the work continue, but Costa was then himself put on alert by his superior. It's essentially the vice-minister of water who calls the shots at the ministry It's interesting to note that Himid is married to President Karume's sister, and the Karume is married to Himid's sister.

AIDS incurable but prevention possible-Karume

By Kenneth Simbaya, PST Arusha

The President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume, has appealed for recognition, respect and care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA) if we are to contain the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Karume made the remark on Friday when he was officiating at the closing ceremony of the second National Multisectoral Aids conference which took place at the Arusha International Conference Centre.
The President said people living with HIV/AIDS were full soldiers in the fight against AIDS, and thus they should not be stigmatised.
“They should be encouraged, loved and cared for,” he said adding: “Through doing so they will come out and become part of us in fighting the war.”
He said the war against AIDS is far from being won, but with other interventions combined with those living with the disease, whom the President said understand the epidemic better than anyone else, success will be achieved.
He told the 1000 delegates that though AIDS is not curable, it can be prevented.
Earlier, Prof. Fred Kaijage of Dar es Salaam University said that one third of the conference delegates were people living with HIV/AIDS.
Reading the conference declarations, Prof. Kaijage said that delegates have resolved that more effort should be put into the fight against the AIDS pandemic.
He said delegates in all their capacities as representatives of various organisations, as well as individuals, have vowed to ensure that they scale down HIV/AIDS if not contain it.
He appealed for more resources to be allocated to the HIV/AIDS fight. Meanwhile, President Karume has reiterated the need to make the youth pioneer the war against AIDS.
President Karume said it was high time that the elders let the youth speak and they (elders) listen.
The second national multisectoral AIDS conference was jointly organised by Tanzania AIDS Society and Tanzania Commission for AIDS.

Independent newspaper excites Zanzibaris

By Express Reporter

In a bid to revive what was once a diverse and dynamic press, several journalists in Zanzibar have launched the archipelago's first private newspaper for 40 years and Zanzibaris are excited about it. 
Dira, the Kiswahili word for "compass", is the first privately-run newspaper since the violent revolution in 1964 that led to Zanzibar's Union with Tanganyika and the formation of Tanzania. 
"We want to give people confidence that this is their country, that they can say what they think and that the constitution protects them," Ali Nabwa, the weekly newspaper's Managing Editor said.
"Because of this paper, people here are very excited, but they have been asking, 'Will it be able to continue? Will they allow you?'" Nabwa said. "But they are not doing us any favours by letting us publish. This is our constitutional right. So long as we do not commit an offence, they cannot ban the paper."
Nabwa admitted that there was pressure to "toe the line by praising the government", but he said that Dira would continue publishing stories that challenged the establishment. He cited the tendency of people to heap praise on Julius Nyerere, Tanzania's first president, while ignoring the government's abuse of detention powers during his rule and the mistreatment of Zanzibar, as issues that needed to be tackled.
Zanzibar, which had one of East Africa's most dynamic and politically diverse presses in the early 60s, has been ruled by the same party since the 1964 revolution. However, the archipelago is currently undergoing a process of political reconciliation following a period of uncertainty caused by elections in 2000, which the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) claims were flawed.
Commentators welcomed the arrival of a new publication in the Zanzibari media, but questioned whether the paper would be fully independent from a political ideology as well as being independent from the government. 
"This is typical for the Zanzibar political scene," a don at the University of Dar es Salaam noted. "Politics on the island are highly polarised between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and CUF, so you will find sections that are very excited, while, equally there will be those that won't even bother reading Dira."
"The publication may be seen by many as a mouthpiece for CUF, but, given the atmosphere of democratisation and reconciliation and the donor community's renewing interest in Zanzibar, I don't see the government wanting to be seen to be closing down newspapers," he concluded. 

China gives Zanzibar 1.2m US dollars
 

Saturday, December 14, 2002 .
By Guardian Reporter


The Chinese government has provided 1.2m US dollars assistance to the Revolutionary Government Zanzibar in order to ease transport problems in the isles.

The Minister of State in the President's Office Suleiman Nyanga and the Charge' d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Zanzibar, Li Quingjiang signed the agreement on behalf of their governments at the State House in Zanzibar yesterday.

Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume and Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Wang Yong Qui witnessed the signing ceremony.

Nyanga said the assistance would enable Zanzibar to buy lorries and buses which are essential for strengthening infrastructure and providing services to the public.

He said the assistance was just part of long-term bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various sectors of the economy.

Nyanga also attributed the current assistance to the visit of President Karume in China where he met the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin and Vice-President Hu Jintao last August.

Quingjiang said his country's support was aimed at contributing towards poverty alleviation measures in the isles by contributing to development.
The Chinese Ambassador, Wang Yong Qui, said his country was doing everything to strengthen its cooperation with Tanzania, not only for now, but for the future generations as well.

Relations between Tanzania and China stem from close friendship that existed between the founder leaders of the two countries, Mao Tsetung and Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

Never Lost At The Zanzibar Airport
 

There isn’t a single place in India where tourists would get such treatment and help
 

Bibek Debroy
Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay)
Tuesday, December 10, 2002

In last week’s column, I went to Arusha. I still haven’t got back. If you remember, I had to return via Zanzibar, Addis Ababa and Mumbai. The Arusha-Zanzibar leg was with a local carrier named Precision Air Services. And from Zanzibar I was with Ethiopian Airlines. How much time for transit makes you comfortable? Two hours? Depends on the airport and the airline.

If you and your bag are checked through and you have your boarding pass for the next sector, even one hour is fine. In this case, I couldn’t do that. Arusha to Zanzibar was Precision and they couldn’t check me or my bag through beyond Zanzibar. Actually, it was worse. Arusha-Zanzibar was domestic and Zanzibar onwards was international. Even though Arusha-Zanzibar was domestic, Zanzibar has a special relationship with Tanzania. I would still have to go through customs and immigration in Zanzibar.

I had exactly one and a half hours between Precision touchdown and Ethiopian takeoff. Hardly enough. Precision had no earlier flights. No options there. Ethiopian had no later flights. No options there either. I asked around to find out if Precision followed precise timings. It was more or less on time, I was told. More or less.

I checked-in at Arusha and kept my fingers crossed. My bag was checked-in and neatly tagged to Zanzibar. I had to make sure. From Zanzibar, the same flight would go on to Dar-Es-Salaam. I had a window seat. The flight began to taxi on time and then got held up. No take off. Kenya-Tanzania is the land of safaris and you can also go on these safaris in small planes. Several of these were landing. One, two, three, four, five.

With a single airstrip, not much better than a tarred road, we lost fifteen minutes. One hour and fifteen minutes between touchdown and takeoff. Was that enough or would I be stranded at Zanzibar? At least a hundred dollars on hotels. Precision was not a member of IATA. There was no way they were going to pay.

We touched down without further loss of time. It was then that I realised that despite Arusha-Zanzibar being domestic, I would have to do customs and immigration. And technically, I didn’t have a visa. Meaning, I possessed a single-entry visa and had used that up when I entered Arusha through Dar- Es-Salaam. I didn’t have a visa for a second entry into Tanzania, which is what I was now required to do. Appreciating my predicament, the immigration officer granted me the visa. After all, I was only going to spend one hour (that is all that was left now) in Zanzibar.

Now to retrieve my checked-in bag; go through customs and go around to the international section to search for Ethiopian. Where was my checked-in bag? It wasn’t there on the belt. Other passengers who got down at Zanzibar got their baggage. Where was mine?

I stood around, looking lost. If my bag was headed for Dar-Es-Salaam on a local carrier named Precision, I would never get it back. Was it on the plane at all or was it still at Arusha? Within five minutes, I was accosted by three people. Two male and one female. Initially, I was suspicious. But soon realised from the tags that hung around their necks that they worked for the Zanzibar Airport Authority. They would help me. Out came the walkie talkies. Messages went to the Precision plane still parked there. Hunt for a missing bag. No luck.

Where was the damned bag? Could I produce the token? They would match the number on the token with numbers on baggage still on the plane. The token was taken to the plane. A search followed. Still no luck. Half-an-hour left for the Ethiopian plane to depart. Should I just forget my bag and go and check-in?

The Airport Authority people wouldn’t give up that easily. Could I describe the bag? I did and that didn’t help. I had better come and search for the bag myself. So I was escorted onto the plane and into the baggage hold. Sifting through luggage of all shapes, sizes and hues. No signs of my bag. It simply wasn’t there.

Someone had a bright idea. There was more luggage in the tail of the plane. That’s where we should go and look. Sifting through baggage once again. When I was about to give up, I found it. In the remotest corner of the tail. In the darkest recess possible. The tag to Zanzibar had come off. The bag was wedged-in upside down, so that my description of colour hadn’t helped. The colour couldn’t be seen.

Now what? Don’t worry, said the Airport Authority people. Fifteen minutes left for Ethiopian to depart.

Upon their instructions, I left my bag there. One person zipped me through customs. Another took over and I was at the Ethiopian check-in. Check-in had been asked to wait. Yet another person had carted my bag to check-in. I was zipped through airport tax, emigration and security check and was at the boarding gate — boarding pass and baggage tag in hand. Five minutes left to board.

I was so relieved that I unnecessarily bought a large number of Zanzibar T-shirts. Perhaps it was a way of saying ‘thank you’ and I hope I am back in Zanzibar some day. There was such a desperate hurry that I never got a chance to thank all these Airport Authority people.

I can’t think of a single place in India (including the pseudo privatised Kochi) where a tourist would get such treatment and such help. Come to think of it, I can’t think of too many places in the world either. Perhaps none at all. Is it surprising that Zanzibar attracts many more tourists than all of India does? I hope someone from Zanzibar or Tanzania reads this column.

Kenya-Tanzania are about game parks. Having been to Tanzania, I did visit a game park. Saw hundreds of giraffes and thousands of flamingoes. Other animals (monkeys, zebras, wild buffaloes) weren’t that numerous. But after all, I had expected animals at the game park. These are written about all the time. The treatment in Zanzibar airport was completely unexpected.

Book on exotic Zanzibari cuisine
 

By Nasser Al Harthy

MUSCAT — A subtly written and well-illustrated culinary book with easy-to-understand instructions on exotic dishes from Zanzibar that was launched recently is sure to provide an experience of pure cooking pleasure.

It might be hard for the uninformed to fully understand, but it is no overstatement to say that in Zanzibar, an appreciation of good food and the art of eating well run thick in the blood.

What makes this book by Zarina Jafferji, a Zanzibari living in the UK, so special and in a way unique is that while a good Zanzibari cuisine can be considered as the epitome of gastronomic excellence, only very few dishes have found their way into the mainstream restaurants.

The book, entitled A Taste of Zanzibar and published by the Gallery Publications, illustrates the fondness and passion for cooking and the aromas and flavours of food that reflect the culinary influences and diversity of the island, also known as Spice Island where Zarina grew up.

“I was born and grew up in Zanzibar till my secondary school, then I went to London,” Zarina told the Times of Oman.

“I did not know how to cook when I arrived in the UK, I had to fend for myself and do all my dishes. So that’s when my interest in cooking started”.

She explained that it was on the encouragement of her nephew, Javed Jafferji, a professional photographer with a number of books on Zanzibar already published, then living in London she started writing a culinary book devoted to the island.

Zarina noted that the only Zanzibari restaurant in London was opened recently and that she would have loved to create one and share her recipes with others. But for now she is busy with her travel and tourism business.

According to the author, the book that was published in Zanzibar in March this year was well received in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The author was born in Zanzibar, and lived there in the Stone Town until she moved to the UK in 1961 as a student. Her passion for flavours and recipes began naturally by entertaining people.

Despite being based in Britain, Zarina has returned to Zanzibar several times a year, finding new recipes and witnessing the fusion of traditional Zanzibari cuisine with influences from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. She is dedicated to bringing Zanzibar’s exceptional food to a world-wide audience, and ensuring that its cookery traditions are only enhanced, and not lost, in the Zanzibar of the 21st century.

The book contains over hundred tempting recipes of a wide variety of Zanzibari dishes. Recipes are written with simple and instructions that are easy to follow, using ingredients, which are readily available.

Zanzibari food itself is as varied as the dishes on the menu in the book. The cuisine is composed of an abundance of different ingredients and spices. The influence of Arabia and India and abundance of spices has made it possible for staples to be cooked in a variety of ways. For example rice can be simply boiled or it can be cooked in coconut milk, with spices such cardamom, cinnamon and cloves added to create pulau or biryani dishes. Besides, fish may be marinated in spices and then fried, or grilled and cooked in coconut milk sauce. Simple dishes are given a hint of Arabia with a dash of rosewater or the exotic tang of lemongrass thrown in for good measure.

Zanzibari cooking is an easy step-by-step process, and perhaps that is what may intimidate some of those who otherwise like to try their hands when it comes to kitchen creativity, but a good Zanzibari cuisine as the book shows can be easily embraced into the private homes.

The basic meal involves strong aromatic coffee spiced with cardamom and ginger, which is served in small porcelain cups.

Then for the meal itself a mat is often spread on the floor and a large communal platter with a variety of foods placed in the centre. The meal ends with more coffee, this time served with halwa, while a perfumed incense burner is brought around to each guest.

In her book, Zarina offers an opportunity of transporting a small piece of Zanzibar to kitchens. In Zanzibar many of the dishes come and go with the seasons but today even the most exotic ingredients are available.

Mkapa firm on revamping Police Force

By Peter Nyanje

President Benjamin Mkapa will revamp the Police force in an effort to implement recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Zanzibar crisis of January 26 and 27 last year.

The President made the vow to implement the recommendation Wednesday at the opening of the formal Consultative Group Meeting for Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.

The recommendation, appearing in paragraph 633(c) of the report, reads: `The police should be better trained to improve their technical capacity and should be better equipped to deal with crime, so as to reduce incidents of excessive use of force.'

"This is recommendation I intend to implement with diligence," President Mkapa said in Dar es Salaam when officiating at the opening of the formal Consultative Group Meeting for Tanzania, which brings together the government and donor agencies to scrutinize the performance of the economic recovery programmes in the past year.

The report pinned the blame on the Police Force for gross abuse of human rights committed by its members when dealing with the demonstrators in Zanzibar and Pemba on January 26 and 27 last year.

The commission said on its report, which was made public over a week ago, that even people who were arrested were beaten up and tortured by the police.

President Mkapa related the circumstance with lack of economic muscle, which hinders the government and its organs to discharge its duties and responsibilities equitably.

"Only more resources for training, for the law and order infrastructure and for operational expenses can stem the increasing tide of deaths related to weaknesses in security, law and order and increased incidents of terrorism," he said.

He reminded his audience, including a number of representatives from donor organs and ambassadors, that economic gains, which Tanzania boasts today, are a result of peace and stability, which has prevailed in the country.

He noted that it is undeniable that peace and security is prerequisite for good governance, observation of human rights and creation of a conducive environment for investment, growth and development.

However, he said, there was a cost of maintaining the peace and security and donors should extend their support in this regard to ensure that what has been achieved is not lost.

"All that we are doing, or are planning to do, makes one very important assumption: That Tanzania will remain peaceful and stable. There is a cost of making the country peaceful and stable. Economic growth and sustainable development are all contingent upon the security of our borders and the maintenance of law and order within our borders," he said.

Therefore, President Mkapa encouraged the donors to assist Tanzania as it strives to improve and maintain peace and tranquility.

He said that the commission was one of alternate ways, which has helped to calm political tensions in the Isles as a result of animosity between the two major political parties, the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF).

The animosity resulted from last general elections disputes but since then, the Zanzibar and Union governments have marshalled their resources to amend the situation for betterment of Zanzibar and its people.

"In Zanzibar and especially in Pemba, there is a visible movement of society from an atmosphere of tension, mistrust, animosity and non-cooperation that prevailed before the muafaka to that of measured tolerance, detente and cooperation," he said.

Zanzibar: Mental health case study

By Daniel Dickinson

BBC Africa Live! in Dar es Salaam

Sunday, 24 November, 2002

In a small roughly constructed house in Zanzibar’s Stone Town, thirty-nine year old Raya Ahmed Mohammed sits absent-mindedly on her bed in the half-light of dusk.

What do you think about mental health? Have your say with Africa Live!

She stares into the distance. Her television and radio remain switched off.

Twenty years ago Raya began experiencing psychiatric problems and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

She has been on medication for most of that time, but it often makes her drowsy and emotional and can markedly slow her speech.

But unlike many of the people who suffer psychological problems in Zanzibar, Raya was willing to speak to me about living with schizophrenia.

“I can’t do anything, I have a disease,” she said.

“I’m feeling bad today. I’m not happy. I don’t feel angry, I just feel as though I have problems all the time.

“I take my drugs - they just make me want to sleep most of the time.”

Causes

Raya was once a promising student with excellent grades at school. Her family has given different accounts of her illness.

One version suggests that she studied hard at school and was disappointed with her results and that somehow that disappointment triggered the schizophrenia.

Another version of her story indicates that, on completion of her education, she went on to work as a civil servant and had a later relapse.

Either way, Raya’s hopes of leading a fulfilling life have been disappointed. ‘I’m afraid,” she says.

“I’m afraid things won’t work out well for me. I’m afraid about how I will live in the future.”

The medication has never completely blotted out the voices Raya hears or the feeling that she is being constantly watched.

Her family spends about $20 a month on medication, a considerable amount of money on an island where the average wage for people in work is around $60-70 a month.

Some drugs are obtainable free from the Kidongo Chenkundu Mental Hospital where Raya is an out-patient.

The building itself was built just after World War II and is beginning to show its age, with leaking roofs and crumbling walls.

There is no money to repair those problems; the priority is first to repair the one broken telephone line the hospital owns.

Constraints

Mahmound Mussa, Zanzibar’s mental health co-ordinator, told me the hospital was hampered by an acute shortage of funds.

“The main constraint is the lack of drugs,” Mussa said.

“If we had enough money we could buy more drugs and treat more people at home. Our aim to provide a proper care in the community service.”

Once in hospital, patients are offered occupational therapy. It can include instruction in life skills such as cooking or washing clothes and trades like carpentry or basket weaving.

Occupational therapy is playing an increasingly important role, partly due to the fact that the hospital has plenty of nurses who can facilitate the programme.

But what Kidongo Chenkundu Mental Hospital does not have a lot of is psychiatrists.

Traditional approach

Dr Abdul Wakil Idrissa is the hospital’s only psychiatrist and he is part-time - one of around twelve psychiatrists in the whole of Tanzania.

“We can only move ahead with more psychiatrists,” he said.

“At the moment it is not seen as an attractive branch of medicine so we need the government to offer incentives to students to encourage them to become psychiatrists.”

The hospital dispenses its medicines free of charge. When it runs out of drugs or does not stock them the patient or their family has to buy them.

The cost of medication is one reason why many sufferers of psychological disorders are first taken to see a traditional healer.

The healers offer some interesting approaches which are based on the Koran and which appeal to Zanzibar’s largely Muslim population.

They include writing passages of the text with a special ink and then drinking the ink.

In the early days of her illness, Raya Ahmed Mohammed’s family consulted a traditional healer, with mixed results.

“Sometimes, I felt better,” said Raya, “but only for short periods of time.”

Police Guilty of Zanzibar Abuses
 

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

November 26, 2002

Human rights violations by an ill-equipped and under-trained police force, as well as inflammatory speeches and articles in the press, were some of the causes of last year's political violence in Zanzibar, a presidential commission of inquiry has concluded.

The commission, set up by President Benjamin Mkapa and chaired by Brig-Gen Hashim Mbita, also proposes a joint declaration between the parties involved - the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the opposition Civic Untied Front (CUF) - in order to promote reconciliation and the development of multiparty politics in Tanzania.

The release of the report, which looks at the events of 26 and 27 January 2001, during which 31 civilians were killed by police in election-related violence, has long been awaited in Tanzania and also by international human rights organisations.

In line with its terms of reference, the commission sought to establish the facts of the killings and to recommend ways of preventing future violence, rather than identifying those responsible and seeking to punish them.

Last year's violence erupted between police and CUF supporters on the Zanzibari island of Pemba. CUF supporters were demonstrating against the results of the October 2000 elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging and intimidation.

According to the commission's report, 31 people were killed, 294 people injured and several thousand forced to flee to neighbouring Kenya.

The 180-page document suggests that while there were violations committed by the police, a better equipped and trained police force would not have used live ammunition to disperse the crowds. This would have meant the number of deaths and the overall effects of the riots would have been significantly decreased.

In the report, politicians and media alike are also warned against using unnecessarily inflammatory language when they should be helping to develop democracy and practising responsible journalism.

Mbita's commission recommends that, in the future, such political disputes be resolved by a council of elders, religious leaders, academics and retired public servants, and that the CCM and the CUF sign a joint declaration apologising for the damage caused.

"The commission considers that such a statement, if supported by the government, will be of greater value to the victims than any consolation money," the report stated. However, the commission also suggests that the government should compensate those who sustained serious injuries in the clashes, as far as the government believes is necessary.

While they claim not to have had time to read the report in depth, CUF leaders appear to be satisfied, at least with the publication of such a report in Dar es Salaam.

"It is a positive development that the government publicised the report, because the tradition here is usually that these reports are not publicised. This time they have made good their word," CUF Secretary-General Seif Sharif Hamad told IRIN on Monday.

However, Hamad warned that the commission's report might be met with mixed reactions on the Zanzibari archipelago. "I think there will be varied feelings on Zanzibar. There will be those who will want those responsible to be dealt with, and I think others will think that the recommendations meet their expectations."

Likewise, diplomats in Dar es Salaam noted that the report, or at least a summary of it, should also be made available in English, as well as the original Kiswahili version, as there was much international interest in the commission's findings.

Hatred, intolerance led to Zanzibar killings

 Sapa-AFP

25/11/2002 (SA)

Dar es Salaam - Hatred and lack of political tolerance have been blamed for the deaths of more than 30 people during clashes between riot police and demonstrators in Tanzania's off-shore islands of Zanzibar and Pemba in January last year, an inquiry report released here on Sunday said.

"Lack of a code of conduct for political parties and inflammable political speeches were the main reasons that promoted hatred, emotions and misunderstandings prior to the clashes," the commission, which probed the deaths, said in a 180-page report presented to Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa earlier this month.

It suggested that Tanzania's ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM -Revolutionary Party) and the main opposition Civic United Front (CUF) issue a joint declaration of forgiveness to each other and pledge to open a new chapter of cooperation for the good of the nation.

Those killed during the clashes, which it said officially numbered 31, were mostly members and supporters of CUF, with only one policeman among them.

CUF supporters had taken to the streets pressing for fresh elections in the semi-autonomous twin-Indian Ocean islands, alleging the October-November 2000 presidential and parliamentary elections in Zanzibar and Pemba were flawed.

They were also demanding a reform of the constitution and electoral laws.

The report called on the Tanzanian government to advise political parties to carry out party reforms and create codes of conduct that would ban inflammatory statements and speeches to head off similar incidents in the future.

The report recommended reasonable compensation by the government to bereaved families, and those injured or raped during the January 26 and 27, 2001 mayhem.

The appointment of the commission last January came three months after CUF and CCM signed an agreement to end years of hostilities between their supporters.

Last July, the Zanzibar legislature amended the constitution to allow the opposition to be represented for the first time in the electoral commission. - Sapa-AFP

The magical Island of Zanzibar

By Sakina Zainul Datoo

The winning article - second prize in the 'Impressions of Tanzania' travel writing contest 11/02

Remember that dream about being secluded in a real island away from the norms of what has become a uniformly globalised world? Remember the feeling of romance as your imagination led you into a truly romantic bygone era? Remember how flimsy the dream felt when you woke up to the reality that holiday destinations have all become monotonous offering the same classy hotels and golden beaches but nothing truly original and exotic enough to match your dream? Well, think again! The truth is, a magical island offering both an exotic and modern atmosphere in absolutely perfect proportions, to not only match your imagination but surpass it, actually exists in this world! Tucked away in the Indian Ocean, falling within the United Republic of Tanzania in East Africa is the hidden magical island of Zanzibar that you cannot afford to miss sampling. Take my word for it!

So, allow me to lead you to this unique island - locally called Unguja and rest assured that you are in for a treat. In this era of marketing mania, rarely is one treated to more than, if at all even equal to, what is promised. Not so though in Zanzibar.

As you walk through the winding alleys of what is a world preserved Stone Town, the history of life hundreds of years ago that you only thought belonged in story books, unfolds into a present day reality. It is by no means an exaggeration to say you feel thrown back in time to a culture that is a mixture of Arabic, Indian and Swahili origins. Very narrow paths merging into each other with 1,700 exotic structures of different architectural styles gracing huge antique doors make up the entire Stone Town area - stretching one hundred and twelve hectares. What is absolutely amazing is witnessing the life of locals who live in those alleys. Walk into a home to an open hospitality that would be hard to match anywhere. You can witness women whose dressing is influenced by Arabic culture, cooking food that has an Indian influence on an ancient cooking system typically Swahili. An absolutely unique mixture to match.

And that isn't all. In the evenings, you will encounter local women selling the ever popular Zanzibari mix - a mouth watering mixture of potato gravy, Indian bhajia, potato crisps and the very Tanzanian nyama choma - barbecue meat -- all in one bowl sprinkled with spices and chillies that will have your taste buds venturing into an unreal world of pleasure. And get this - you could easily collect your experiences and while they are as fresh as the food still in your mouth, you can pop into one of the hundreds of Internet cafes littered around the paths and e-mail the details to anyone listening in the wide world out there.

And then as the evening draws into the moonlight night, you can watch the transformation that only nature can manage. As the Forodhani sea-front area - overlooking the massive ocean next to the port settles into a dusky glow and sunset boating takes off, on the shores a heavenly feast opens up amidst kerosene lamps.

It is both interesting and amusing to witness visitors examining with great curiosity the feast laid out in the open. As the mishkaki's - barbecued meat -- and local selection of fishes trickle down the throats, tantalizing untampered taste buds to Tanzanian -- in particular Zanzibari meatbits - 'aahs' and 'wows' can be heard everywhere. This is until you yourself have sampled one of the hundreds of seafood and other varieties available. The amusement of watching others then stops as you get totally engrossed in the delicacies, the food and the environment making the experience that you'd absolutely have to agree is out of this world.

The best part of holidaying in Zanzibar is that the fun and variety doesn't end in the Stone Town. Every other fun activity one can think of is on offer. With a bit of bargaining, you can find a good car at a good price to drive you to one of the many beach resorts on the island. And trust me, you are in for another real treat when you get there.

Absolutely clear water, so transparent that you can see your feet clearly await to soak you amidst very soft, white silvery sand. Whether it's the water sports you are interested in, swimming with dolphins, coral watching or simply swimming in the dazzling beaches and sunbathing on caressing sand amidst glorious sunshine, it's all available for a decent price.

The world famous beaches are not the only joy of Zanzibar. The traditions and history is what mesmerises you and makes your trip a worthwhile experience. Mind you, Zanzibar is not called a Spice Island for nothing. An organised spice tour will bring you in touch with smells and tastes you couldn't imagine existed. Truly, Zanzibar never ceases to amaze. Everyday there is something new to discover, see, feel and experience.

Accommodation on offer ranges according to your pocket size. First class hotels like the Zanzibar Serena Inn in town and others at beach resorts such as Breeze Beach Club, and Nungwi Village Beach Resort stop at nothing in offering world's finest services. It is advisable to book in advance for reasonably priced hotels though, plenty as they are, since they sell out pretty fast especially in peak season when the weather is cool and dry especially from August to October. However you can always find 'messengers' from hotels cramped at the port ready to find you a modest spot to lodge in.

Taarab music, hit all along the East African coastline had it's birth in this special island more than a century ago so you are not to leave without the melody that would bring your dreamy trip to a proper climax.

Zanzibaris know only too well that as you are ready to leave the historical island, not really ready actually, because that you can never be, but when you absolutely have to leave, your greatest desire will be to want to carry a piece of Zanzibar with you. Something that you will look at a hundred times a day and on a gloomy night far off, and will remind you of your special time in Unguja.

Being a dhow (traditional Arab ship) town, you can find lots of impressions and dhow replicas to accompany you. Alternatively, there are a variety of Zanzibar's world-renowned spices, traditional brass coffee urns with charcoal braziers, and amazing carvings. Other souvenirs to watch out for include local printed cotton materials - Khangas, traditional footwear and headgear, the famous Tanzanite (exclusively mined in Tanzania) and other stones, books, maps and a large selection of postcards amongst others to remind you of a real jewel in the world's holiday spots.

Every great traveller and explorer has had to visit Zanzibar for a truly complete intinerary and discovery of the globe we live in. But exploration doesn't have to be limited to great, famous people. Make a self-discovery by exploring the dreamy magical Spice Island of Unguja this holiday season.

Karibu sana!

Police to grill women beating Muslim clerics
 

Monday, November 18, 2002 .
By Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Police Force will interrogate Makuti Mosque clerics after its worshippers beat up and threatened further beatings of women clad in tight and short dresses.
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP), Juma Mtumwa Abdallah, said here Sunday the move follows a complaint made by the family of one of the harassed women due to increased threats.
"We are going to question them on a request by the affected woman's family and for uttering defiant words after the arrest of Mohamed Juma Hamad by the police for allegedly beating up the woman before we take him to court," he said.

Police reports show that Hamad is facing two charges of attacking and canning a lady, Farida Elia.
Hamad was brought before Mwanakwereke Resident Magistrate's Court last week where the Magistrate read him his charges. Hamad was remanded after failing to raise a 50,000/- bail.

"The police force is all out to fight those calling themselves as 'Allah Lions', we assure the public and law abiding citizens that we will wipe out these negative elements bent to create unnecessary interference to individuals freedom," vowed SACP Abdallah. He further revealed that the Police force is hunting for the 'Allah Lions' ringleaders wherever they are for questioning.
The police officer said his force was against a move by some people seeking to hide behind religious cover to ill-treat law abiding citizens.

"Such incidences pose a threat to the rule of law, if they have genuine grievances then they should come to the police not for them to take the law on their own hands," SACP Abdallah said.
There is a heavy police presence in most parts of Zanzibar Urban district in what seems to be the efforts by the force to protect women from the wrath of the group.

Hamad claims 300m/- damages from newspapers
 

Monday, November 18, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Secretary General of the Civic United Front (CUF), Seif Shariff Hamad, is demanding a 300m/- compensation for what he alleges as defamation by two local newspapers.
In letters addressed to the editors of Kiswahili dailies, Uhuru and Majira, Hamad demands the firms publishing the two papers to pay him 250m/- and 50m/-, respectively out of court.
The letters have been drawn by Nassor and Associates Ltd., a Zanzibar law firm, where in addition to the cash payment, the two papers are also asked to make written apologies in their papers.

Hamad alleges that one of the papers wrote a story claiming that he had asked his party's youths, the Blue Guards, to get prepared to fight state security organs.
Hamad's advocates allege in their letter that reports from the two newspapers have tarnished the image of their client before the public and political stakeholders, locally and internationally where he enjoys high esteem and good working ties with the international community.
In addition to being paid 250m/- by Uhuru out of court, Hamad also wants the paper to publish a front page apology story in three separate issues for the same purpose.

Sources close to Hamad have also said he is not happy with provocative statements from the CCM Youth Wing that he promotes hatred which threaten national peace instead of unity and harmony.
The sources further disclosed that Hamad was furious because of the fact that the CCM youth wing leaders are attacking him while aware that he was doing all he could to promote a good working environment with the ruling party and in defending and protecting the historical CCM/CUF accord known as muafaka.

On the part of Majira, the CUF secretary general's demand for 50m/- pay is in connection with a story which claimed that he was being used by some elements to disorganise, split and later kill the CUF, the main opposition party in the Isles.
Majira is supposed to make the payments available in two weeks time before a court action is instituted against it, according to the statement.

Hamad disputed the Majira news item saying within CUF there have never been divisions. Instead the party is currently enjoying very strong unity under the leadership of the National Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba.

Six football legends will be honoured

The Nation
November 16, 2002
Charles Nyende
Nairobi

[Excerpts]

Six football legends will be honoured by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association on November 29 in Mwanza Tanzania before the Senior Challenge kicks off.

Among the recipients is former Harambee Stars team manager Joe Kadenge whose contribution to soccer in the region from the times of the Gossage Cup is immense. Kadenge has been recently nominated as on of the International Cricket Council Goodwill ambassadors for the Cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa next year.
Kadenge will be renewing his acquaintance with Tanzania's Mathias Kissa who also played at the Gossage Cup.

One of the greatest mid-fielders to emerge from the region, Mengistu Worku from Ethiopia is also on the list. He steered Ethiopia to the final of the African Nations Cup in 1976. The Federation of Uganda Football Associations chairman, Denis Obua who was in the Uganda Cranes 1978 team which was beaten by Ghana 2-1 in the Africa Nations Cup final is also a recipient. Another player on the roll is goalkeeper Hamid Breima from Sudan.

There are three former referees on the roll. These are the Cecafa president Farah Addo from Somalia, Said Ali of Zanzibar and Tesfaye Gebreyesus who officiated at three African Nations Cup finals. He is now a CAF instructor for referees.

The distinguished honour for selfless contribution to the development of soccer in the region will be given to Rwanda President Paul Kagame.

CCM CONGRESS ENDS:
Six ministers fall as Mkapa, Karume, Malecela win

By Lwaga Mwambande, Dodoma


(EXCERPTS)

The CCM National Congress climaxed in style yesterday when results for the leadership positions in the party were announced.

There were five groups of voting for the 85 NEC seats, which are Women (20 seats), Youths (15), Parents (10), Zanzibar (20) and Mainland (20).

Winners in the group and their votes in brackets are:

On the Zanzibar category winners are Dr Shein (1,538), Nahodha (1,521), Dr Salim Ahmed Salim (1,505), Dr Mohamed Billal ( 1,320), Minister Omari Ramadhani Mapuri (1,300), Ambassador Ahmed Hassan Diria (1,197), Minister Mohammed Seif Khatib (1,155), Drig.Gen. Adam Mwakanjuki (1,124), Deputy CCM Secretary General Seif Iddi (1,078), East African MP Julius Sepetu (1,036), Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Abdukader Shareef (999), Vuai Ali Vuai (984), Zanzibar AG Iddi Pandu Hassan (943), Mansour Yusu Himid (859), Dr. Ishau Khamis (856), Khadija Aboud (687), Abdallah Khamis Feruzi (672), Salum Msaba Mbarouk (672), Thuwaybah Kissasi (643) and Kidawa Khamis Saleh (643).

On the part of winners for women from Zanzibar are Fatma Said Ali (1,105), Amina Salum Ali (1,074), Asha Bakari Makame (877), Yasmin Aloo (837), Catherine Nao (784), Samia Suluhu Hassan (783) and Mvita Musa Kibendera (670).

Youth NEC members from Zanzibar are Amina Mbarouk (1,136), Dogo Mabrouk Juma (1,084), Mzee Ali Pira (1.073), Tunu Kondo (898), Mwanaidi Musa (848) and Msham Saidi Msham (824).

NEC members from Zanzibar on the parents group are Rufea Juma Mbarouk (951), Zainab Omar Mohamed (874), Asha Makwega (859) and Hassan Rajab Khatib (838).


Soon after completion of the announcement of winners by the election committee leader, Pius Msekwa, the Chimwaga conference hall broke into cheers and celebrations which lasted for several minutes as the party’s band, TOT continued to make delegates jubilant with their numbers.
When Malecela was announced to have won the post, his daughter Mwendwa Malecela wanted to go to congratulate him, but was blocked by security officers something which made her break into tears of joy and frustration.
The mood in the hall was that of victory to the extent that it was even difficult to notice those who have been defeated.
However, some complained over the party regulations which do not allow each contestant to have a representative during counting of votes.
There was a special committee, which was in charge of the elections.

International Religious Freedom Report 2002

Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

U.S. Department of State.

Section II. Status of Religious Freedom 

[Excerpts only] for full text see:  http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2002/13859.htm  

The (Tanzania) Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice, subject to measures that it claims are necessary to ensure public order and safety; however, there were a few limits on this right.

In October 2001, the Zanzibar Government passed a bill to establish an Islamic leader (mufti) office on the island, similar to an office on the mainland. Government officials claimed that a mufti office was needed to coordinate Islamic activities and improve religious understanding; however, several Muslim organizations criticized the proposal as an effort by the union Government to institutionalize government oversight of Islamic organizations.

Prior to 2000, religious groups were exempt from paying taxes because they were presumed to be nonprofit organizations. The Government discovered in 1998 that some religious groups were importing goods duty-free and then selling them for a profit and began requiring these groups to pay taxes. After successfully identifying these organizations, the Government allowed legitimate religious groups to order goods internationally without paying duty, provided that they receive an exemption certificate from the Tanzania Revenue Authority.

Customary or statutory law in both civil and criminal matters governs Christians. Islamic law is applicable only for civil matters in Zanzibar; it is not applicable for Muslims on the mainland. Zanzibar's court system generally parallels the mainland's legal system but retains Islamic courts to adjudicate cases of Muslim family law, such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance; however, Muslims may choose to apply civil law in these matters instead of Islamic law. Islamic courts only adjudicate cases involving Muslims.

The Government has banned religious organizations from involvement in politics, and politicians are banned from using language intended to incite one religious group against another or to encourage religious groups to vote for certain political parties. The law imposes fines and jail time on political parties that campaign in houses of worship or educational facilities.

The Government does not designate religion on any passports or records of vital statistics; however, it requires an individual's religion to be stated on police reports, school registration forms, and applications for medical care.

Government policy forbids discrimination against any individual on the basis of religious beliefs or practices; however, individual government officials are alleged to favor persons who share the same religion in the conduct of business. The Muslim community claims to be disadvantaged in terms of its representation in the civil service, government, and parastatal institutions, in part because both colonial and early post-independence administrations refused to recognize the credentials of traditional Muslim schools. As a result, there is broad Muslim resentment of certain advantages that Christians are perceived to enjoy in employment and educational opportunities. Muslim leaders have complained that the number of Muslim students invited to enroll in government-run schools still was not equal to the number of Christians. In turn Christians criticize what they perceive as lingering effects of undue favoritism accorded to Muslims in appointments, jobs, and scholarships by former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, a Muslim. Christian leaders agree that the Muslim student population in institutions of higher learning is disproportionately low; however, they blame this condition on historical circumstances and low school attendance rates by Muslims rather than discrimination.

The Government failed to respond to growing tensions between the Muslim and Christian communities (see Section III). The Government recognized that a problem exists, but it chose not to take action. The Government cancelled several meetings with Muslim and Christian leaders aimed at improving relations between the two communities. Even senior Muslim officials in the Government appear unwilling to address the problem, apart from general criticism of those who would foment religious conflict. In 1999 President Mkapa met with leaders of the Muslim community at a Dar es Salaam mosque to listen to their grievances and propose solutions; however, urban Muslim leaders claim that no action has been taken to address their concerns.

The overall situation for women is less favorable in Zanzibar, which has a majority Muslim population, than on the mainland. Although women generally are not discouraged from seeking employment outside the home, women of Zanzibar, and on many parts of the mainland, face discriminatory restrictions on inheritance and ownership of property because of concessions by the Government and courts to customary and Islamic law. While provisions of the Marriage Act provide for certain inheritance and property rights for women, the application of customary, Islamic, or statutory law depends on the lifestyle and stated intentions of the male head of household. The courts have upheld discriminatory inheritance claims, primarily in rural areas. Under Zanzibari law, unmarried women under the age of 21 who become pregnant are subject to 2 years' imprisonment.

In December 2001, police on Zanzibar arrested more than 20 leaders of the Muslim Answar Sunna group for conducting Eid el Fitr prayers on a day other than the one designated by the Government of Zanzibar.

Salmin Amour  will not seek re-election as CCM vice-chairman in Zanzibar.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 24 (AFP) -

Tanzania's ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM -
Revolutionary Party) will next Tuesday begin a national congress to chart out
policies and elect its top leadership, the party announced here Thursday.
The congress, to be held from October 29-31 in the administrative capital
Dodoma, is to elect a national chairman, his two deputies and 85 members of
the national executive committee.
Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa is expected to be re-elected CCM
chairman for another five-year term, but Zanzibar former president Salmin
Amour has said he will not seek re-election as CCM vice-chairman in Zanzibar.
The decision by Amour to step down has led to speculation that he was
paving the way for current Zanzibar President Amani Karume to run for the post
and consolidate his political authority in the country.
Zanzibar and Pemba are semi-autonomous Indian Ocean islands off the coast,
which form part of Tanzania.
It is not yet clear whether the current CCM vice-chairman John Malecela,
will seek re-election after serving on the post for the last 10 years.
Malecela was elected to the post in 1992, when he was Tanzania's prime
minister and first vice-president.
Several foreign political parties, including those which formerly embraced
socialist policies, like the CCM, have been invited to attend the meeting.
CCM Secretary General Philip Mangula had earlier announced that Mozambican
President Joaquim Chissano is expected in Tanzania on Monday at the head of
his ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) party delegation to the
meeting.

Muslim clerics order prostitutes
off Zanzibar streets

Wednesday, October 23, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Muslim clerics have ordered prostitutes off Zanzibar Streets before the commencement of the Holy Month of Ramadhan and threaten to conduct a house-to-house search to identify those who will defy the order.
The clerics issued the warning on Monday when addressing a rally at Baja grounds.
Led by Sheikh Issa Luvanda, the clerics said the move aims at fighting the increasing rate of prostitution in the streets of Zanzibar.
They said they had decided to mount a war against prostitution not only because the practice is against religious teachings, but also because it endanger people's lives given the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS infection.
In order to make sure the women, who have been carrying out the illegal business, vacate the town, the religious leaders said they were determined to campaign for isolation of people who have leased their houses to prostitutes.
"We know where you (the prostitutes) live, we want you to leave Zanzibar before the commencement of the holy month of Ramadhan," said Sheikh Issa.
The religious leaders also condemned the government regulation that requires those wishing to hold religious meetings to seek a permit saying the move contradicts the principles of good governance.

Isles Pass 'Simple Majority' Law

The East African (Nairobi)

October 14, 2002
Posted to the web October 18, 2002

Faustine Rwambali
Nairobi

THE BILL to amend the Zanzibar Election Act of 1984 was last week tabled in the Zanzibar House of Representatives amid opposition from the Civic United Front (CUF).

Zanzibar Attorney General Iddi Pandu Hassan tabled the Bill, which sought to amend the Zanzibar Election Act 1984, describing it as aimed at "enhancing multiparty democracy on the Isles."

The CCM representatives passed the Bill unanimously. The House has no CUF representatives.

The main provisions in the Bill were the introduction of a simple majority victory for presidential contenders instead of the previous requirement where the winner was required to get 51 per cent of the total votes.

The provision that required a court deposit in cash from election appellants was also scrapped. According to the new law, persons who want to appeal against the election results are not required to pay any deposit.

The Bill also defines the role of shehas (local administrators), which is to be confined to the registration exercise only, while agents at polling stations will represent parties and not candidates.

The law also introduces permanent voter registers that will apply in the 2005 election. There shall be different dates for Zanzibar and Union government elections.

CUF secretary general Seif Sharrif Hamad told The EastAfrican last week that his party had categorically stated that it was not comfortable with some provisions in the Bill.

"This issue is at the level of a committee of secretary generals of CCM and CUF; CCM has promised to deal with the matter and make some changes in the law," he said. "At this moment I cannot comment because CCM has promised to solve this problem," he said. Two weeks ago, a delegation from the Presidential Supervisory Committee on the implementation of the CCM-CUF agreement sought an appointment with the Zanzibar president, Amani Abeid Karume over the Bill.

Ismail Yussa, one of the CUF members of the Committee told The EastAfrican that the Committee has sought an audience with the president due to what he described as "Zanzibar's government going offstage of the agreement" by insisting on tabling the Bill without reaching any compromise. There were some provisions we had not agreed with the government in the new Bill, especially on the role of the shehas; and we did not give a direct answer on how the President of Zanzibar is to be elected, but the office of the Attorney General has used its muscle to table the Bill without considering such controversy," he said.

"We are still in discussions with the Zanzibar government over the Bill and we have sought an appointment with President Karume to discuss this matter. We do not have confidence in the government over the implementation of the CCM-CUF agreement," he added.

Commenting on the CCM-CUF agreement, a political scientist based in Dar es Salaam, Michael Okema, said: "The mistaken notion is that an agreement signals the end of a crisis. This is wrong, since in reality an agreement reflects the crisis itself, only that it is moving from the confrontational to the negotiating form."

On the other hand, he says, when people are truly tired of the crisis, then the agreement will reflect that tiredness and it will be followed. At that point, all the interested parties know they cannot win, and they come to a compromise, as happened in Namibia (1980) and South Africa (1994).

Zanzibar, Tanga shine in Mombasa ping pong 

Friday,  Octoberr 11, 2002

By  Guardian Reporter

Zanzibar and Tanga got off to a flying start in the East Africa Inter-City Table Tennis Championship last Wednesday at the Aga Khan Sports Centre in Mombasa, Kenya.

Masoud Mcha of Zanzibar defeated Mombasa’s Murtaza Mohamed 3-1 (1-7, 11-5, 12-10) in the team’s event. 
Paras Shah of Mombasa went down 3-2 (11-8, 12-11, 10-11, 10-12, 11-9) to Seif Ali of Zanzibar. Rashid Shariff of Zanzibar completed the rout against Mombasa’s Adnanah Tarmar with a 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-4) victory.

Hosts Mombasa lost their two opening matches and their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals remained minimal.
Tanga beat Mombasa ‘A’ 3-2. Mombasa featured Neel Shah, Jishit Rajani and Amar Mehta to the Tanga’s trio of Seif, Malik and Zulfikar. Masaka of Uganda’s Martin Olwenyi, Evan Ssentongo and Roni Andira beat the Pemba team of Abdallah Swaleh, Nassor Amor and Feisal Mohammed 3-1. In other matches, Malindi ‘B’ started well by beating Tanga ‘B’ 3-1 while Nairobi floored Kampala 3-1.

The tournament set to end on Saturday is organised by the Coast Table Tennis Association.  

Karume Names Electoral Commission

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

October 8, 2002
Nairobi

Zanzibari President Amani Abeid Karume's recent nominations for the new electoral commission have been met with approval by the main opposition party, but there are still concerns over elements of the electoral bill and the general pace of the implementation of the Muafaka (agreement).

The formation of the new Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) was required as part of the political agreement signed between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) following post-election violence on Zanzibar last year.

Karume ignored calls from smaller opposition parties that had formed a union and had hoped to press the president into considering them in the ZEC, preferring instead the CUF's Nassor Seif Amour and Ussi Khamis Haji.

"Yes, I am satisfied as the two people that we proposed are in the commission, but we will have to see if the Bill that is being debated in the House of Representatives comes out as it should be," CUF Chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, told IRIN over the weekend.

Lipumba warned that problems might arise over the proposition that CCM cell leaders known as shehas should be included in the law as agents or supervisors at election posts during polling.

"This would mean that we might have impartiality in the higher echelons [of the electoral commission], but on the ground, at the local level, this would not be the case," he said. "However, I think that the presidential commission overseeing the implementation of the Muafaka has convinced the president that these proposals should not be included."

The opposition leader also expressed his concern over the slow pace of the implementation of the agreement, which was signed in October last year and is already running a long way behind schedule.

"If we continue at this pace, we may see some problems when it comes to registering the 450,000 500,000 voters that need to be registered before next year's by elections," he cautioned.

Lipumba cited "very straightforward" decisions such as the appointment of two members of CUF to the House of Representatives and the presentation of the overdue report of the investigations into the January 26/27 killings, as delays that were causing anxiety.

These concerns were shared by a diplomat in Dar es Salaam, who expressed "great disappointment" at the pace of the implementation.

"It is the simple decisions that are taking far too long. There don't seem to be any excuses - it just seems to be a case of people dragging their feet and, as a result, it is unlikely that the March by-elections for the 17 vacant seats are likely to be delayed," they told IRIN.

Tension between the two parties rose following accusations of vote rigging during the 2000 presidential elections and culminated in violent protests on Pemba that left at least 30 CUF supporters dead.

Karume includes opposition in electoral commission.

Friday, October 04, 2002.
By PST Correspondent, Pemba

The Zanzibar President, Amani Abeid Karume, has named members of
the new Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), whose formation falls in line with agreement reached by the CCM-CUF political accord.
According to the Director of Information Services in Zanzibar, Enzi Talib, President Karume has picked Masauwi Yussuf Masauwi as new ZEC Chairman.
Talib named commissioners of the commission as Judge Augustino Ramadhan, Khatib Mwinyi Chande, Halima Tawakal Hilal and Mossi Kassim Shamte.
Commissioners who have been recommended by the Civic United Front are Nassor Seif Amour and a private lawyer, Ussi Khamis Haji.
Talib said the Commissioners would be responsible to oversee various election activities according to Zanzibar election laws.
In the nomination, President Karume did not include nominees from what are regarded here as ‘minor’ political parties.
Before the nomination, the ‘minor’ parties tried to forge a union in a bid to press the Zanzibar President to consider them in the formation of ZEC.
Karume made the nominations after he had met with all leaders from opposition political parties in the Isles as stipulated by the law.

Beach village turns illegal port
TRA fails to curb tax evasion.

By Jacqueline Mujuni and Fred Okumu

ELEVEN o'clock in the morning on a Sunday, the lovely sandy beach at a village two kilometres from Boko on the Dar Bagamoyo road is quiet and deserted. Several fishing dhows line up on the shore with a few fishermen chatting. A few metres in the water, an unmanned water boat is anchored. Sounds innocent enough until night falls.
Then the Ununio village comes alive and everything gets hectic as the beach site turns into a busy gateway for tax-free goods smuggled from Zanzibar. The Express has established that despite the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA)'s efforts to curb tax evasion, the game is hard for them to play as more outlets are all the time discovered by scrupulous businessmen especially along beaches.
Goods mostly coming in from the Isles according to The Express investigation in Dar es Salaam region include clothes, TVs, liquor, video, and freezers. The main points of entries are Ununio village and Mbweni areas.
Reacting, the Dar es Salaam Regional Police Commander, Alfred Tibaigana said: "It is true that such activities are taking place in those places and we have been catching them and hand goods and people caught to TRA people."
Although Ununio is primarily a fishing village, the trade of transporting people from the Mainland to the Isles is common too according to sources.
“You pay four thousands for the fare and the time taken by using engine boats is half an hour while using dhows you may take two to three hours to reach the Isles,” said the source.
And it is not only people who are transported to the Isles from Ununio. Cattle, especially stolen cattle is another commodity crossing the ocean and the stolen cattle are mainly cows and goats according to the survey done by The Express.
It is the dhows that mainly transport cattle and one dhow can carry five cows with passengers. The destination in the Isles, it was learnt, is Kisakasaka beach.
RPC Tibaigana explained that his office was aware of the matter and it has curbed the theft in the past years but sources say the illegal trade goes on. “Cattle leave at night together with sacks of charcoal that are highly in demand in the Isles,” the source revealed.
“The price of charcoal for one tin is Tsh. 500 while in the mainland it is sold for Tsh. 200 to Tsh. 250,” said the source.
In curbing the situation, Tibaigana said some of the culprits are caught at the scene and some are caught on the roads as they transport the goods to the city and some are being transported to Bagamoyo town.
On the reverse traffic, with the easier way of getting the goods in the mainland, the prices of what comes in from the Isles such as TVs go down too, which are sold for Tsh. 25,000 while motorbikes go for Tsh. 45,000 to 50,000. The prices of a TV in the shops range from Tsh. 150, 000 to Tsh. 300,000 while for the motorbikes the prices goes up to between Tsh. 70,000 to Tsh. two million.

Reps demand state funeral rights, otherwise...
 

Friday, October 04, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Wete Pemba.

Members of the House of Representatives are demanding the right of being accorded state funerals upon their death, including the provision that their coffins should be draped in the national flag during their burial.
They have threatened not to support the relevant bill unless their interests are taken care off.
The Legal, Constitutional and Good Governance House Committee Chairman Juma Ali Shamhuna said his committee saw the need of including the Representatives in the proposed bill.
He said that members of the House were elected by the people and their death needed to be given due attention.
He said Africans had lost their tradition of respecting leaders and national heroes, just like what happened in Zambia where the national founder’s citizenship was revoked.
“Chiluba denounced Kaunda as a non-citizen, yet the same person (Chiluba) was nearly to be sent to court by the new president, Levy Mwanawasa, allegedly for misappropriation of public funds,” said Shamhuna.
He said that the move to honour Zanzibar leaders after their death was irrelevant. They have to be honoured while they are still alive, he said.
The former spokesman of the Revolutionary Gover-nment, Hafidhi Ali , said that retired leaders’ coffins should be covered by the Chama Cha Mapinduzi flag instead of the national flag. He did not explain why he preferred the CCM flag.
Machano Othman (Mwembe Makumbi) called for abolition of the practice of sending bodies of state leaders to the State House. He said that last respects should be paid at the House of Representatives.
“Family members must have a final say on where they want to bury their relatives,” he added.
Hamza Hassan (Kwamtipura), said that regional commissioners should not be included so as to minimize the long list of leaders who have to be honoured nationally.
He said the Act must include only three arms of the government: the Executive (president), legislature (members of the House of Representative) and Judiciary (chief justice).
Presenting the bill, the Minister in the Chief Minister's Office, Salum Juma Othman, said that any person found guilty of leaking secrets of retired leaders would be jailed for 12 months or pay a fine amounting to 2m/-.

Huge response to African appeal Oct 1 2002

By Richard Crowe


A BRACKNELL-based organisation which helps some of Africa's poorest children by collecting materials for them has had an overwhelming response to its latest appeal.

Alan Cable, founder of Aid into Africa, has managed to get 33 tons of goods for the latest shipment to Zanzibar, part of Tanzania, and is grateful to the Bracknell community for its generosity.

After loading up the materials in Bracknell last month, the items were put on a ship bound for Zanzibar, where it is expected they will arrive by the first week of November.

Alan said: "This shipment will assist up to 25,000 children in Zanzibar and and I would like to thank the people of the Bracknell area for all their generous donations over the past months, all the volunteers who helped from Hewlett Packard and Bracknell and Wokingham College, and John Westbrook at Gazelle Couriers for the use of the vehicles."

Mwinyi at women’s seminar
 

By Express Reporter

The former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi on Saturday last week honoured a seminar on the significance of women in the society with his presence held at the Jaffary Hall (ex-Korean).
According to the cultural centre of Iran Embassy in Dar es Salaam who were the organisers of the seminar, “a number of lectures on different issues concerning the art of being a woman and how to promote the situation of women” were delivered.
A press statement from the embassy clarified that according to Islamic heavenly text, “both genders have been bestowed equal status and at times women have been elevated higher,” hence from the viewpoint of Islam’s Holy Prophet Muhammed, “a woman, like a man through strive, efforts, struggles and by guarding her chastity can also reach high levels of exemplary achievements.”

Indonesia’s bad weather boosts Zanzibar’s clove price.

By Sebastian Paschal

Unfavourable weather conditions in Indonesia are now helping Zanzibar to earn more forex from her clove exports .
Indonesia has been one of the major producers of cloves in the world for several years, and her high levels of production have helped to depress the world market price for cloves.
This situation has had an adverse effect on the economy of other clove producers including Zanzibar.
Based on an Economic Survey for 2001, which was issued by the President’s Office, Planning and Privatization last week, an improvement in the export performance of Zanzibar’s cloves over the last two years, is partly due to an increase of the price in the world market.
The price which increased by about 46 per cent from US$3, 443.6 per ton in 2000, to US$5,026.8 per ton in 2001, is partly due to the decrease in production by the world’s leading producers, especially Indonesia
The increase in price is also attributed to unfavourable weather conditions in that country at a time when consumption of cloves is increasing.
Apart from bad weather in Indonesia, observers says that such positive results for the Isles are also due to anti-cloves smuggling campaigns that were launched by the government of Zanzibar a few years ago.
In 2001, the value of export earnings from cloves increased by 23 per cent to US$12.3 million compared to US$10 million a year before. …..

TLP evicted from Zanzibar offices.

Monday, September 30, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) has been evicted from its offices in Zanzibar after accumulating rent arrears amounting to 780,000/-.
Party material has meanwhile been stored in the home of a member, PST has learnt.
The eviction has caused anxiety among TLP members here because it threatens the very legality of the party.
TLP Publicity Secretary in Zanzibar, Ali Abdalla Ali, said yesterday that they had been forced to convene an emergency meeting to discuss their problems but to no avail.
Ali said the national leadership of the party, which does not allocate part of the subsidy it gets from the government to the isles offices, was exacerbating TLP problems in Zanzibar.
He said TLP leaders in the three regions of Zanzibar blame their problems, including failure to meet their office rent obligation, on the party's decision not to send part of the subsidy to the Isles.
The publicity secretary expressed fears that if the problem persisted, TLP would end up being struck off the register by the Registrar of Political Parties for lacking a Union character, as the law requires.
"We have tried to ask the landlord to let us continue using his house on credit until when we get the money, but to no avail. The top party leadership is still keeping all the subsidy they collect," he said.
He warned that the party risked to fall into a huge rift if the government subsidy would continue to benefit only a few persons rather than the party.
The problems in the isles are surfacing while the TLP national chairman, Augustine Mrema, is on a countrywide tour to strengthen the party. So far, he has toured Mbeya, Rukwa and Kagera and Morogoro regions.
According to a contract with the landlord, TLP was supposed to be pay 65,000/- as monthly rent, but it has failed to do so.
TLP is supposed to receive a monthly subsidy of about 50m/-. The subsidy has, however, been suspended since April because of internal leadership wrangles pending resolution of the problem.

'My 24 hours of hell on the open sea'
 

September 27 2002 at 07:46PM
By Helen Bamford

Two divers are adrift on the open sea for 24-hours with no land in sight, in the notoriously shark-infested waters off Zanzibar after their boat mysteriously disappears.

An international rescue operation spanning five countries kicks into gear.

Could be a script for a far-fetched Hollywood movie. But this extraordinary story is what happened to a Cape Town tour operator and a South African who owns a dive shop in Zanzibar.

'We talked and sang and told each other stories to stay awake'
Kati Csak, 30, a project manager at Felix Unite Tours and Incentives, had one day left in Zanzibar after a holiday travelling through Tanzania.

A German now living in Cape Town, Csak met up with South African Pete Minchin who runs a diving school in Nungwi, at the northern tip of Zanzibar.

The two planned a dive on Leven Bank, a popular site about 18 kilometres off Zanzibar at the joining of the Pemba and Zanzibar channels.

It was supposed to be Csak's last dive before heading back to Cape Town, but things didn't quite turn out that way.

Csak said that after a great dive, with lots of fish, they inflated their surface buoy to let the boat know where they were.

'We should have probably gone for something that didn't live in the sea'
But then disaster struck.

"The line got stuck and we had to let go of it so we wouldn't be pulled up. During our decompression stop we could see the boat right above us, but the current was strong and the waves were getting big so our skipper lost us and when we finally surfaced about midday he was nowhere to be seen."

Csak said initially she was angry.

"I was like, 'Where's the boat?'. I was so hacked off with the skipper until I realised something must be wrong."

They found out only later he had searched for them for 2½ hours before returning to organise a search party.

Meanwhile Csak and Minchin ditched their weight belts and tanks and decided to try to swim towards the lighthouse on the northern tip of Zanzibar.

"But after a few hours we realised there was no way we would make it so we decided to just hang in there and wait for the search boats."

At 5.30pm they thought help was at hand when they spotted a sailing boat.

"They passed a few hundred metres from us, but although we waved our fins and screamed they could not make us out in the big waves and against the sun."

Soon afterwards another burst of hope was quickly dampened. A small plane flew straight over them but then turned and headed directly back to the mainland.

"But it gave us hope they would find us the next day and I knew we'd survive because the water was warm, about 25° and we had wetsuits and I had a hood."

Csak and Minchin tied their inflatable buoyancy control devices together and prepared themselves for a long night.

"By 7pm it was dark. It was a new moon which set shortly thereafter so we were left in complete darkness. But we talked and sang and told each other stories to stay awake."

Csak said she and Minchin made a deal not to talk about time or sharks.

"Pete told me afterwards that he thought constantly of sharks but was kind enough not to remind me at the time that while sharks like to hang out at about 60 to 70 metres during the day, they come up at night to feed. And we must have looked like appetising turtles with our arms and legs hanging off our inflatable bed."

At dawn next morning there was no land in sight.

"There were clouds over Zanzibar and no rescue planes. That's when our spirits plummeted. But I didn't want my parents to get a call to say I was lost somewhere in the ocean or my colleagues to hear at work that there was no more Kati."

So instead of giving in, the two decided to swim on and try to hit the mainland.

"We swam and swam because there was really nothing else to do and at least it would keep us busy."

Csak said she was worried about dehydration after having cramps on the first day. "Its a weird thought to be dehydrated while trying not to drown so we were hoping for a bit of rain."

Then they spotted a deep-sea fishing boat.

"We didn't think it was part of the rescue but we took our fins off and waved at them and then they turned straight towards us. We kept waving our fins until they finally gave us the OK sign. I figured I'd better not signal back OK in case they thought we were okay and left us. Silly thought but better safe that sorry."

The boat turned out to be part of the search team with two diving instructors from Minchin's school on board.

"When they first spotted our fins they immediately radioed they had found us but not to spread the word because they feared we were dead, floating upside down with our fins in the air. It was a good laugh afterwards."

The two were in pretty good condition except for raw feet and rashes from their wetsuits - they had been in the sea 24 hours plus 75 minutes for the dive and four hours for the trip back to Zanzibar.

In all they had drifted and swum some 65km.

It was only then they heard about the dramatic rescue plans that had been put in place.

Staff at the dive school had got hold of Csak's valuables and found a number for one of her friends who lives in Tanzania.

"They contacted Jon Hill who called a friend in Cape Town who called the Felix Unite office where a colleague, Nina Vorderwuelbecke, organised help from a South African maritime search organisation."

Mark Kampers, the managing director of the Felix Unite Tourism Group, stood surety for the search party while another colleague managed to track down Csak's brother George, a fighter pilot in Germany.

He got hold of a friend who had a German plane based in Mombasa to prepare for an air search.

"All in all people in Tanzania, South Africa, Germany, Kenya and Madagascar helped with the rescue but the air search wasn't necessary in the end."

Csak said when the boat pulled in to Nungwi, the shore was lined with people.

"A lot of them had been there all night. It's a local tradition that when someone is lost at sea the people move onto the beach to await news."

That night a huge party was thrown for the survivors.

"Pete and I celebrated with lobster and wine but in retrospect we should have probably gone for something that didn't live in the sea."

Changing Sounds of Taarab

The Nation (Nairobi)
September 28, 2002

Amos Ngaira

Taarab music has come of age. Gone are the days when lovers of the soulful melodies merely sat back and listened as their favourite songs were played. Today, Taarab fans are packing entertainment halls to sing along to the lyrics and dance to music at live performances by a wide variety of artistes, backed by mini orchestras.

When popular Tanzanian and Zanzibari taarab groups - East African Melody, Tanzania One Theatre (TOT) and Babloom - visited Nairobi recently, taarab fans flocked to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre's Plenary Hall and the Nairobi City Council's Charter Hall in their thousands.

One of the reasons for taarab's increasing popularity is the modification of the beat from a slow, rather sleepy tempo that could only be listened to, to a faster, more danceable one.

Again, the singers of the old version of taarab were mainly accompanied by accordions and congas. Today, the range of instruments has increased to include synthesizers, guitars and keyboards.

The changing sound of taarab has also served to broaden its popularity.

Whereas before it was appreciated almost exclusively by people from the Coast Province, it is steadily acquiring a dedicated following among people from other parts of the country.

Of all the players of traditional taarab in Kenya, it is Coast musician Juma Bhalo whose style has greatly influenced many upcoming groups not only in Kenya, but also in neighbouring Tanzania, where taarab is even more popular.

But it is the women singers who appear to have stolen the taarab show, with legendary Zanzibari musician Siti Binti Saad leading the way. She set the pace for other taarab musicians in Tanzania.

In Kenya, it was US-based singer Malika Mohammed to whom upcoming musicians looked up.

The performances of these masters of traditional taarab were calm and graceful affairs. While the main vocalist might stand up and move slowly around the stage, the back-up singers would remain seated throughout the show.

Lead vocalist

Today, there is much more movement. The main singer dances as he or she sings, and while the back-up singers still sit during the shows, they occasionally get up and dance along with the lead vocalist.

The outcome of the livelier stage shows is that more fans are getting up and taking to the dance floor. An interesting observation is that the majority of the fans at the modern taarab shows are women.

According to Solomon Mwiti of Suju Culture, who has been involved in arranging tours for visiting Tanzanian and Zanzibari groups to Kenya, many fans find the new taarab beat soothing.

"Not only are they now appreciating the soulful lyrics of the songs, but they are also enjoying the tempo," says Mwiti.

One aspect of the lyrics that taarab fans find exciting is the fact that the musicians conduct a verbal rivalry through their songs, using poetic language to mock their competitors. It was Tanzanian taarab songbird Khadija Kopa of the Dar es Salaam-based TOT Plus who kicked off the musical word wars two years ago, coming up with rivalry compositions with the Muungano Cultural Group.

She was then with the Tanzanian One Theatre group, which was in rivalry with the African Stars "Twanga Pepeta". Kopa has sung several other songs mocking musicians in other groups.

It is this lyrical mockery that has got some of the fans hooked to taarab.

It was Kopa, too, who introduced the new trend in modern taarab of occasional dancing stints by the singers on stage.

With most of the leading Tanzanian modern taarab groups playing almost the same kind of music, the main differences in their songs are the lyrics they use to mock one another.

Making a mark

Other leading modern taarab singers who have made their mark on the music scene include Mwanahawa Ally and Zuhura Shaaban, both of the newly formed Zanzibar Stars.

Both Mwanahawa and Zuhura were formerly with the East African Melody group, which was based in Zanzibar but is now in Dar es Saalam.

The two musicians are popular in Kenya, too, having twice visited the country last year while still with the East African Melody Group. Kenyan fans have also been able to watch them on musical television programmes on the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

Unfortunately for their fans, Zuhura, Mwanahawa and Kopa will not be performing tonight at a taarab show in Nairobi as they have an engagement elsewhere.

"They have apologised to their fans for having been unable to make it for the Nairobi show," said Mwiti of Soju arts.

Some of their most popular songs include Changu ni Changu (Mwanahawa), Y2K (Kopa) and La! Lai Aban (Zuhura).

Others who were with the East African Melody group and have excelled in their career are Khadija Yusuf of the Mimi wa Karne fame and Eshe Mohammed.

Equally thrilling are members of the Tanga-based Babloom group, who visited Kenya in December last year.

The group, famous for their hit song, Asu, performed in Nairobi at the Charter Hall and Panafaric Hotel.

Passionate lifestyle

They also have another popular track, Gimama, which is a satirical depiction of "a lustful man who goes out to talk about his lavish, passionate lifestyle".

Yet another enterprising group on the modern Taarab scene are members of the Dar-based Young Stars Modern Taarab "Wana Segere".

The group, under the leadership of Tony Karama, are currently riding high with their self-titled album, Segere album.

Popular tracks on the CD include Chokochoko, Shangingi and Rubani Wangu wa Ndege.

One of the major promoters of the modern taarab music style in Zanzibar are the Culture Musical Club. They have performed in Dubai, mainland Tanzania and several countries in Africa and Europe.

The group, which includes sensational female vocalist Mtumwa Baruk and Suleiman S Mohammed, is best known for the song Nasubiri hadi Lini.

In Nairobi the influence of modern taarab has been sustained by the Nairobi Melody Taarab group under the leadership of Mzee Shabaan Omar.

The group has produced popular songs like Kwa Ishara, Sports Car and Nakuomba Samahani.

Special show

There will be a special modern Taarab show at the KICC tonight, where fans can dance the night away to music by the Zanzibari Culture Musical Club.

The show was initially supposed to feature Zanzibar Stars, but the promoters were compelled to get a replacement as the Zanzibar Stars were engaged elsewhere.

"Ours is to make sure that we will be able to give Taarab fans in Nairobi a real feel of what we had promised," Mwiti said.

Five-year jail term for pre-empting ZEC on poll results
 

Tuesday, September 24, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Any institution or person who will announce results of Zanzibar presidential election before the Zanzibar Election Commission (ZEC), will face a five - year jail sentence or pay a fine of 1m/-, a Bill, published by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar proposes.
The Bill proposes to make various changes in the Zanzibar Constitution. It is scheduled to be tabled in the House of Representatives session which convenes next month, October 2 this year.
The penalty is aimed at avoiding and controlling controversies and political misunderstandings that might arise when unauthorized institutions decide to announce the election results.
If there is no special need, the Bill also proposes that Zanzibar general election be conducted on different date with the United Republic of Tanzania elections in order to enable Zanzibar residents to cast three votes instead of five votes in one day.
“The aim here is to enable the voter to spend less time at voting station,” says part of the Bill.
The Bill also proposes that election officers be appointed and assigned based on qualifications set out by the Commission.
However, the Bill says nothing on locality leaders, popularly known as masheha and in that case it is deemed that they will continue to serve their purpose of identifying bonafide Zanzibaris who are eligible to be registered as voters.
Earlier, the Presidential Commission overseeing the implementation of the political Accord, (muafaka) had proposed that Masheka be phased out because they have been doing their work basing on favouritism, which the house rejected.
The House noted that apart from being credible, locality leaders were crucial, so they will be allowed to remain in the column so that they continue to identify and weed out illegal voters.
The new election act says that no person would be registered as voter in more than one constituency and that it was mandatory that a voter should have resided in the Isles for the period of not less than two and half years.
Every constituency will have a permanent voters’ register and that upon registration, a voter will be issued with a number and directives on the area in which he/she will be eligible to vote.
Under the Act, people who opt for referral on election matters, would not be required to pay any fee as was the case earlier and simple majority system will be used to determine the winner.

August 7 Bomb Blast: American 'Good Guys' Dominate EA Tragedy
 

The East African (Nairobi)

BOOK REVIEW
September 9, 2002


PAUL REDFERN reviews Giles Foden's “Zanzibar” and concludes that it seems wrong to write a novel about the embassy bombings in East Africa and include little perspective from Kenyans and Tanzanians about what happened August 7, 1998, like September 11, 2001, is a date which will be etched on the memories of many people across East Africa and indeed the world for years to come.

For the day of the tragic bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam brought home to many people in Kenya and Tanzania the fact that they too are vulnerable to the whims of international terrorism.

The issue remains acutely sensitive to this day to many people in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, who suffered either bereavement or injury as a result of the outrageous and inhuman attacks.

Quite how such people will react to Giles Foden's new book, Zanzibar, which uses a mixture of both fiction and fact to tell a highly readable tale of the events of four years ago is difficult to tell.

That Foden is a master story teller is clear. We already know from his book about Idi Amin, The Last King of Scotland, which is due to be made into a film later this year, how adept he is at mixing historical fact and fiction into an absorbing story of what might have been the complex nature of the Ugandan dictator.

Zanzibar also is equally full of descriptive colour, which brings alive to the reader both the beauty and poverty of the island, and it is clear the writer has learned much from his visits there.

Something however doesn't feel quite right about Zanzibar, which has been described as "more Bond than Le Carre."

It is not in the characterisation of the key figures in the book, three of whom are an American, and one, a Zanzibari, who is one of the terrorists.

Nor indeed is it the intricate nature of the plot and the detail which Foden gives on the nature of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, its operations and its terrorist tactics, which are all clearly carefully researched and highly believable.

Perhaps it is just the simple fact that the drama all centres on the American figures in the story, the good guys. Somehow, Khalid, the Zanzibari terrorist, didn't quite ring true and none of the other key characters are Africans.

Somehow, writing a novel about the embassy bombings in East Africa, in which more than 200 Kenyans and Tanzanians lost their lives, with little perspective from their point of view about what happened, seems wrong.

I'm sure somehow there would be complaints from Americans from all over the world if a novel about the terrorist actions in the US on September 11 last year concentrated on the one Kenyan who died there and the heroes were all people from outside the US. Put simply, it is a highly readable novel about the tragic events of August 7 1998, seen through white Western eyes. Nick Karolides, a Greek American, and one of the three heroes of the story, is a USAid marine biologist working on protection of the coral reefs of Zanzibar.

He sees Zanzibar as it is, but through the comfort of being a Westerner. He rages against dynamiting of the fish by local fishermen and the destruction of the reefs, but one feels he has little understanding of the poverty that is the average life of a Zanzibari person.

The novel is not unsympathetic; indeed, Foden moralises a bit at the end about poverty and the reasons for terrorism. Nor is it insulting, for it is clearly well researched.

It is also in many ways prophetic of many of the events which were to happen in the US in September last year - the lack of preparedness in the US secret services for the attacks and the differences of opinion and lack of understanding of the nature of bin Laden's organisation for example - and was clearly astute in that most of the novel was written before last year's attacks.

Maybe it is because Foden tries to weave too much into the novel at the same time - it is set, for example, against the backdrop of the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the US - or maybe it is that the events of August 1998 are so dramatic in their own right they can be told as fact, not as a contemporary historical novel.

It is nevertheless a riveting thriller, despite spending nearly 200 pages not seemingly going anywhere in particular. It is also a meticulous piece of journalism as well as a well-written story.

Foden himself was on the East African coast at the time of the embassy bombings doing an article for the Guardian newspaper, for which he works in the review section.

Zanzibar is now his third novel after the phenomenal success of both The Last King of Scotland and Ladysmith, the story of a siege in a long-forgotten war.

He grew up in Africa, which would probably explain why he is so able to vividly describe scenes such as the bustling markets of Zanzibar, the beauty of the coral reefs and the poverty of Stone Town.

The basic storyline is set in Zanzibar, the US, briefly in Afghanistan and in Dar es Salaam, where Foden recounts the unbelievable shock and horror of the August 7 bomb blast.

The Zanzibar connection is that it is where the al Qaeda terrorists have a base before the bombing operations off a tiny coral island, which is of course where Nick Karolides comes in.

Nick is a rugged marine biologist on a mission to save the Zanzibari turtles who eventually is to fall in love with an American embassy staffer from Dar called Miranda Powers.

It is their smouldering love affair set against the backdrop of the small coral atol, which gives the book some cement in terms of characterisation.

Also of key importance is a wisened old CIA hack called Jack Queller, who himself armed and supported bin Laden in the days when the man was a friend of the US and fought with them against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Queller himself is now well aware of the abilities of bin Laden to inflict terror on his opponents and he warns in vain the American establishment against his one time ally turned adversary.

Slowly the four different strains of the novel, set in three different continents, start to intertwine as the three heroes become key figures in tracking down the terrorists who inflicted the bomb outrages on Nairobi and Dar.

The finale at the end seems more Hollywood than reality, but that should not take away the quality of the novel beforehand.

British envoy happy with muafaka progress
 

Wednesday, September 25, 2002 .
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz

The British Ambassador to Tanzania, Richard Clarke, has expressed appreciation on the commitment shown so far by national leaders to nurture the political accord reached by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Civic United Front (CUF) to end political impasse in Zanzibar.
As a result of spirit expressed by the Union President, Benjamin Mkapa and Zanzibar President, Amani Abeid Karume, a firm foundation has already been laid in carrying forward the sensitive task of implementation on the accord, the envoy said.
Clarke’s remarks are contained in a brief statement included in the Tanzania Newsletter, a special edition for Zanzibar, published by the British Council in Dar es Salaam.
“I have been impressed by the commitment of President Mkapa and Karume, and the leadership of the two parties, to carry forward the sensitive task on implementation (of the peace accord),” says Clarke in the statement.
Ambassador Clarke further says in his statement that he was pleased to learn promising realities attained in the peace process for the isles, confirming that he has been fortunate to witness a transformation in the political prospects for Zanzibar.
“The CCM/CUF muafaka, which builds on the earliest agreement negotiated using the good offices of the Commonwealth General Secretary, was concluded in October, 2001 and is now being implemented,” the Ambassador annotates.
Having worked on the Northern Ireland negotiating process for about two years, Clarke elaborates, saying he was in Dublin in the 1990s, and adding that he knows only too well how difficult it is to bring about domestic political reconciliation.
“In Northern Ireland, the efforts to reach a settlement have been on-going for well over a century, and there is still a work to be done,” says Clarke in the statement, commenting that a firm foundation for the future in Zanzibar has already been put in place.
Clarke says that in a prompt reaction to the political crisis in Zanzibar, the EU member countries decided to withdraw their direct development assistance in 1996, but the conclusion of muafaka and steady progress on its implementation had changed the whole picture the other way round.
“We and other European partners are now looking to promote tangible support for both, the implementation of the muafaka and also for the development of the Islands,” the Ambassador informs.

Govt to establish religious conflicts' organ

Friday, September 20, 2002 .
By Peter Nyanje

The government is planning to establish an institution that will handle religious conflicts when they arise.
This was said in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the President of Zanzibar, Aman Abeid Karume, during the opening of the 10th Conference on the State of Politics in Tanzania.
This follows recommendations of participants of the 9th conference on the state of politics in Tanzania, customary annual forum organised by the University of Dar es Salaam's Research and Education for Democracy in Tanzania (REDET) project, which specifically looked into religious issues.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Zanzibar Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, Karume pointed out that the government was duty bound to preserve peace and tranquillity in order for religious freedom, as granted by the national constitution, to be enjoyed
"Of late we have see conflicts that threaten not only the unity of our country, but also the peace and tranquillity cultivated since independence. Apart from political conflicts, our country also witnessed the emerging religious misunderstandings," Karume said.
It is only good that in its 9th conference held in Dar es Salaam last year, REDET urged the government to tackle religious conflicts, he noted.
"Our governments (Union and Zanzibar governments) are closely following the recommendations of that conference in order to maintain peace and stability," Karume said.
He also urged the participants of the meeting to come up with constructive criticisms on the performance of all political parties, the governments and other actors in the management of the democratisation process in order to provide a learning platform.
"We should not be complacent. For complacence...always leads to stagnant growth... we must accept multi-party democracy as an essential tool in poverty alleviation and conflict reduction," he said.
Quoting the English saying which says`Rome was not built in a day', Karume underscored the fact that because of inexperience, Tanzanians were likely to face ups and downs in the new political system but urged that when such situations arise, people should not be discouraged but rather rectify the shortfalls.
To express government's commitment to nurture plural politics in the country, he said the Zanzibar government was fully committed to implement the political accord reached between the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and Civic United Front (CUF) to end the political impasse in the Isles.
The Zanzibar leader also requested the participants to critically discuss the privatisation process, noting that the government recognised the fact that there were some problems in the privatisation of some parastatal organisations.

Special day proposed for deceased Isle leaders

Monday, September 16, 2002 .
By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has drafted a Bill that seeks to designate a special day to honour deceased national leaders and setting of special arrangements in laying to rest national leaders.
Reports reaching The Guardian here said that the Bill, that suggests April 7 as an appropriate day to honour departed national leaders, would be presented in the next session of the House of Representatives. The first President of Zanzibar, Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume was assassinated on April 7, 1972.
The House is scheduled to start its next meeting at the Island of Pemba on October 2 his year.
The Bill also proposes special national funeral arrangements for national leaders who have served as presidents of Zanzibar.
Other dignitaries included in the Bill are Chief Ministers, Speakers of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice, Ministers and Regional Commissioners.
However, the Bill points out that when the president has been ousted through a vote of no confidence in the House of Representatives, he or she will lose privilege of being identified as a national leader deserving the honour.
A 14 day mourning period would be observed by the nation with all flags flying at half mast in the Isles on the occasion of the death of the president, the bill proposes further.
On Chief Minister, Speaker and the Chief Justice, the bill proposes that they be mourned for seven days.
Under the proposed legislation, nobody will be allowed to use the name of any national leaders for business purposes without the consent of the responsible minister.
Another Bill expected to be tabled proposes the establishment of national social security fund.
There will also be a Bill that aims at preserving old buildings (magofu) under which a person who will be found guilty of destroying of the historical buildings will be subjected to a fine to a tune of 100,000/- or imprisonment.

Norway pledges financial aid for Zanzibar power construction
 

2002.09.07

　DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Norway has agreed to provide 400 million
Tanzanian shillings (around 410,000 US dollars) for Zanzibar's project of power
lines improvement, local newspaper Daily News reported Saturday.

　　Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania Sigrid Romundset made the pledge Friday in
Zanzibar during her talks with Zanzibar Minister for Water, Construction, Energy
and Land Burhani Haji Saadat.

　　The donation is part of Norway's efforts to help Zanzibar improve its
infrastructure in order to attract more investment from foreign countries and
the mainland as well.

　　A total of 50 villages, 27 on the island of Pemba and 23 on the island of
Unguja, will benefit from the donation. The whole project will be carried out in
four phases.

　　Like other northern European countries, Norway is a major international
donor for Tanzania which relies on international support for its infrastructure
construction.

CUF Blames Dar for Delayed Peace Deal

The East African (Nairobi)

September 9, 2002
Faustine Rwambali


TANZANIA'S MAIN opposition party in Zanzibar, the Civic United Front (CUF) meets next week to discuss the "slow implementation" of the peace treaty between it and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

CUF is casting doubts on the honesty of the Zanzibar government to implement the accord and accuses CCM of using delaying tactics in the exercise.

The fate of the accord, reached between the two rival parties on October 10, 2001, will be decided by a general CUF meeting scheduled for September 20 in Tabora in western Tanzania. CUF director for Information and Publicity Tambwe Hiza told The EastAfrican last week that the meeting would decide whether to uphold the accord.

"The Tabora meeting will give our stand on whether to celebrate the one-year-old peace accord or bury it for ever," he said, adding that the general council will meet after the executive committee meeting to ratify the latter's decision.

Mr Hiza said that due to the delay in the implementation of the accord, some CUF members felt that their leaders had betrayed their party.

"For the sake of protecting our party, we see no need to frustrate our members because we see the implementation of the peace accord as a non-starter. The Zanzibar government should blame for the consequences of the decision taken at next week's meetings," said Mr Hiza.

The main issue at stake is the formation of an independent Zanzibar electoral commission in which two commissioners must come from the opposition. Although CUF last month submitted the names it proposes for the commission to Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume, the appointments have not been made.

President Karume has to nominate two Commissioners from names submitted by the 14 opposition political parties. Most parties are small, but have the right to be considered.

"This is the main area of contention. We in CUF consider this silence to be a delaying tactic by CCM in the implementation of the peace accord, an exercise that is supposed to have been completed by now," he said.

Meanwhile, CUF says that it is investigating a case in which Aziz Ahmed, a Zanzibari refugee in Britain, faces deportation.

Mr Hiza said there was a strong reason for Mr Ahmed to get asylum in the UK, where many Zanzibaris were living as refugees.

Mr Ahmed, who fled Zanzibar before Tanzania's October 2000 General Election, was due to be deported two weeks ago because the British government had rejected his application for political asylum.

He fled to Kenya from Pemba in January 2001, and then travelled to the UK with his wife and 14-month-old daughter.

His deportation has been opposed by 12 British parliamentarians. Mr Ahmed was quoted as saying "I ran away from trouble to what I thought was a safe place, now I don't know if my wife and child are dead or alive and people here seem not to care."

Asked to comment on the status of Zanzibari refugees abroad, Mr Hiza said last month, 13 Zanzibaris returned to the Isles and about 163 were still in Somalia. "The main reason for their stay in Somalia was to see how the peace accord was being implemented," he said. The refugees fled after violent confrontations between the police and CUF members in Zanzibar and Pemba following the disputed October 2000 elections.

Asylum seeker to be deported without family
 

Home Office ignores MPs' appeals for clemency over expulsion of father while wife and child missing

David Pallister
Thursday August 29, 2002
The Guardian

Despite cross-party appeals for clemency from a dozen MPs, immigration officials are expected to escort Aziz Ahmed on to a flight to Dar es Salaam on Saturday - leaving behind a wife and young daughter who disappeared 14 months ago.

"This case shows how the asylum system tears families apart," said his solicitor, Louise Christian."

Speaking from Harmondsworth detention centre yesterday, Mr Ahmed said: "I ran away from trouble to what I thought was a safe place. Now I don't know if my wife and child are dead or alive and the people here don't seem to care."

A mechanic by trade, Mr Ahmed comes from the island of Pemba, part of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania. In January last year, as a member of the opposition Civic United Front, he took part in a protest against the allegedly rigged elections the previous October.

While demonstrators clashed with police on the islands - leaving about 30 dead - Mr Ahmed, along with hundreds of other Pembans, crossed over to Kenya demanding political asylum.

In Nairobi he and his wife Husna and four-year-old Asiya met a people smuggler. For $5,000 he provided them with false Somali papers and air tickets to Heathrow.

After a few days in a local mosque, the family presented themselves at the Lunar House immigration headquarters in Croydon, south London, to claim asylum.

He was separated from his family, interviewed then arrested, and taken to a police station overnight. That was the last time he saw them.

The next day he was bailed and, speaking only Swahili, spent six nights in a train station. Desperate to find his family, he returned to Lunar House only to be rearrested. He has been detained ever since.

Stars held by Z’bar  

Tuesday,  September  03, 2002

By Fred Ogot

The national soccer team, Taifa Stars, yesterday drew 1-1 with Zanzibar in a build-up friendly at Dar es Salaam’s National Stadium.

It was Zanzibar who took the lead on the hour when Ame Khamis stunned Taifa Stars goalkeeper Dennis Edwin with a sizzling effort after sidestepping Shaaban Nditi and Bakari Malima.

Athumani Machupa put Taifa Stars back on level terms with a 78th minute strike after a cross from the right hand side found him unmarked in the area.

Zanzibar dominated the game and could have taken the lead after 20 minutes had Risasi Issa not shot wide from the spot. Taifa Stars conceded the penalty when an under-pressure Malima controlled the ball with his hand.

Switzerland-based striker Renatus Njohole came on as a substitute for Taifa Stars at the start of the second half, but his presence on the pitch made little difference as it was clear he was yet to get used to the team’s formation. Njohole played a few hours after arriving from Europe.

Taifa Stars were playing their final build-up friendly before kicking off their campaign in the 2004 African Nations’ Cup qualifiers by facing Benin in a Group Three match Cotonou on Sunday.

Prior to playing Zanzibar, Taifa Stars beat premier league side Ruvu Stars 2-1 before playing out a goalless draw with another premiership side Police Morogoro.

The squad is scheduled to leave for the west African country tomorrow.

Teams:

Taifa Stars — Dennis Edwin, Lubigisa Lubigisa, Said Sued, Bakari Malima, Godfrey Alphonce, Shaaban Nditi, Stephen Mapunda, Sabri Ramadhani (Fred Mbuna 78th minute), Ali Moshi (Renatus Njohole 45th), Athumani Machupa (Shadrack Nsajigwa 78th), Abdi Kassim (Omar Changa 78th).

Zanzibar — Mbarouk Suleiman, Ali Bakari, Sudi Abdallah, Abdulrahman Ali, Juma Khamis, Malale Khamsin, Juma Ali, Risasi Issa (Sadik Aziz 63rd), Said Mohamed (Amri Hamad 69th), Ame Khamis, Omar Rashid.

Sweden finances Zanzibar school renovation project

2002.08.29

　　DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Sweden has offered 509 million Tanzanian
shillings (around 530,000 US dollars) to help Zanzibar renovate its schools in
disrepair, local newspaper Daily News reported Thursday.

　　Sten Rylander, the Swedish ambassador to Tanzania, gave a check of the above
sum to Zanzibar Minister for Education, Culture and Sports Harouni Ali Suleiman
Wednesday.

　　The funds will be used for a school project in which a total of 136
classrooms and 35 teachers' offices will be renovated.

　　Rylander said Sweden pays great attention to Zanzibar's education systems
as knowledge and talents serve as a catalyst forthe island's economic
development.

　　On Tuesday, the Swedish ambassador also attended a ceremony at which the
Swedish International Development Agency donated 382 million Tanzanian shillings
(around 398,000 dollars) to help Zanzibar maintain the historic Stonetown, one
world heritage site on the Indian Ocean island.

　　Sweden is a major Western donor for Tanzania, one of the least developed
countries in the world.

AKDN launched teachers training

By Express Reporter

The Aga Khan Development Network has launched a two-year planning project aimed at establishing Professional Development Centres for teachers and headteachers in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
The centres will provide certified in-service training and support to teachers and headteachers and will conduct leading research in pertinent educational issues.
The Minister of Education, Culture and Sport of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government Haroun Suleiman opened a sample three months training workshop for a group of 43 teachers and headteachers from the isles on Monday this week.
The training covers Science, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, and Primary education.
The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of private, non –denominational development agencies and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals to improve living conditions and opportunities especially in Asia and Africa. Presently it works in over 20 countries.

Hu Jintao holds talks with president of Zanzibar
 

2002.08.21

　BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao held talks in Beijing
on Wednesday with Amani Abeid Karume, president of Zanzibar of the United
Republic of Tanzania.

　　Hu said China and Tanzania had a deep friendship, which had made healthy
and steady progress despite changes in the international situation since the two
countries established diplomatic relations 38 years ago.

　　Marked achievements had been made in politics, culture, trade and economic
cooperation between China and Tanzania, and the two countries had always
supported and worked together in the international arena, said the
vice-president.

　　He said China treasured its traditional friendship with Tanzania, and would
continue to work with Tanzania to boost bilateral ties to a higher level.

Zanzibar Targets Higher Growth Rates
 

By Wakabi Wairagala
TBWT East African Contributor
Article Dated 6/26/2002

Zanzibar is planning a budget of US$96.1 million, up from $86.3 million last year, a government document indicates. The semi-autonomous Tanzanian isles target a growth rate of 4.5 - 5 percent in the new financial year, compared to 4percent in 2001.
The budget is premised on the Poverty Reduction Plan inaugurated by President Amani Abeid Karume on May 2 2002, which seeks to raise the national income by an average of 6percent by 2005.
According to the budget report for the 2002/03 financial year, high growth rates are expected to accrue from higher spending on poverty reduction, renewed donor support and hopes for stability after the peace accord between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF).
The isles, which heavily depend on tourism and spices, aim to keep inflation within the current range of 5percent per annum, but cut down further on the trade imbalance, particularly with mainland Tanzania and the Middle East.
Owing to relative political calm, the 2001 growth rate is higher than that of 2000 the year in which CUF demonstrations rocked the island.
This year a number of key sectors have been targeted to take up nearly half of the entire budget. The development blueprint names these as agriculture, natural resources, environment and co-operatives; education, culture and sports; health and social welfare; water construction, power and land; communications and transport; improvement of the judiciary, constitutional affairs and good governance.
 

No surrender, says defiant ZFA   
 

Friday,  August 16, 2002

By  Guardian Reporter, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) says it will not change its decision to break off all relations with the Football Association of Tanzania (FAT) despite the Zanzibari government’s harsh criticism of the move.
ZFA Vice-Chairman Farouk Karim said yesterday the decision was in the best interests of Zanzibari soccer.
He said ZFA had long-standing differences with FAT, adding that the association decided to go it alone as a last resort after it became apparent that an amicable solution could not be reached.
“FAT has all along been victimising ZFA and we had expected the Zanzibari government would have intervened, but it didn’t...we see no point in continuing to work with people who are not ready to work with us,” he said.
ZFA was an independent body with the authority to make decisions it deemed were in the best interests of Zanzibari soccer, Karim said.
He maintained that Zanzibari clubs would not compete in this year’s Union Super League.
Karim said, however, that ZFA was ready to receive and consider any advice which would be of benefit to the Zanzibari game.
Meanwhile, former ZFA vice-chairman Ibrahim Raza dismissed the association’s stance as “absurd and groundless”.
If ZFA insisted on sticking to its guns, he said, it should as well scrap the Zanzibar premier league and other lesser competitions organised by the body.
“There is no point in having the (Zanzibar) premier league if ZFA has decided that Zanzibari clubs will not compete in the Super League. Clubs play in the premier league in the hope that they will qualify for the Super League which is Tanzania’s premier club competition,” he said.
He said the ZFA leadership was a visionless lot which would only succeed in “killing” Zanzibari soccer.
The ZFA executive committee announced on Tuesday that it would no longer cooperate with FAT, saying the decision was in response to FAT’s failure to abide by an agreement reached by the associations earlier in the year.
The association said it was fed up with being sidelined in matters that were supposed to be handled by both associations.
But in a swift response, the Zanzibari government slammed the move, saying it was detrimental to the union between Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania.
Sports and Culture Minister Haroun Ali Suleiman said the ZFA executive was supposed to resort to dialogue in settling its differences with FAT instead of being driven by “blind hostility”.
He said the Zanzibari government could not stand aside while disgruntled elements in ZFA attempted to endanger the Union.
The minister also directed that all Zanzibari players selected to the national team, Taifa Stars, remain in the squad currently preparing for the start of the 2004 African Nations’ Cup qualifiers. Zanzibari coach Hafidh Badru was also ordered to disregard ZFA’s directive to quit as Taifa Stars assistant coach.

TTCL boosts Mafia’s education sector
 

Friday, August 16, 2002

By Guardian Reporter

Privatised Tanzania Tele-communications Company Ltd (TTCL) yesterday donated 6.1m/- worth of building materials to the off-shore Indian Ocean island of Mafia to boost its education sector.
The materials include 120 corrugated iron sheets, 320 bags of cement and timber to be used for the building of Kirongwe Secondary School.
At the materials presentation, TTCL Chief Executive Officer, Fred van der Voort, urged other companies to extend similar help to the isolated island district.
“Many areas outside Dar es Salaam are not getting the deserved attention as a result they have been stalling in many sectors,” he noted.
Apart from aiding education, van der Voort also said that his company was planning to improve the communication system in the district.
He said improvement of communication system in the district is scheduled for the second quarter of next year.
“So we hope that towards the end of next year communication in Mafia Island will be improved to the deserving standard,” he said.
At the occasion Mafia MP, Abdulkarim Shah, said that apart from experiencing problems in education, the district also faced acute communication problems.
He thanked TTCL for the help, saying it would raise the educational status of Mafia residents.
In year 2000 President Benjamin Mkapa launched a fund for the construction of Kirongwe Secondary School by contributing 1m/-.
Mafia island, according to District Commissioner Ali Mohamed Libaba, is endowed with tourism attractions.
“Mafia has one of the exceptional tourism attractions, a marine park which is visited by many foreigners every year, what we need is publicity to make many people recognise the potentials of the island,” he said.
With a population of more than 50,000 people, Mafia District has 24 primary schools and one secondary school.

Zanzibar govt overrules ZFA

Thursday, August 15, 2002

By Guardian Reporter, Zanzibar

The Zanzibari government yesterday quashed the decision by the Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) to break off all ties with the Football Association of Tanzania (FAT).
Sports and Culture Minister Haroun Ali Suleiman said the ZFA executive was supposed to resort to dialogue in settling its differences with FAT instead of being driven by “blind hostility”.
He said the Zanzibari government could not stand aside while disgruntled elements in ZFA attempted to endanger the union between Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland.
Suleiman said Zanzibari clubs would continue competing in the Union Super League which determines Tanzania’s representatives in the African Champions’ League and CAF Cup.
He also directed that all Zanzibari players selected to the national team, Taifa Stars, remain in the squad currently preparing for the start of the 2004 African Nations’ Cup qualifiers. Zanzibari coach Hafidh Badru has also been ordered to disregard ZFA’s directive to quit as Taifa Stars assistant coach.
Earlier, Zanzibar Sports Council Executive Secretary Zam Ali said the body would meet in the next few days to discuss the ZFA officials who announced the cessation of relations with FAT.
He said the officials had set a “dangerous” precedent as far as the safeguarding of the Union was concerned.
ZFA Executive Secretary Mwinjuma Haji Saadat said on Tuesday that the association’s executive committee had decided to break off all relations with FAT.
He said ZFA had also recalled Badru from Taifa Stars in addition to withdrawing all Zanzibari players selected to the squad.
Saadat said the decision was in response to FAT’s failure to abide by an agreement reached by the associations earlier in the year.
FAT was continuing to sideline ZFA in matters that are supposed to be handled by both associations, he said.
“ZFA was never involved in the selection and preparation of the national under-17 and under-20 teams and the national women’s squad...this is contrary to what was agreed in our meeting,” Saadat said.
He said ZFA and FAT had agreed that the Zanzibari women’s squad face off against their Mainland counterparts with the winners going on to represent Tanzania in the qualifiers of the African Women’s Championship.
But to ZFA’s surprise, he said, FAT disregarded the agreement and sent the Mainland side to Asmara where they played Eritrea last weekend. Even the head coach of the Zanzibari women’s side, Abdallah Maulid, was not included in the contingent that travelled to Eritrea as agreed, he said.
He said FAT could from now on field teams in international competitions representing Tanzania Mainland and not the United Republic of Tanzania.
Saadat said Zanzibar would no longer compete in the Union Super League and the Nyerere Cup.

Products from Pemba seaweeds now being imported

Wednesday
By Felix Andrew

A laboratory medicinal drug known as culture media from Spain, derived from seaweed farming from Pemba, has started being imported by Birr Co.
Hashim Hjelm, the company managing director, said at a recent health sector trade fair that the medicinal drug is useful in research centres, hospitals, universities, clinical or veterinary diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries, alongside food and other agri-based industries.
With the firm’s participation in the health fair 2002 it is also starting to import and marketing of products derived from seaweeds. The products are bacteriological agar and agarose, reagents for diagnostics as well as additives, he said. The fair was organised by the Commonwealth Regional Health Community Secretariat in collaboration with Tanzania Conference Services Ltd.
Since the 1990s the company undertakes seaweed farming and exports the raw materials mainly to Europe for processing.
It also had a vision of helping to generate income for residents of the coastal areas and especially in Pemba where seaweed farming picked up considerably. A portion pf the profit is pumped back to the villages to improve hygiene, medical services and education facilities, the director noted.
Two types of seaweeds are grown, known by their scientific names of euchema spinosum and euchema cottonii. It is very difficult to grow cottonii since it needs special treatment, while spinosum can grow anywhere, he said.
In the past six months the company exported about 350 tons of seaweeds to Spain, he said.
Installing a seaweed processing plant locally would require huge investments, he said, noting also that the entire local production of seaweed is insufficient to make such plant viable.
Agar is used as an agent in the preparation of culture media, to identify micro-organisms. It is used in clinical analysis and various industrial applications, he said.
Agarose is employed in the preparation of gels that serve as a matrix in the technique of electrophoresis, used to separate proteins and DNA into their components, he said.
The company has a relationship with Hispanagar, a Spanish firm specialised in seaweed products for the past fifty years. It processes seaweeds to obtain agar and carragenans uses in numerous industries.
“Carragenans are highly valued because of their versatility combining capacity. They are also used as stabilizing, binding, suspending, thickening or gelling agents in both milk and water-based food products,” he said.
Other participants in the fair included House of Health, New Textbook, Kas Medics, Johnson and Johnson, Ministry of Health, Art in Tanzania, Nasreen Somj and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR).
Birr Co. was started by a small group of Swedish medical doctors and community workers in 1998, the director added.

Tanzania studying possibility of joining OIC
 

2002.07.13

DAR ES SALAAM, July 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Tanzanian government is now weighing
the pros and cons of joining the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC),
local newspaper Daily News reported on Saturday.
　　Speaking at the parliament on Friday, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation Abdulkadir Shareef said that the research on this
issue is proceeding smoothly, adding joining the OIC is a sensitive matter which
calls for careful consideration.
　　"It is not easy to say what Tanzania will gain or lose for not joining the
OIC," said Shareef. "We have to be convinced that the anticipated gains do not
bring us problems after we have joined the organization."
　　The deputy minister said the finds of the research, which is being carried
out by his ministry and other departments concerned,will be submitted to the
government for decision.
　　"The announcement will be made by the government when time comes, and that
all other announcements by anybody else regarding to join or not to join the OIC
are null and void," he said.
　　Some parliament members insist that Tanzania should become a member state
of the OIC as Muslims account for over one third of its total population, saying
joining the OIC is in the interests of the country.
　　Zanzibar, an Indian Ocean island enjoying a high degree of autonomy in
Tanzania, jointed the OIC in 1992, but was forced to withdraw from it one year
later because of the pressure from the Tanzanian government.
　　The OIC, headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has 57 member states around
the world, and 26 of them are African countries.

Zanzibar to establish first national park

2002.07.17

DAR ES SALAAM, July 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Zanzibar, an Indian ocean island
well-known for its beautiful scenery, will have its first national park with the
transformation of the Jozani Forest Reserve,local newspaper Daily News reported
on Wednesday.


　　The government's plan to that effect is now underway, Mussa AmeSilima,
minister for agriculture, natural resource, environment and cooperatives, told
the parliament of the isles on Tuesday.


　　Silima said the new status would help promote the forest reserve among
conservation bodies and attract donor funding.


　　The forest reserve is famous for its red colobus monkeys, a rare species,
and its rich concentration of flora and fauna, attracting many tourists,
especially those from Europe, who come to Zanzibar for enjoying sunshine and
sandbeach.


　　As part of efforts to reduce poverty, the Zanzibar government has been
improving the island's environment in a bid to make more money from tourism, one
of the pillars of its economy.

Zanzibari official defenses Union

2002.07.26

DAR ES SALAAM, July 26 (Xinhuanet) --

An Zanzibari government official denied the saying that the Union was the main cause of political and economic problems
in the isles, local newspaper Daily news reported on Friday.

　　Moving a motion to adjourn the budget session of the Zanzibar House of
representatives, Chief Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha noted that various complains
on the problems said to be caused by the Union set-up have been resurfacing in
the House deliberations.

　"I admit some shortcomings in the Union set-up, but perhaps, what I differ
with many is how to solve them," Nahodha was quoted as saying.
　　The chief minister said that he did not believe at all the Tanzanian will
eliminate all Union shortcoming by way of confrontation.

　　He said that he believed in dialogue as the appropriate way to deal with
the Union problems.

　　Nahodha noted that since most Union problems are rooted in the political
and economic changes, the two governments would effect legal and administrative
amendments at better trade and economic management on both parts of the United
Republic. Such work is not a one-day's job, and the talks will not end so fast,
he added.

　　In 1964, the mainland Tanganyika and the island of Zanzibar united as the
United Republic of Tanzania. With the large gap in its economic and political
development, the Union form was often doubted as whether or not it is the best
form between the mainland and the island.

Z'bar parties meet fail to pick ZEC candidates

Thursday, August 01, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Political parties in the opposition camp in Zanzibar failed yesterday to nominate two candidates for the Zanzibar Electoral Commission as they met in the Isles.
Representatives of the parties in the meeting spent time arguing about other issues, completely leaving aside the agenda of the day.
The meeting was so unsuccessful that, at the end of the day, some delegates left the conference hall with sullen faces while others parted without shaking hands to wish each other well as is the custom.
Sources inside the meeting said some delegates also charged that the meeting failed to reach an agreement due to behind-the-scene acts by Chama Cha Mapinduzi and Civic United Front parties which, however, did not send representatives.
It has been reported that delegates came up with four different agenda instead of the one originally planned.
Among the issues discussed was why opposition parties were part of the negotiation of the Peace Accord between CCM and CUF and the proposal that the opposition parties should file a case against the Zanzibar Government challenging why the 9th amendments were being made only at the suggestion of CCM and CUF.
The meeting was held at the conference hall of the National Reconstruction Alliance party at Kilimahewa. CUF did not send representatives to the meeting, much as the Coordinator of the meeting , the Deputy Chairman of DP Ali Omar Juma, had informed the party.
Asked why CUF did not attend, CUF Deputy Secretary General Juma Duni said that they thought it was too early to convene such a meeting.
During the meeting, some delegates are alleged to have claimed that it was not proper for them to join CCM and CUF in amending the constitution at this stage.
"We should have been involved earlier. The Constitution is not an issue that CCM and CUF should have discussed alone," explained Deputy Secretary General of TADEA, Rashid Ahamed Rashid.
DP Vice Chairman Ali Omar Juma stressed the need to take the government to court because it was unconstitutional for the two parties to discuss the constitution alone. They should have sought views of the Zanzibaris on the matter.
However, Rashid Ahmed Rashid did not support the proposal that the parties should file a case against the government.
Instead, he said they should write to the President to get clarification on why some political parties did not get the respect they deserve.
FORD Deputy Secretary General Nassor Soraga opposed taking the matter to court, arguing that the move would delay the formation of an independent Electoral Commission. He advised the delegates to nominate the two candidates and forward the names to the President.
There were also allegations that CUF had secretly sent five names to the President out of whom two would be picked members of the Commission.

Clove Smuggling Report Prompts Heated Debates in Zanzibar

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
July 29, 2002

Discussions about findings of a recent report into clove smuggling from Zanzibar turned to heated debates in the House of Representatives last week, as it emerged that "almost everybody" was implicated in the illicit trade, sources on the island told IRIN.

The report, which was commissioned by the House, "spares no one", they said.

However, during a tempestuous session, one member described the report as "full of lies" and the Speaker of the House reportedly had to intervene to restore order.

Meanwhile, opposition politicians have called the smuggling "a silent protest" to show that something is wrong and there is a need for change to the clove policy.

At the moment, clove farmers on Zanzibar are supposed to sell all their cloves directly to the government. However, given the discrepancy between the official price, 3,500 Tanzanian shillings ($3.5) per kilo on Zanzibar, and the black market price - reportedly between 7,000 and 10,000 Tanzanian shillings in Kenya - many farmers take the illicit option.

"With all these costs and efforts he incurs, he [the farmer] is still getting a profit if he ships the cloves across the channel to Kenya. Why is it that the Zanzibar government cannot catch that market?" asked Juma Duni, Deputy Secretary General of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF).

"Things need to change - they tried to raise the price but that was not enough. There is too much competition from the smugglers," he added. "There has always been a squeeze on the farmers' price but they have grabbed an opportunity because there is someone ready on the other side."

An agricultural analyst agreed, saying that in the past there had been a lot of money because of the dominance of Zanzibar cloves on the world market. However, this has diminished in terms of earnings for the government from being about 65 percent in the 1970's to only 2 -3 percent now.

"To try to cover the parastatal's costs, it [the government] has tried to squeeze the growers and hence the recourse to smuggling, where the earnings can be up to 200 percent more than through the official channels," he told IRIN. "There are calls for a review of the overall clove marketing and this should be made a priority for Zanzibar."

Jim Adams, former World Bank country representative in Tanzania, believes there is a strong case for a liberalisation of the clove markets in Zanzibar.

"There have been some historical reasons, but I think much along the lines of liberalisation on the mainland," he told IRIN. "We [the World Bank] think that paying the farmers a competitive market price for cloves is the way, both to increase farmers' incomes but also to increase the overall incomes too, because that will stimulate increased production and, we hope, increased income for the country as well."

Other than acknowledging the significance of the clove industry, Zanzibar's ministry of trade, industry, marketing and tourism declined to comment as the minister is out of the country.

Kenya denies Zanzibar cloves smuggling
 

Thursday, 25 July, 2002,

Zanzibar's authorities have accused neighbouring Kenya of involvement in the smuggling of cloves from the isle.
Kenyan officials have, however, denied any involvement.

MPs say the cloves are smuggled through the sea to Kenya's coast

Zanzibar - which united with Tananyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania - is one of the world's leading producers of cloves.

The BBC's Ally Saleh in Zanzibar says the reports claims that Kenya's southern port of Shimoni has been an off-loading point for smuggled Zanzibari cloves.

He says the committee - which was set up by the isle's House of Representatives - accuses the Kenyan Government of colluding with smugglers.

Mafia-like network

Our correspondent says the report claims that after being smuggled to Kenya, the cloves are later exported as Kenyan products.

But the BBC's Alice Muthengi in Nairobi, says Kenya's police spokesman Peter Kimanthi has denied allegations that the Kenyan police have been providing protection to vessels ferrying smuggled cloves from the Indian Ocean isle.

Mr Kimathi said police investigations on the Kenyan shoreline have not come up with any evidence implicating Kenyans of being involved in the alleged smuggling racket.

The Zanzibari committee - headed by its chairman, Ali Juma Shamuhuna, says massive clove smuggling exists on the island, involving a Mafia-like network of government officials. It also provides names of local leaders it claims are involved in the smuggling racket.

Cloves are used as a spice - but are also believed to have some medicinal value.

The eight-member committee was formed in April after Zanzibari MPs complained about the government's failure to curb cloves smuggling. Earnings from cloves contribute about 10% of Zanzibar's Gross Domestic Product.

Zanzibari "Refugees" Return From Mogadishu

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

July 24, 2002


A group of 12 Tanzanians who fled violent clashes in Zanzibar in January 2001 and ended up in Somalia were due to be returned to their homes on Wednesday, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

"They have been accepted and are flying back today," Ivana Unluova, UNHCR spokeswoman in Tanzania told IRIN on Wednesday.

Some 100 Zanzibaris had made their way to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, from the Dadaab refugee camp, northeastern Kenya, last October after having been transferred there from the village of Shimoni on the Kenyan coast - their first place of sanctuary. Although the exact whereabouts of the remainder of the Mogadishu group was unknown, it was thought they were probably still in the Somali capital, Unluova said.

The group of 12 had approached UNHCR representatives in Mogadishu asking to be repatriated and, although they were not officially considered as refugees, UNHCR had agreed to provide assistance as they were still "people of concern to us".

The principle of first country of asylum - which says that if a person has already been given refugee status in one country, he is not permitted to move to a second country to seek asylum for the same reasons - meant that Kenya was still the appropriate country of refuge for the Mogadishu group, UNHCR told IRIN at the time of the group's flight to Somalia.

All Zanzibari refugees transferred to Dadaab who had not left the camp voluntarily, had now been returned to Tanzania. "There are none left," Unluova said.

The Tanzanian government has given assurances that, on their return to Zanzibar, refugees would not be prosecuted for their part in the January 2001 unrest. UNHCR protection staff in Zanzibar monitoring repatriation had so far reported no serious problems, Unluova said.

More than 2,000 Zanzibaris fled the Tanzanian island chain in January 2001 when political demonstrations turned violent. The clashes arose when police broke up demonstrations by supporters of the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) against what they considered were unfair elections, won by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, in October 2000.

Tanesco crack-down moves to Z'bar

Wednesday, July 17, 2002 .
By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Ltd on Monday disconnected power to hundreds of houses in Zanzibar, including those owned by government institutions and departments, allegedly for not paying outstanding debts amounting to 31.7bn/-.
The exercise started on Monday morning with ordinary customers in different quarters of Pemba and Unguja, who owe the power utility firm a total of 8bn/-.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, the Company Service Manager in Zanzibar, Simai Haji, said his firm would proceed with the crack down until all customers paid their debts.
"The operation started on customers with huge debts. W e have made some achievements as many showed up to pay their bills. However, time is not ripe to say anything about the amount of cash which has so far been collected as people are still coming," he said.
He mentioned other buildings where power was disconnected as Immigration Department in Zanzibar, Bwawani Hotel and Municipal Councils.

Winners at the Zanzibar International Film Festival

By Ashura Kilungo
7/12/02

Golden Dhow - Le Prix du Pardon/The Prize of Forgiveness
(Mansour Sora Wade, Senegal/ France/Netherlands/Sweden)
The jury recognized this film for its combination of powerful narrative, gripping visual imagery and vivid characterization. It encapsulates meticulous cultural specificity with a tale of epic dimension.
Silver Dhow- The Name of the River (Anup Singh, India)
This film was recognised for its innovative exploration of history and depiction of memory. Through the synthesis of poetry, music and imagery, this film takes the viewer through an extraordinary journey.
Feature Videos:
The jury felt that the films did not meet the standard required to win prizes for this category. However, the jury made special mention of the convincing performance of Rosa Castigo as Mama Otilia in the film Disobedience directed by Licinio Azevedo of Mozambique.
Documentary Films:
Golden Dhow: Hopes on the Horizon (Onyekachi Wambu, U.S.A/U.K/Nigeria)
The jury gave this award for the film's powerful presentation of contemporary African issues. It exemplifies excellent documentary filmmaking through its thorough research and the imaginative use of the griot tradition binding together the six episodes into a holistic vision of the continent.
Silver Dhow: Runaway (Kim Longinotto, Ziba Mir-Husseini, Iran/U.K)
The film offers a valuable insight into the plight of runaway girls and the complex familial relationships in contemporary Iran. It shows how sensitive and highly skilled cinematography can be used to externalise interiorised feelings.
Short Fiction Videos:
The jury felt that the films did not meet the standard required to win prizes for this category.
Documentary Video:
Golden Dhow: The Bridge (Licinio Azevedo, Mozambique)
A quietly revealing portrait of a community's effort to break from its isolation. The film, exemplary of its type, documents a community's involvement in the building of a new bridge that highlights the African rural peoples struggle towards development.
Silver Dhow: The jury awarded the Silver Dhow to two films:
1) My Migrant Soul (Yasmine Kabir, Bangladesh)
The film sensitively documents the terrible experience of one man and his family in a story of universal significance. It exposes the bitter realities and economic exploitation of migrant workers the world over.
2) The Guguletu Seven (Lindy Wilson, Republic of South Africa)
The film addresses the activities of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post apartheid South Africa. It elicits awareness of the arduous task of uncovering the truth and the painful healing process that follows.
Special Jury Award:
Steps for the Future Series (Republic of South Africa)
For a timely intervention in global broadcasting on AIDS awareness as exemplified in the competition by four films of outstanding quality:
1) Dreams of a Good Life directed by Bridget Pickering,
2) Looking for Busi directed by Robin Hofmyer,
3) A Miners Tale directed by Nic Hofmyer, and
4) A Red Ribbon Around my House directed by Portia Rankoane.
These four films exhibit a synthesis of form and content, which inspires courage and hope.
Jury Members:
Prof. Alan Fountain (UK)
Ms. Rose Sayore (Tanzania)
Dr. N. Frank Ukadike (Nigeria)
Ms. Marianne Bhalotra (Netherlands)
Ms. Bina Paul (India)
Golden Dhow
Chairman's Choice - Joint Award:
Fishers of Dar/Samaki wa Dar [USA/Tanzania]
Director: Lina Fruzzetti/Akos Oster/Steven Ross
High Hopes, Low Tides [Kenya]
Director: Julie Church
Flip-Flotsam [Kenya]
Director: Etienne Oliff & Lucy Bateman
The Great Ruaha River/Mto Ruaha Mkubwa [Tanzania]
Director: Simon Trevor
These films remind us of the need to develop an awareness of the natural environment and consider ecological issues in the quest for development.
Golden Dhow
Lifetime Achievement Award: Khamis Shehe
For his contribution to music in Zanzibar.
Silver Dhow
Peoples Choice Award: Lumumba
Director: Raoul Peck
The most popular film screened at the festival.
 

United States donates 30m/- equipment to Zanzibar

Friday, July 12, 2002
By Guardian Reporter

The American Embassy has donated 30m/- worth of equipment to Ubago water project in Zanzibar.
According to a press statement available in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the donation included electricity installation, a new water pump that produces 20,000 litres per hour, new pipeline, and rehabilitation of storage tank.
The well was inaugurated July 10 by U.S. Ambassador Robert V. Royall and Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume, the statement said.
It stated that the well would serve more than 7,000 Ubago and Kidimni residents, including the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces personnel and their families.
The Zanzibar government contributed 5m/= for rehabilitation of the well, pump house and fence construction, and community participation by Ubago and Kidimni inhabitants saved about 4m/= that was used for digging trenches for laying pipes and other construction work at the site.
The Ubago water project, which runs on generator power, was planned in 1974/75 by the Zanzibar government, and a storage tank of 225,000 litres was built.
However, the generator broke down and since 1992 the village has had no running water. The US government has also assisted other water projects in Zanzibar at Ukongoroni-Charawe by providing new generator, new pump and accessories.
The project was turned over to the Zanzibar government by Ambassador Royall on January 28, 2002.
In Pemba, the United States government is assisting projects in Matuleni and Kojani, which are under construction, said the statement.

‘Rate of HIV/AIDS infection
among women alarming’

Monday, July 08, 2002 .
By Judica Tarimo, Zanzibar

The rate of HIV/AIDS infection among women is alarming in Zanzibar, allegedly due to lack of enough awaress campaigns, it has been revealed.
Asha Abood, a facilitator of HIV/AIDS seminar held in the Women Panorama, said a recent research conducted in Zanzibar indicated that the pandemic has adversely affected more women than men.
She said out of 267 people who were screened for HIV/AIDS test between February and March this year, 34 of them were HIV positive, 28 being women and 6 men.
Speaking in the same seminar, Khamis Mbarouk from the Zanzibar Association of People living with HIV/AIDS, said currently his organization has 25 AIDS victims, 6 of whom are men and the rest were women.
“The figures may be higher than those, particularly if we could include those in hospitals or hiding at their homes,” Abood noted.
Participants cited polygamy, lack of transparency by parents, earlier marriages as core factors which contribute to the spread of the disease in this community.
They appealed to the Government of Zanzibar to release statistics on the disease to facilitate strategies and efforts focused on combating the pandemic.

Interview: Zanzibar to further cooperation with China, says president

Xinhuanet 2002-07-07 03:59:23


　　DAR ES SALAAM, July 6 (Xinhuanet by Sun Yongming ) -- Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume said that Zanzibar will further develop cooperation with China, especially in the field of economy and trade.

　　Despite some achievements scored in economic and trade cooperation between Zanzibar and China, there is still a great potential for both sides to explore, said Karume in an exclusive interview with Xinhua Friday in his seaside presidential palace onthe Indian Ocean island.

　　The globalization of world economy has made economic and trade cooperation the most important part of bilateral ties, and Zanzibar hopes to conduct cooperation with China in various sectors and at all levels, said Karume, who is to pay an official visit to China in August at the invitation of China's Vice President Hu Jintao.

　　With regard to the upcoming visit, Karume hoped it will give a new impetus to the political and economic ties between Zanzibar and China.

　　As the biggest developing country, China has scored prominent achievements since it adopted the reform and opening up policy, setting a good example for the developing world, especially African nations, he said.

　　"China adopts the latest technologies at an amazing speed. Zanzibar, however, is slow in this aspect. We can draw much usefulexperience from China," Karume said.

　　China has conducted extensive agricultural reforms through which the Chinese farmers' living standards have got an outstanding improvement, and Zanzibar, whose backbone economy is agriculture and fishery, could learn a lot from China, said the president.

　　In the interview, Karume also expressed his satisfaction with the development of the relations between Zanzibar and China.

　　Zanzibar, as a part of the United Republic of Tanzania, and China has enjoyed very close cooperation in various fields thanks to the unremitting efforts by the two governments and two peoples as well, Karume said.

　　"The Zanzibar people got firm support from the Chinese brothersand sisters during our struggle for independence from the British rule in 1960s. We'll never forget that. That's why we call it a brotherly relationship (with China)," Karume said.

　　The history of the national construction of Zanzibar, and of Tanzania as a whole, is a lifelike portrayal of the profound friendship between the two peoples, Karume said, citing the instances of the Tanzania-Zambia Railroad built by the Chinese people in the 1970s and the Chinese medical teams stationed in Zanzibar and on the mainland as well.

　　"Chinese doctors have come to Zanzibar one group after another in the past decades. They have done an excellent job in offering health services to local residents, especially those low-income people," Karume said.

　　The close relationship between Tanzania, including Zanzibar, and China was attributed by the president to the solid foundation laid by late leaders of the two sides, such as Tanzanian PresidentJulius K. Nyerere, and Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai.

　　"I still remember the visit to Zanzibar by Premier Zhou Enlai in June 1965 when my father served as the first president of the island. I was 17 years old then. He shook hands with me. I was impressed very much by his elegant manner," Karume recalled.

　　Karume said he is looking forward to the meeting with Vice President Hu Jintao and other Chinese officials in Beijing, which he believes will further promote the friendly relations between Zanzibar and China.

　　While serving as the Zanzibar Minister of Trade, Industries and Marketing, Karume visited China in 1992.

Zanzibar Moves to Curb Illegal Fishing in Isles Waters

DAR ES SALAAM, Jul 2, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --

The Zanzibar government has vowed to take effective measures to curb the rapidly rising illegal fishing in the isles waters, local newspaper Daily News reported on Tuesday.

Tafana Kassim Mzee, deputy minister for agriculture, natural resources, environment and cooperatives, was quoted as saying a mechanism will be established between the isles and mainland authorities to stop the illegal fishing.

Emergency meeting will be held whenever a situation warrants it to seek a solution to the illegal fishing, Mzee told the Zanzibar House of Representatives on Monday.

The deputy minister stressed the illegal activities, involving both the isles and mainland fisherfolk, must be stopped for the benefits of the present and future generations.

As for the government action to stop illegal fishing, Mzee complained the law enforcement authorities are ill-equipped to patrol the fishing zone effectively.

The waters around the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar is one of the major fisheries of Tanzania, a key source of foreign currency for the eastern African country.

Despite repeated warnings from the government, some fishermen still entered the fishing zone to catch fish with illegal means, arousing concern that the marine resources would be damaged by the lawless activities.
 

Zanzibar sacks run-away journalists
 

Monday, June 24, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar Government has sacked 11 journalists of the state-owned TV-Zanzibar (TVZ) who failed to return home after finishing their studies abroad.
The Minister of State in the Chief Minister’s Office, Salim Juma Othuman, told the Zanzibar House of Representatives here last week that the 11 journalists had decided not to return home after completing their professional courses in the European Union countries.
Minister Othuman was responding to a question by the Member of the House of Representatives for Muyuni constituency, Ramadhan Nyonje Pandu.
Pandu had wanted to know the number of workers from the Information Services Department who had gone for studies abroad between 1990 and this year and failed to come back home.
He had also wanted to know what disciplinary or legal steps would be taken against such journalists.
Minister Othuman said that parents of those journalists were so poor that they were unable to refund the Zanzibar government the sum spent for their children to study abroad.
He said that the 11 journalists were sent by the government to undergo professional studies in the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
The minister, however, said that preparations were underway to curb such problems in the near future.
Minister Othuman could not disclose what type of preparations were still underway.
Journalists working with state-owned media institutions in Zanzibar are paid between 40,000/- and 60,000/- as monthly salary.
Some of the absconded journalists have already removed their families from Zanzibar to overseas countries while others have married foreigners in the United States, the United Kingdom or other European countries.

Isles permanent voters' register starts

Friday, June 14, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has started preparations for the next general elections by listing eligible voters in a special register.
Registered voters would be regarded as permanent voters on the isles during the coming general elections, the Zanzibar Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, said here yesterday.
Tabling the budget of Chief Minister's Office for the 2002/03 financial year before the House of Representatives yesterday, Nahodha said that the Register would guarantee every Zanzibari his or her constitutional right to vote during presidential and House of Representatives elections.
The Chief Minister stated that the Register would also clear some doubts from groups of Zanzibaris, especially those charging that the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has not been an independent body.
He said that ZEC should be regarded by political parties as an important body for ensuring democracy prevailed in Zanzibar.
Plans were underway to send ZEC staff members to other countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for training on how best to supervise elections, Chief Minister said.
Before the next general elections, civic education would be offered to Zanzibaris to make sure that every Zanzibari knew his or her constitutional and democratic rights, he added.
New office equipment would be given to ZEC by the Zanzibar government so that the commission fulfilled its duties and responsibilities smoothly, Nahodha said.
The Chief Minister told the House of Representatives that steps were jointly being taken by the isles government and the Union government to resolve some Union matters.
During the next budget, efforts would also be directed towards the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in Zanzibar, he said.
A new investment policy would be put in place in the coming financial year to ensure that investments contribute more to the government coffers on the isles, Nahodha said.
Tourism industry would also be given top priority for it to contribute greatly to the government revenue, he added.
He called on Zanzibaris to apply for soft loans from the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) which would receive a total of 3bn/- from the Zanzibar government during the next financial year.
The Chief Minister asked House Representatives to approve a total of 4.3bn/-, as his Office's budget for 2002/03 financial year.

White collar crime milks Z'bar dry

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 .

By   PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Finance and Economic Committee of the House of Representatives have said wanton theft and embezzlement of public funds and property are behind poor performance of the economy of Zanzibar.
Chairperson Rufeya Juma Mbaruku, said there were government officials who disappeared with public funds and others occasioned loss by evading the state garage to repair government vehicles.
Mbaruku also criticised the government for paying exorbitant rent to get office space in private buildings when such money could be used for development activities.
Mbaruku said the committee called for formation of an audit team on the sources of revenue for the Zanzibar Municipal Council to establish if every cent collected was being spent accordingly.
She criticised municipal officials for indulging endless arguments instead of ensuring that revenue collections were being spent properly.
Mbaruku was presenting the committee's position after presentation of the 2002/2003 budget speech by the Minister of State in the President's Office (Finance and Economic Planning), Othmani Nyanga.
She warned that without mending the loopholes through which public funds disappeared, plans for poverty alleviation and improving the Zanzibar economy would never materialise.

ZFA cuts links with FAT

Monday, June 10, 2002
By  Robert Komba, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) says it has ceased co-operating with the Football Association of Tanzania (FAT) on all matters related to the various national teams.
In its letter to FAT, ZFA said the association saw no point in working with FAT when the national body “clearly discriminates against Zanzibar” when it came to the selection of the teams and their coaches.
“FAT never bothers to consult ZFA on the selection of the teams or appointing coaches...this is unacceptable,” ZFA said in the letter signed by Executive Secretary Mwinjuma Haji Saadat. ZFA has also taken exception to what it says is FAT’s habit of communication directly with Zanzibari clubs that qualified for international tournaments instead of routing their letters through the Isles body.
The association said it had decided to leave the task of selecting the teams and their coaches to FAT, adding that it would stay on the sidelines until the two sides met to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, Zanzibar Education, Culture and Sports Deputy Minister Sultan Mugheiry said ZFA’s complaints were being handled by the Zanzibar National Sports Council.
ZFA’s decision came when the senior, under 20 and under-17 teams are preparing for their respective African championships.

Zanzibar face Kenya in netball opener
 

Saturday, June 08, 2002
By  Bahati Mollel

Defending champions Kenya face off against hosts Zanzibar in today’s opening match of the East African Senior Challenge Cup netball tournament at the Zanzibar Gymkhana Club.
The Secretary-General of the Zanzibar Amateur Netball Association (Chaneza), Sherry Khamis, said yesterday the full programme would be released once all teams had arrived for the competition provisionally scheduled to end next weekend.
She said Tanzania Mainland and Uganda were due to arrive yesterday evening while Kenya were expected in Zanzibar today morning.
Tanzania Mainland’s national team, Taifa Queens, left Dar es Salaam yesterday for Zanzibar after training for the competition for a fortnight.
Players in the squad are: Grace Daudi, Nelly Anyingisye, Edna John, Matalena Mhagama, Evodia Kazinja, Grace Peter, Fatuma Bakari, Teddy Lukindo, Mwadawa Hamis, Sabina Joseph, Judith Ilunda, Jane Issa, Angela Ignas and Lulu Joseph.
Penina Igwe, Jabu Shaaban, Monica Aloyce, Elizabeth Christopher, Neema Emmanuel, Ndigwako William and Christina Kabamba were dropped from the team after apparently failing to impress the coaching staff during training.
Officials accompanying the team are Brigadier Zawadi Madawili, who is heading the contingent, Tanzania Netball Association (Chaneta) Chairperson Rose Shomari, Chaneta acting Secretary-General Anna Kibira and coaches Mary Protas and Specioza Budodi.
On Thursday, health insurance firm Med-X donated a first aid kit and drugs worth 400,000/- to the team.

Russia asks Karume to pardon murder convicts

Wednesday, June 05, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Russia has appealed to Zanzibar to review a death sentence passed by the Court of Appeal to its two citizens early this year after being convicted of murdering a compatriot.
The Court of Appeal passed the capital punishment to the two Russians, Dimitrikosya Kofivich and Segrevich Otchro last year after they were convicted of killing another Russian, Alex Victorovic in 2000.
Talking to the press here yesterday, the Commissioner of Prisons in Zanzibar Ramadhan Khatib, said the appeal has been presented by the Russian Ambassador to Tanzania to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The two Russians are at Kiinua Miguu prison awaiting the execution of the sentence after a consent by the Zanzibar President, Abeid Aman Karume.
Khatib said the fate of the two convicts is now under President Karume's discretion.
On Monday, the Russian Ambassador in Tanzania visited Zanzibar after reports that the two convicts had started a hunger strike claiming that the food they are served at Kiinua Miguu prison was not fit for human consumption.
Khatib said apart from food claims, the two Russians had also demanded to be taken outside the prison for medical treatment should be supplied with a radio set and newspapers.
Reports from the prison say that the two have been surviving on water only and their health was deteriorating.
They took the decision allegedly after prison officials barred their relatives from bringing them food from home. The prisons officials insist that the two had to eat the food provided by the prison as regulations require.

Child Labour Common in Zanzibar
 

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
June 4, 2002

A recent rapid assessment by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), an associate organisation of the United Nations, has found that child labour is "common" in Zanzibar, with prostitution, fisheries and seaweed farming among the "most hazardous" sectors in which children are involved.

The report also found evidence of child labour on clove plantations in Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous island chain within Tanzania, and in the hotel and tourism sector, for which it is also famous, although the levels of child labour in these sectors were classified as "moderate".

The results were published last week in a report of the ILO's rapid assessment on the worst forms of child labour in Zanzibar, which was conducted in June 2001. The information was collected from 489 respondents over a five-day period.

The 2001 Situation Analysis of Children in Tanzania recently released by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also painted a depressing picture, noting that, while the country had maintained relative stability and improved its economic performance, this had not translated into real improvements in the lives of children.

"Tanzania has not met 2000 targets, and is far from being on track to meet 2015 international development targets," the report stated. "Instead, virtually every critical measure of child wellbeing stagnated or declined through the 1990s."

Because the ILO report on Zanzibar was on the basis of a rapid assessment, it does not provide an in-depth analysis of the impact of child labour, according to sources at the organisation.

However, it does propose a series of measures that would go some way towards tackling the problem. These included: a sensitisation process for all stakeholders about the impact of child labour; measures to withdraw children from child labour in fishing and prostitution, while providing alternative income sources; formulation of bylaws restricting child labour; and a curb on the tourist-induced influx of western influences on Zanzibari people.

According to the report, the main causes of child labour are poverty, irresponsible parents, family breakdown, a lack of alternatives for children after they have completed their formal education, and children's desire to be financially independent from their parents.

Children between the ages of six and 14 were found to be involved in the preparation of seeds, planting, harvesting and drying processes on seaweed farms on the east coast of Unguja (the main island of Zanzibar, often referred to as simply Zanzibar), where working environments were reported to be "dangerous".

Meanwhile, through the process of "physical counting", researchers revealed there were some 50 child prostitutes (aged between 14 and 18) in the Stone Town, the main urban centre on Unguja. None of these children were reported to be attending school, but, of the child prostitutes, only three percent were said to have originated in Zanzibar.

The extent of child labour in Zanzibar varied not only by sector but also according to the time of year, with the high tourist season and harvest time significantly increasing the levels of child labour, according to the ILO report.

Whereas the situation might not be as serious as in other African or Asian countries, the Zanzibar government regarded child labour, especially in the fishing industry, as an issue needing to be tackled immediately, Omar Shajak, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Employment, Youth Women and Children, told IRIN at the weekend. "It is a serious concern for the government, and it will continue if measures to reduce it are not taken," he said.

7 singled out for Basketball league

Sunday, June 02, 2002
By   Correspondent Bahati Mollel

The Zanzibar Amateur Basketball Association {ZABA} has named a combined total of seven male and female teams that will participate in the second edition of the national basketball league slated for June 15-22 this year.
The tournament will held at the Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Secretary-General of the Interim Committee of the Basketball Association of Tanzania {BATA},Ahmed Simba, announced in Dar es Salaam on Friday that four will be male teams and the remainder female.
Men's teams will be Stone Town, Lajers, Police Rangers and Nyuki, while the female group will comprise Harbours, Lakers and Nyuki.
Simba said BAZA had requested for more teams to feature in the league, but a decision on the issue had yet to be reached.
He said he would submit the request to the executive committee, the date of whose next meeting had yet to be set.

Zantel disputes TCC conditions
 

Thursday, May 30, 2002 .
By PST, Zanzibar


Zanzibar's mobile phone service provider, Zantel, has declared a dispute with the Tanzania Communications Commission (TCC) on "stringent conditions" it has been given to enable it operate on Tanzania mainland.
The Managing Director of the company, Mohamedi Salim said yesterday that his company could not agree to the conditions because they were governed by monopoly.
He said on those grounds, Zantel would not operate in Tanzania Mainland if TCC insisted that the company should use TTCL's (Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited) Mwenge satellite station in Dar es Salaam.
He said the use of TTCL facilities would increase costs, since they would have to pay millions of shillings while Zantel's facilities at Amani, Zanzibar could provide the services.
He said the telecommunications services law which was passed by the parliament before TTCL was privatised, forcing phone companies to provide services through RRCL facilities, was monopolistic and aimed at protecting the company.
"The Union government should look anew at this law because it is governed by monopoly. Our company can provide phone services without using their facilities. Why should we forced to do so if we want to provide the services on the mainland?" said Salim.
He said Zantel would not operate on the mainland until the current management of TTCL complete their contract in 2005.
"We are not ready to incur extra costs because our facilities are able to offer the services without TTCL support. It is because of this we are saying that the law passed needs to be revised," he said.
He said Zantel had no aim of going to court, although they were incurring losses for not participating in the big mainland mobile phone market.
However, he noted, the company has had its successes in Pemba and Unguja and was now eyeing the international market in East and Southern African countries, a project which was expected to cost 20 million dollars.
In the project, he said, Zanzibaris would be able to communicate directly with America without passing through Britain as was the case previously.
Zantel also offers its services in the Arab Emirates and the European Union through phone companies in England.
He said since its inception three years ago, Zantel had registered success and its management had recently agreed to lower tariffs from 0.24 dollars to 15 US cents per minute.

US Embassy women help build Zanzibar houses
 

Monday, May 27, 2002 .
By Guardian Reporter

Women working with the American Embassy in Dar es Salaam this week joined hands with other women in Zanzibar to build houses for single mothers and female-headed households, working with Habitat for Humanity Tanzania.
The US Ambassador Rovert V. Royall and members of his family joined the group on Wednesday, and took part in the building.
The American Ambassador said: "We must all work together to wipe out poverty in Zanzibar." In a rousing speech, the ambassador praised the community at Kiombamvua, the Government of Zanzibar and Habitat for Humanity, Tanzania.
The Houses for Tanzanian Women Project aims to address three of the primary problems facing women in Tanzania - limited opportunities to own property, difficulty in obtaining credit and lack of access to training programmes.
According to the Habitat for Humanity National Director, Maria Chomyszak, the programme which runs from May 20 through May 24, will bring together women from various nationalities, tribes and socio-economic backgrounds for the purpose of building houses for Tanzanian women.
The houses, which cost not more than 1m/-, will have between two or three bedrooms with outdoor latrines.
The women will participate in the programme on multiple levels. Female home owners will be assisted with construction of new houses, will help neighbours build houses and will also attend training workshops on topics ranging from financial planning to leadership skills.
Habitat for Humanity owners invest `sweat equity' by helping to build their own houses and houses for others in the community. It also provides no interest loans.
Families pay back their loans in low monthly payments over a 10 year period. Loan payments are put into a revolving fund that is used to build more houses for more families in the community.
Habitat for Humanity Tanzania helps people regardless of race, religion, denomination, gender, tribe or nationality.

Hamad, Duni rift simmers in Zanzibar
 

Monday, May 27, 2002 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Efforts to block the Civic United Front Secretary General, Seif Shariff Hamad, from running as presidential candidate in Zanzibar have taken a new turn with the opposing faction holding secret night meetings in Zanzibar.
Sources inside the "G7 camp" told PST that the meetings have been held at night in order to maintain confidentiality. They are held just two kilometres form CUF headquarters.
The group is against the idea of having Hamad to contest for the Zanzibar presidency for the third time. "We are determined to stop him," the sources said.
Information leaking from the meetings has it that Deputy Secretary General, Juma Duni "should get his due respect."
"We sent five people to Pemba, Hamad's main power base, to explain why Duni should stand as presidential candidate. We want the party to win, not that we do not like Hamad," said one of the leaders.
The G7 leaders said Duni was hesitating because of "threats from Hamad's followers". They claimed that such a situation was against the constitution.
The sources said that the move was well-supported in Zanzibar, while it remained difficult to convince people in Pemba to accept the idea.
The CUF General Secretary had recently quoted as saying that the party will take strong action against people who bring confusion in the party.
He said it was too early to speak about who will stand for presidential elections. Hamad said those had been holding confidential meetings were well known.
However, Duni has publicly stated that he is not ready to challenge Hamad apparently because he is unable to do so.
On the contrary, reports from inside the party say that Duni has been directed to build a political base in Northern regions in preparation for the House of Representatives elections.
In the 1995 General Elections, Duni was a running mate of the CUF presidential candidate for the United Republic of Tanzania, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba.
Effort to get the CUF General Secretary Seif Shariff Hamad proved futile because he was allegedly on safari.

A taste of International films
 

By Express Reporter
5/25/02

Come 28th June this year, Zanzibar will, for the fifth year now, be turned into an exciting arena of international films amongst other artistic festivities.
Getting a view into the dramas that is life for diverse people across the globe while seated in the historical House of Wonder or indeed the Old Fort while the delicious appetising feast awaits you under the romantic moonlight at Forodhani is an experience one cannot easily forget.
Here we bring you just a sample of over 100 films to be screened during this year's ZIFF Festival of the Dhow Countries 2002.
LUMUMBA:
The emotive and heartbreaking rendition of Patrice Emery Lumumba's gripping life story will be shown on Opening Night: Friday 28th June. Lumumba is directed by Haitian, Raoul Peck, this year's Festival Guest of Honour.
SENEGAL SALSA: (SENEGAL) Dir: Moustapha Ndoye
SYNOPSIS: In the 50's and 60's the entire Senegal nation was fired by the Afro-Cuban rhythms of salsa. It was the era where, after obtaining independence, the country faced the future with optimism. Dakar was the centre of African Cultural crossover with its Festival of Black Arts. Salseros such as Pape Seck, Maguette Ndiaye, Lnyx Tall, Amara Toure, Madly Konate, Labba Sosseh … were at the height of their art. But in time, confidence in the future dwindled, the legendary locations vanished, the great musicians passed away. Against a background of archives footage, Senegalese artists reminisce nostalgically about the salsa years.
100 DAYS: (RWANDA/U.K) Dir: Nick Hughes
SYNOPSIS: A local Hutu official is persuaded to begin implementing the Government's policy against the Tutsi to completely wipe them out. Josette, a beautiful young Tutsi girl and her family struggle to survive the killing and take refuge in a church supposedly protected by UN forces. Meanwhile, her brother is hunted down and murdered and her boyfriend rescued by the rebels. But the Hutu Catholic priest betrays Josette's family and only agrees to spare her life if she becomes his concubine. By the time she is reunited with her boyfriend, neither of them can face the brutal reality of her situation. Josette is pregnant and bears the priest's child, which she immediately abandons.
RUNAWAY: (U.K) Director. Kim Longinotto & Ziba Mir- Hosseini.
SYNOPSIS: A documentary film, which was shot in late 2000 in Tehran, and is set in Rayhaneh House, a shelter for runaway girls. Following the stories of five teenagers, the film explores their longing for freedom, their hopes for a brighter future, and their experiences of society's double rules and standards when it comes to gender rights. Each of them shows courage and resourcefulness in leaving a domestic situation that has become intolerable to them. The shelter is run by dynamic and charismatic Mrs. Shirazi, who together with a team to counsellors, protects the girls from their families and helps them to renegotiate their relationships. Like their earlier Divorce Iranian Style, Runaway shows how Iranian women are learning to challenge the old rules, and how rapidly their country is changing.
SOVIET IMPLOSION: (ZIMBABWE) Director: Martin Cheketa.
SYNOPSIS: The film is as much about the former Soviet Union as about Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. This documentary takes a critical look at the ideological and institutional issues, policies, personalities, perceptions and misperceptions that lead to the collapse of the Union of Soviet Social Republics in 1991 and the implications of that unprecedented implosion for Southern Africa.
YOU ARE FREE: (IRAN) director Mohammad Ali Talebi
SYNOPSIS: A number of inmates from a reformatory school are released. It is specified that the younger boys should live either families or in supervision centers. On the promised day, Mohsen Ghaderi's parents do not show up to take their son, and orphan Sohrab is not accepted at the governmental supervision centres. The film depicts the real lives of these two young boys among others inmates of the reformatory school
Others include:
HOPES ON THE HORIZONS (USA) director: Onyekachi Wanbu
"THOSE WHO ARE RUNNING…" (GERMANY) director: Annette Wagner
RAGE (U.K/NIGERIA) director Newton I Aduaka
I'LL SING FOR YOU (FRANCE) director: Jacques Sarasin
DISOBEDIENCE (MOZAMBIQUE) director: Licinio Azevedo
THE NAME OF A RIVER (INDIA) director: Anup Singh
UNDER THE SKIN OF THE CITY (IRAN) director: Rakhshan Ban Etemed
HAJJ: THE JOURNEY OF A LIFE TIME (UK) director: Ovidio Salazar
You love films? Zanzibar is where you ought to be come this June!

Karume calls for WB help

Saturday, May 18, 2002 .

By Guardian Reporter

Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume has asked the World Bank to assist in improving social services provision schemes, especially water projects.

He made the request at the State House yesterday when he met the World Bank Representative in Tanzania and Uganda, Judy O`Connor.

"There is acute shortage of water in the villages, notably during dry seasons. People are troubled by lack of water.They spend more time looking for water than in development activities," Karume said.

The President said that people had practically expressed their commitment to establish and support water projects.

"Given the spirit, it is now imperative that some organisations, like World Bank, should chip in and uphold these initiatives," the Zanzibari President said.

Reacting to the request, O'connor assured President Karume that World Bank would not hesitate to assist Zanzibar when the situation allows.

Bank ready to boost clove exports

Saturday, May 18, 2002 .
By Correspondent Rachel Mkundai

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with local banks is considering to support exporters of spices, particularly cloves from Zanzibar.
This was said by Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr Festus Limbu, when he was officiating at the opening of the ninth general meeting of shareholders of AFREXIMBANK in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
Limbu said that the bank would also consider to support other sectors such as mining, telecommunications and tourism.
"These are important initiatives which should be strengthened so as to promote trade in the region," he said.
He said that the government would support initiatives which contributed toward export growth and trade development.
"Tanzania entities have already benefited from the facilities of the bank. These include operators in the cotton, energy and transport sectors," the minister said.
Limbu said the region faced development challenges which all shareholders had a role in addressing them, achieve and sustain socio-economic environment.
The reform will promote a robust private sector, markets, private international capital flow, resources from regional institutions like AFREXIMBANK which is a vital complement to a national development, Limbu said.

Three charged with frustrating  2000 elections in Isles

Saturday, May 18, 2002 .

By  PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Hearing of a case against three senior officers of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission who are accused of frustrating the last general elections in Zanzibar in 2000 began on Thursday.

The accused officers are Khalfan Rashid Ibrahim, Marny Maalim and Juma Suleiman.

Prosecution witness, the Officer Commanding District, Unguja urban, George Kizunguto claimed in court that in October 2000 the officers did contravene their timetables for collecting voting equipment.

Kizunguto claimed that according to the timetable, the officers were required to reach Mwembe Madema at 3.00 am to collect the equipment ready for distribution at voting centres, but they arrived at the centre at 6.30 in the morning.

According to the witness, because of the delay, voters could not cast their votes in the appropriate time because the equipment reached the voting stations late. He told the court that he reported the incident to the Regional Police Commander of Mjini Magharibi.

``We first got information that Mkunguni and Magomeni constituencies had no voting material. Later, we got information that the material were received in the afternoon," Kizunguto claimed.

The police officer also claimed in court that he got information that the three officers had been arrested with the material after he had been informed that some vehicles which were carrying voting material had been found.

``After receiving the information, I ordered three police officers to impound the vehicles and the equipment. Later, we started investigating the matter,'' he claimed.

Another witness, Corporal Makame claimed that when he arrested them, he found the three officers in possession of ballot paper and ink bottles.

Zanzibar Water Projects Take Load Off Women's Backs

United Nations Development Programme (New York)

May 10, 2002
Posted to the web May 10, 2002


Tourists may find the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar a paradise of beautiful beaches, but living conditions for many Zanzibaris are difficult, not the least because of lack of clean and safe water.

To help improve water supplies UNDP is supporting six projects to upgrade water and sanitation systems for more than 45,000 people on Zanzibar and its sister island of Pemba.

The projects are "essential to improving the health and well-being of the people and supporting Tanzania's poverty reduction efforts," said Inyang Ebong-Harstrup, Acting UNDP Resident Representative.

"This initiative means that many women in Zanzibar will no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water," she said. Zanzibar's poverty reduction plan stresses development of water and sanitation systems to meet hygiene and sanitation requirements.

The UNDP Tanzania Small Grants Programme is providing US$245,000 for the two-year initiative, as part of the UNDP country programme that provides $1 million for community-based projects each year. Both the government of Zanzibar and the recipient communities will provide support in cash and in kind for implementing the water supply projects, and two projects are co-financed by the Government of Japan.

Mansoor Himid, Zanzibar Deputy Minister for Water, Construction, Energy and Lands, joined Dr. Ebong-Harstrup and community representatives from Zanzibar and Pemba at the recent launch of the initiative.

The Small Grants Programme helps communities overcome poverty through support for income-generating activities and improving management of local resources. The programme's initiatives are designed and sustained by the communities themselves.

The Zanzibar poverty reduction plan was developed in consultations among the Government, civil society and the private sector. It is the first step towards implementing the Zanzibar Vision 2020, a development blueprint for the next two decades. The Government is making it a priority to support community projects; improve health services for the poor, education and farm productivity; use natural resources more productively; and expand public service reforms.

Meet the ‘Women of the Diaspora’

BET.com interviews with 10 women from around the world

Jonathan Yevin

BET.COM

April 12 — BET.com scoured the globe to bring you the voices, stories and faces of 10 young, vital, beautiful Black women. From the mountains of Togo to the concrete jungles of New York City. From Zanzibar, Tanzania; Paris; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; St. Catherine, Jamaica; Brooklyn, N.Y.; London; and Copperas Cove, Texas, to Amlame’, Togo — it’s all here.

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     Name: Mwanakheir Simba Kazi

       Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania

       Age: 21

       Occupation: Works in an Internet cafe.

       Who are you? My name is Mwanakheir Simba Kazi. I am 21-years-old. I was born here (on the) island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, on February 28, 1981, on Gizenga Street in

       Stonetown. Now I am living in my own home, in Bububu, because I am already married and I am going to have a child soon. I’ve been working in an Internet cafe for one year. I completed my study from four class (the equivalent of the last year of high school in the U.S.), and now I will try to start a computer course. Now I go to work in the cafe. Just like that. Just go to work. But I don’t like it. I work all day everyday and I make only 40,000 shillings ($40) a month. I’d like to be a teacher maybe. I will be one, I think. I must go to teaching training at Betrasi Teaching College. 

       I like so much to walk around town. Maybe the beach to freshen my mind and change the weather, clear my head, change my mood. I don’t know how to swim, but I like to play around in the water. And I like to watch the (soccer) game. I like to study very much. I like to study anything. Everyday I like to change my life more and more. Here in Zanzibar you can’t study more and more. If you are 20, you must get married. Because here there is poverty. So if you live with your family maybe your family will not have the money to (let you) study more and more so you must live the life of your family or get married maybe or find some work. Because here there is poverty. Just like that.

       When you hang out with your friends, what do you do for fun? I tell many stories, different stories, if I have them. I don’t like to tell deep stories. In Zanzibar, it’s not good to give your friends all your deep stories. It’s not good. If you give your friend the deep story then he or she can go anywhere to talk to more people about you then the other one will go talk to other people so everyone knows about your deep story. The people here, they do like that. So you must talk to yourself first before you talk to anyone.

       What is it like to be a black woman where you live? I think Swahili women, English woman, Arabian woman, all are same. All are women. So everybody...we are the same. We are all the same because the discrimination is already gone, since 1964 [the revolution]. Black get married to white one and white get married to black. We are mixed now. My father is black. He comes from Bagamayo. He is Nzaramo (tribe). They live in Bagamoyo village. My mother is Arabian. She is Al-Battashy (tribe). So I am mixed girl. I am neither black nor white. I like black people because I got married to a black man. But white people, black people, it’s the same.

       What is your theme song and what is your personal motto? I have many, many songs. Maybe Taarab (the most popular and traditional form of Zanzibari music combining African, Arabic and Indian influences). It is traditionally played by an orchestra, consisting of several dozen musicians using both western and traditional instruments. ) Many songs I like and (they) touch my heart. Songs about family and about love. The words I live by: “To live without working is not good.” So I try the best to study more and more just to get the work. I believe to live without work is not life.

       What is your fashion and hair style? I like maxi (to maximum coverage of the body, sleeves to the wrists and skirts to the ankles) clothes . I don’t like short dresses. I don’t like any fashion for my hair. I don’t like my hair to be out for everyone to see. I am always wearing mtandio or hijabu (traditional muslim head wrap). I have no fashion for my hair, just keep it together in braid or rubber bands.

         How did Sept. 11 affect you? I feel bad, because my all family is working for tourists. So now many, many tourists don’t come to Zanzibar, so how we can get the money? If this action comes more and more, what will go on? It affected Zanzibar. Here we depend on the tourists and most of the people here (are) Islamic and the attacks come from an Islamic country. We are not happy, but I don’t know what can we do. Maybe they come here in Zanzibar and do like America, so what’s going on? That’s not good for any people. In Zanzibar, and any place, it is not a good action.

       Finish this sentence, “black men are...”? Very kind people and very hard-working. They like to be together for any people, white people, English people, Arabian people. Black ones are good I think.

       What do you love and hate about your body? There is nothing that I don’t like in my body. I like all my body, you know, because this is my body, so what can I do for my body? God already give me just like I’m looking, so I like all my body.   

       If you could be any other woman in the world for a day who would you be? I have no one. I have no one to choose. A very hard question. Maybe just myself.

       What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? What’s the best decision you’ve ever made? Are they the same? I decided to get married. Here in Zanzibar many guys, they don’t want to get married because life is very tough. So it is difficult. It is not good to decide about marriage at 19. It is good to decide about life maybe or to study. I was tired of living with my family because there were many problems.

       My mother and father separated in ’93 but my mother lives there and my father lives there so life was going bad so just I decided, but it is not the best decision for me. Maybe if I was 25 that would be good to decide to get married, but for this age (it) is not a good decision. For now, I decided to work just to complete my house. Then after three years maybe I will leave work and I will start my course. I don’t like to work in the Internet cafe. I think it will be okay.

        © 2001 BET.com. All rights reserved.

Move to bar Seif from 2005 elections
 

Tuesday, May 07, 2002 .
By PST Reporter, Zanzibar


Another turmoil is brewing in Civic United Front as a group of still unknown people are campaigning to bar the party's Secretary General Seif Shariff Hamad from standing in the 2005 presidential elections in the isles.
The group is circulating letters in the Zanzibar Municipality urging members of the party to support the party's Secretary General, Deputy Juma Duni Haji instead of Hamad saying there was no logic of supporting the latter after he had lost twice in the bid for presidency of the clove islands.
The letters, which bears the official emblem of CUF, calls on the party members to boycott voting if Hamad stands for a third time.
"Maalim Seif has contested the presidency while still in CCM and twice in CUF,....he has not succeeded in all the three times. Why not give the chance to Duni?" the letter asked?
There were also allegations in the letter that some CUF leaders had convened meetings in which they humiliated the Juma Duni Haji, who is Deputy Secretary General of CUF.
The letters also claim that officers of the party from Zanzibar were being humiliated. This, it said, affected the economic and political interests of those targeted.
According to the letters, the Deputy Secretary General was being questioned on issues discussed and endorsed by members of the party.
"The meeting convened by Duni was similar to those conducted at Pemba, Kiembe samaki, Minazini and even Mtoni. Why haven't we in Zanzibar questioned about those meetings?" the letters note.
The letters also call upon CUF members to vote for Duni in the 2005 elections.
"All votes should be cast for Duni in 2005. No Duni no vote. Wazalendo, (indigenous) says the letter in part.
The Deputy Director of Publicity of CUF Najma Khalfani said he was aware of the letters but said they have authored by people outside CUF.
"Solidarity among CUF leaders is strong. Nomination of directors in Zanzibar is evenly distributed, with three coming from each of the islands," she noted.
Najma said that the CUF constitution gives room for each member to contest the presidency provided they followed stipulated regulations governing the procedure.
"Contesting leadership based on gender discrimination is outdated politics. I don't believe what is going on now is done by CUF members, but by our foes," said Najma.
Inside information from CUF suggests that there have been some misunderstandings within the party due to differences among top leaders on the issue of the abolition of the party's security organ, Blue Guards which provides security for CUF leaders and during public rallies.
Najma refused to comment on the issue. She insisted that it was only the Secretary General or his Deputy who could comment on the matter.
Commenting on the issue Duni said the problem was a party matter and not individuals because it involved the party's security.

Donors Warm Up to Zanzibar, Lift Aid Embargo
 

The East African (Nairobi)

May 6, 2002
James Mwakisyala


THE DONOR community that had frozen development aid to Zanzibar for nearly six years has virtually lifted the freeze.

Aid is expected start coming in by initially supporting poverty reduction programmes.

Last week, Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume convinced representatives of the donor community to to attend a conference in Zanzibar, where he launching his island state's poverty reduction plan. He said Zanzibar required at least $300 million in the next three years to get the Isles' economy back on track.

Local representatives of donor agencies and Dar es Salaam-based envoys converged at Bwawani Hotel, together with multilateral and bilateral development partners from lending institutions and representatives countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Tanzania political and civil societies leaders.

This was the first of such large donor meetings to be held in Zanzibar since the botched 1995 general election that led to donors freezing their aid to the Isles' Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) government. Economic development suffered greatly and poverty continued to rise in the islands that depend heavily on cloves.

Even ahead of last week's donors conference, a number of bilateral financial assistance had been flowing to Zanzibar, especially after the October 10, 2001 peace accord between the warring Chama cha Mapinduzi and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) factions. Last week's conference promised to bring in multi-lateral development agencies and the reluctant donors from the Persian Gulf states.

The conference has been welcome even by the CUF that used to boycott all legislative and government affairs in Zanzibar and the Tanzania Union.

The CUF Chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba, told The EastAfrican, "CUF was invited to the meeting and some of our people participated in the preparatory stage of the conference."

That donors and the rival political parties have come together is an indication of acceptance of the 18-month administration of President Karume, the son of the founding president Abeid Karume.

President Karume said the poverty reduction strategy had been drafted by all Zanzibaris and assured the donor community that after the political turmoil that saw some 24 people die and over 2,000 flee to exile in Kenya, the situation had improved. He said Zanzibar was in the process of establishing and strengthening the office of the Controller and Auditor General, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Attorney General's Chambers and the Judiciary. The last three were all under one office.

He said the bulk of the poverty reduction programmes targets rural areas to increase market access.

Commenting on the implementation of the peace accord, President Karume said, a 10-man joint Presidential Supervisory Commission was established to oversee implementation with five each from CCM and CUF.

Two committees of inquiry have been formed to look into cases of aggrieved dismissed civil servants and people who owned houses at Mtoni, Kidatu area that were destroyed during the political instability that followed the 1995 election.

There is a further commission of inquiry to look into the events of January 26 and 27, 2001 when CUF supporters clashed with the Police and 24 people were killed in the aftermath, particularly on Pemba Island.

Commenting on the economic development, President Karume told donors, "Against all odds we managed to sustain growth in Gross Domestic Product at 4 per cent in 2001, inflation declined between 6.2 per cent and 6 per cent in 2001, down from 6.5 per cent in the previous year. Per capita income rose in nominal terms from $220 to $225."

He pledged to pursue anti-inflationary policies in order to prevent erosion in the disposable income of Zanzibaris while pursuing growth enhancing measures that include revenue enhancement, expenditure control measures, good governance, transparency and accountability.

He said the bulk of the poverty reduction programmes target rural areas to increase market access, which means completing the rehabilitation of feeder roads in Unguja and Pemba islands.

He appealed to the donor community for financial and technical support for completion of classrooms, rehabilitation of health centres and purchase of equipment, rehabilitation water supply networks and capacity building in the Ministry of Finance.

President Karume also requested for funds for the rehabilitation of 67.2-km feeder roads in Pemba, rehabilitation of the Malindi port and good governance.

How to Reassure Zanzibar is On the Union
 

The East African (Nairobi)

OPINION
May 6, 2002
Michael Okema


On April 26, Tanzania clocked 38 years. It was on this date that Tanzania was born out of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar. There was the usual fanfare and march-past of soldiers and various sections of the population. Also in attendance were leaders of the registered political parties.

One recurrent theme from all the parties was that the Union would be preserved. By law, one of the prerequisites for any party to obtain registration is to reflect the Union in its constitution. For instance, any party must be sponsored by 200 signatories from 10 regions out of 25, one of which must be from Pemba Island and another from Unguja Island, both of which make up Zanzibar.

Political leaders take great pride in preserving the Union. But if they thought about the meaning of "preserving," they might feel ashamed instead.

When you want to preserve something, say fish, you smoke or dry it in the sun or put plenty of salt as the case may be. In our more sophisticated world, we use chemicals.

In all cases, what is being preserved is dead. It is being kept in the state in which it was at the time of death so that it does not rot.

Actually the Union has since its inception merely been preserved. Every government from Mwalimu Julius Nyerere's to those of Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa has zealously defended the Union.

They have all taken that to be sufficient. But the tremours that have from time to time shaken the Union show that preservation is not the best of means.

In 1984, the first major tremour sent Zanzibari President Aboud Jumbe packing.

He was believed to be behind a move to review the Union to make Zanzibar more autonomous. In 1988, it was Zanzibar Chief Minister Seif Shariff Hamads turn to get the sack. Hamad is now the Secretary General of Civic United Front (CUF).

Currently, CCM is devoting a lot of effort to ensure CUF does not get to power for fear that the latter could break up the Union. This fire-fighter approach is necessary from time to time because the Union has not been expected to grow

But let's go back a little. At the time of colonisation, there was no such thing as Tanganyika. Various tribes were lumped together against their wish.

But it was here that adolescents from different tribes learned about each other and accepted that they belonged to a common country. Mwalimu Nyerere, who came from the north, taught Benjamin Mkapa who came from the south. School gave both of them the opportunity to see each other as citizens of one country.

This is what the Union, or rather those who are frantically trying to preserve it, have failed to do. One excuse used is that any further integration might scare Zanzibaris who fear being swallowed up by the mainland which is the bigger partner.

In that case why don't the mainlanders encourage Zanzibaris to come and study on the mainland since the mainlanders are not afraid of being swallowed up?

If Tanzanians really love the Union as much as they claim, then bringing Zanzibaris to study and even to work on the mainland is not too high a price. As of now Zanzibaris think as Zanzibaris before they are Tanzanians. And mainlanders think as Tanzanians because they have no other name with which to identify. Only leaders from both sides rub shoulders enough.

Michael Okema is a political scientist based in Dar es Salaam.

45,000 Zanzibaris to enjoy safe water

Wednesday, May 01, 2002 .

By  Peter Tindwa

At least 45,000 Zanzibaris will be getting safe and clean water from six water projects being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

This was revealed in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the UNDP Acting Resident Representative, Dr Inyang Ebong-Harstrup, during a signing occasion of six Memoranda of Understandings on six water projects worth over 238m/-.

Dr Ebong-Harstrup signed on behalf of the UNDP while the Zanzibar Deputy Minister for Water, Construction, Energy and Lands, Mansoor Yussuf Himid, represented the Zanzibar Government.

The UNDP acting Resident Representative said that the Zanzibar government and recipient communities on both Unguja and Pemba islands would provide inputs in cash and in kind during the implantation of all six water projects.

She added that two out of six water projects would be co-financed by UNDP and the Japanese government, adding that the support from her organisation was in line with the Zanzibar Poverty Reduction Plan (ZPRP) which places great emphasis on importance of developing adequate water supply and sanitation systems for smooth and sustainable provision of safe and clean water to both rural and urban communities on the isles.

The support package for Zanzibar was part of the UNDP support to Tanzania, especially to community-based projects for which UNDP disburses at least 971m/- to Tanzania annually, she said.

"UNDP is deeply encouraged to see that there is positive collaboration between the current Zanzibar government and its local communities on the isles. It is the UNDP expectation to see that women in Zanzibar will stop walking long distances for fetching water after the completion of today's water projects," she stated.

Six water projects to be funded by UNDP would include construction of a water balancing tank for Sumeso project, community-based water supply scheme at Bumbwini and support for strengthening water revenue collection unit in Zanzibar, she said.

Other water projects to benefit from UNDP funds would be consolidation of community-based water supply scheme which would involve a construction of a water tank at Ziwani on Pemba, Ngwachani in Mkoani District, Pemba, and an extension of existing pipelines at Chambani in Pemba.

On his part, Deputy Minister Himid commended UNDP and other UN agencies together with donors for offering financial and technical support to Zanzibar government from time to time.

"We really thank the UNDP and other donors for helping the Zanzibar government and its people . Zanzibar government is committed to supply its people with safe and clean water as part of its efforts on poverty reduction," Himid said.

Two die in Mafia boat accident

By Ufoo Saro, PST Mafia
4/28/02
Two people have died after a boat in which they were travelling capsized in the Indian Ocean, off Mafia Island in Coast Region.
The Coast Regional Police Commander, Peter Kivuyo, said the boat christened Mola Yupo (which translates as God is with us) capsized in the Jibondo area last Thursday.
He named the dead, both peasants, as Mwasia Kidei (30) and Halima Zaburi (32).
The RPC said the bodies of the deceased had been retrieved and handed over to their relatives for burial.
He said it was believed that there were some men in the boat who braved the strong currents of the ocean and swam to safety.
In another incident, police in Kibaha District is holding Asha Mwinyimvua for allegedly possessing an illicit alcohol production plant, as well as 14 litres of illicit brew.
Kivuyo said the woman was apprehended by police on patrol and that she would be taken to court as soon as investigations were completed.

Colourful parade marks Union Day celebrations

Saturday, April 27, 2002 .

By   Correspondent Juma Nyumayo

Some 4,000 singing youths paraded to mark the 38th anniversary of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar held at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.