2003 Zanzibar News

Zanzibar turns down IMF proposals on Civil Service

2003-12-26 23:35:00
By Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Government of Zanzibar has rejected a proposal by the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to retrench civil servants as a strategy to restructure its operations and spur faster economic growth.

The Isles Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, criticised the move as incorrect, saying economic constraints currently facing Zanzibar could hardly be resolved through retrenchment of workers.

He said his government had shortage of qualified experts, resulting in poor performance, and insisted that more efforts should be directed at training programmes to enhance workers efficiency and not retrenching them.

“The WB and IMF have advised us to reduce the number of civil servants in order to improve our economy...but we told them that that’s not a solution to our problems,” said Nahodha in special interview on the 40 years of Zanzibar Independence.

Implementation of civil servants retrenchment policy had adverse social implications on the country, fuelling labour crises and misunderstandings between the governments and the retrenched workers, he said.

“The policy has already created numerous problems and misunderstandings on the Mainland,” said Shamsi, and stressed that the best way would be to equip workers with skills and knowledge, and the needed resources.

However, he acknowledged the fact that the present government structure was fairly large- employing 2 per cent out of 900,000 Zanzibaris (according to this year’s Population Census).

The big size of the Civil Service, with low productivity, is increasingly becoming a heavy burden to the Isles government in terms of paying salaries and other allowances.

On the exodus of public servants to the private sector, the Chief Minister said this was prompted by low pay offered by the government in both Zanzibar and the Mainland.

Nahodha also spoke of declining business sector in Zanzibar, saying businessmen were put off by the decision to remove 20 per cent tax exemption on goods imported into Zanzibar.

He maintained that the decision was reached to strike a balance on import taxes on both the Isles and Mainland, and boost Zanzibar’s government revenue collections to push up development of social services.

However, Nahodha said time had come for the Joint Finance Committee to review the 4.5 per cent budget share allocated to Zanzibar, to cope with the increasing socio-economic changes on the Isles.

He expressed dismay over the 4.5 per cent share, saying it had remained static since 1988 while Zanzibar’s annual budget was increasing year in, year out.

Japan donates 600m/- for Z’bar water projects

2003-12-23 23:13:40
By Guardian reporter

The government of Japan has extended some 636,771 US dollars (over 600m/-) for nine water projects in Unguja and Pemba.

A press statement issued yesterday by the Embassy of Japan says the aid was granted through its scheme of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGHSP).

The projects listed with amount of funds in brackets are Jondeni-Makombeni in southern Pemba (62,777 US dollars), Kiungoni-Pembeni in northern Pemba (78,294 US dollars) and Ngambwa-Mkajuni in southern Pemba (79,499 US dollars).

Other projects are Makangale in northern Pemba (81,545 US dollars), Kambini-Mchangamdogo in northern Pemba (80,853 US dollars) and Bambi in southern Zanzibar (79,103 US dollars).
Other listed projects, according to the statement, are Kandwi in northern Zanzibar (79,647 US dollars), Pale-Tumbatu in northern Zanzibar (27,787 US dollars) and Makunduchi in southern Zanzibar (69,019 US dollars).

The Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania, Kazumi Debaki, signed the contract on behalf of the government of Japan with representatives from the nine villages.

The Zanzibar Minister of water, construction, energy and lands and representative of the UN system in Tanzania, John Hendra, also witnessed the signing ceremony.

According to the statement, the grants were extended in response to the appeal made by the government of Zanzibar for emergency assistance.

Membership in a Zanzibar Union

20/12/2003 ICFTU

During its executive committee's annual meeting in Brussels last week, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) accepted the affiliation of the Zanzibar Trade Union Congress (ZATUC), whose secretary general has been Makame Launi Makame since March 2003 and which has 14,000 members. ZATUC was created from the merger in 2002 of nine unions on the island that no longer operate within the framework of Tanzanian labor legislation (1998 Trade Union Act) but in that of the Zanzibar Trade Union Act dated 2001. Like Tanzanian unions, ZATUC has the support of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

Celebrating the Rise of East Africa
 

13th – 15th February, 2004 - Stonetown, Zanzibar

SAUTI ZA BUSARA comes from the Swahili language which, like the coastal people, draws influences from black Africa, the Arab World, Indian Ocean region and beyond. Sauti means voice, or sound, and busara is a combination of wisdom, intelligence, intuition, ingenuity - hence the name of the festival roughly translates as “Sounds of Wisdom”.

The main idea of the festival in February is to bring people together in celebration of the wealth and diversity of Swahili music. A majority of groups participating are from the East African coastal region and islands. A rich and vibrant mix of styles will be showcased, including ngoma, taarab, rumba, zouk, mduara, Swahili hiphop “bongo flava”, mystic and religious music, theatre, comedy and dance.

Including local people, audiences numbering around ten thousand are expected and most festival events are free. As well as the shows, creative and practical workshops are being organised aimed mostly for East Africans. Among the crowds will be international journalists and talent-spotters on the lookout for the best upcoming artists from East Africa to invite to festivals in other parts of Africa and Europe, so for the twenty-something groups that are selected to participate, the stakes are high.

Among the groups performing will be some of Tanzania’s most popular artists, including the winner of Best Tanzanian Group at the Music Crossroads Festival in January. Many will be coming from further afield, including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt and Mayotte, Comoros. Both traditional and modern styles will be well-represented, as well as new and exciting musical fusions.

The main festival venue is Forodhani Gardens, which will be buzzing with amazing music, a joyous party atmosphere and delicious fresh seafood for the whole festival, which runs from 4pm til after midnight on Friday through Sunday 13th-15th February. Accommodation is available at all price ranges within easy walking distance of festival venues – just contact Busara Promotions at the address below in case you need help with bookings or more information.

Swahili Encounters

The coastal – Swahili - people of Kenya and Tanzania have always enjoyed one of Africa’s most diverse societies. The East African coast has been on the trade routes of Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia for centuries. Here the religious, linguistic, artistic and musical voices of Arabia and Asia have met and blended with the traditional forms of inland Africa and later with the cultures, voices and faiths of colonial Europe.

In recent times this eclectic society has continued to absorb new influences. Since the liberalization of the media (and, in Tanzania, the markets also) in the 80s and 90s, young generations have embraced the pop music styles of the global north, now using hip hop and rap to frame the Swahili poetry that has always been the heart of local music.

With the decline of tourism post-Sept 11, Zanzibar NGOs, together with the government and private sector have been successfully working together over the past year to market the island as a peaceful, welcoming and stimulating cultural and eco-tourism destination, and the Sauti za Busara Festival will bring a much-needed boost to help the local economy. It is hoped that this will be the first of many such festivals taking place in Zanzibar and along the Swahili Coast, during the European winter months when many international artists are more readily available to come to the region.

For this event, Yusuf Mahmoud, Director of Busara Promotions says that they are “overwhelmed by the fantastic response to this festival from artists, media and all kinds of people around the world who are excited by the concept. We are especially appreciative to development organisations like Ford Foundation and HIVOS who have the wisdom and vision to recognise the role and importance of the arts and culture in Africa as vital and integral ingredients for social development. The Government of Egypt is also sponsoring the festival by paying international transport costs to Zanzibar for one of its leading cultural groups, the world-renowned Intisar Abdel Fattah Nubian Drummers. This continues a tradition of artistic cooperation between Egypt and Zanzibar going back more than 150 years from which the roots of the islands’ most famous taarab music originated!”

Furthermore, the festival provides diverse musicians with an unprecedented opportunity to learn and perform together. During the days before the festival Busara Promotions collaborates with the Dhow Countries Music Academy (www.zanzibarmusic.org) to present a series of music-based workshops and masterclasses, including:

* Traditional Music Workshop bringing together a variety of artists using old instruments from the Swahili region (eg gambusi, tashkota, simsumia, zeze, zumari)

* Music Fusion Workshop bringing regional artists together from different generations and musical perspectives (eg taarab, traditional 'ngoma', jazz and hiphop)

* Music Recording & Studio Skills for Tanzanian artists and producers (all ages welcome)


Sauti za Busara Festival is organised by Busara Promotions, a non-governmental, non-political, non-profit cultural organisation registered in Zanzibar to “promote and develop opportunities for local and international music and performing artists within the East African region, work to strengthen the local arts infrastructure and build networks internationally, for the social, cultural and economic growth of Africa and the dhow region”.

Sauti za Busara is one of a series events taking place in East African islands and coastal venues supported by Ford Foundation as part of the Swahili Encounters project. The mission of Swahili Encounters is “to encourage audiences to celebrate pluralism of cultural and religious diversity; to promote and develop opportunities for musicians and performing artists along the Swahili coast and islands to connect, learn and perform together; and to develop regional artistic cooperation, for the social, cultural and economic growth of East Africa and the Swahili region”.

For programme and latest information contact:

Busara Promotions
PO Box 3635
Zanzibar

Tel: 024 2232423 or 0747 428478
Fax: +44 870 132 1190
email  busara@zanlink.com or busarapromotions@lycos.com

Sweden supports education in Zanzibar

By Express Reporter

The Embassy of Sweden will provide funding of Swedish kronor 13,000,000 approximately 1.9 billion Tanzanian Shillings to support activities in the education sector for the period December 2003 to December 2004.
Support is given to the completion of 302 classrooms and 45 offices in schools where communities have initiated construction, but are lacking roofs and other essential materials.
The Swedish support will facilitate completion of these classrooms to be taken into use, including the provision of classroom furniture, which will increase the physical capacity of schools and make classrooms less overcrowded in many places. This is in continuation of support that was given in 2002-2003 whereby 197 classrooms were completed and furnished as well as some offices and stores.
The Government of Sweden will also provide support to the initiative by the Ministry of Education and Culture to initiate the development of a new education policy and a Zanzibar Education Sector-Wide Development Programme (ZEDP). Such a programme is an essential contribution to the economic, social and political development of Zanzibar and in line with the Zanzibar Poverty Reduction Plan. Once the ZEDP has been designed, Sweden has the intention to provide long term support for its implementation along with other partners.
The agreement was signed yesterday in Zanzibar by Torvald Akesson, Ambassador of Sweden, and Julian B. Raphael, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Finance.

AU Solicits Closer Links Between the African And Arab Markets

Addis Tribune (Addis Ababa)
December 12, 2003

The African Union has called for closer links between the African and Arab markets to create a larger economic space within the Framework of South-South Co-operation.

The Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Prof. Alpha Oumar Konare, made the call in a message he sent through the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Patrick Mazimhaka to the 6th Afro-Arab Trade Fair going on in Dares Salaam.

"In the face of the new challenges confronting us", he declared, "we need to close ranks, open commercial and trade links between our two regions for the marketing, circulation and free movement of goods and for sustainable economies and services across our common borders".

Konare urged the African and Arab sides to strengthen co-operation as a means of building and enhancing international negotiating capacities of both parties. To this end he suggested the establishment of private sector consultative fora to hold regular dialogue for co-ordination of efforts among professionals, entrepreneurs and business people in the Afro-Arab world.

Recalling the historical bond, the longstanding cultural heritage and the geographical proximity of the two sides, he called for the translation of these vast opportunities and potentials into practical advantages, particularly, in the field of building networks of information, communication and transport systems.

Declaring the Fair open, the President of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume, stated that it was time to further cement the multilateral co-operation already existing between African and the Arab world through investment and tourism promotion.

"Africa and the Arab World" he noted, "represented one rich bloc in terms of population, exploitation of natural resources and cultural diversity, hence we should work together as a means of maximizing our economies and creating wealth in our countries", adding that "Africans and Arabs should extend solidarity with other developing countries, such as Asia and Latin American nations, in pursuit of their common objectives and interests".

Meanwhile, the ongoing Afro-Arab Trade Fair took a new dimension on Monday with the opening of the Investors Forum aimed at identifying possible investors and business partners within African and the Arab States.

The Chief Minister drew distinction between the African Union and the NEPAD citing remarks by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zanawi when he stated that the African Union was the vehicle for overcoming the challenges of Africa and for solving the multi-faceted socio-economic problems of the continent, while defining "the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) as the mechanism for implementing the objectives of the African Union".

Dr. Ngasongwa stated that in the face of profit-motive driven Globalization, Africans and Arabs must cooperate in order to benefit from trade and investments in respect of south-south cooperation. "Such collaboration", he noted, "must be built on a stable and attractive investment environment which fights corruption relentlessly and must produce a critical mass of competitive manpower".

The Forum highlighted the need to establish institutional mechanisms for co-operation through opening Trade and Business Chambers in Afro-Arab countries and fostering bi-regional integration through financing and supporting small- and medium-scale agricultural and co-operative ventures which are nearer the grassroots.

The Forum drew participants from Tanzanian institutions, the Arab League, and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the African Union and the African Export and Import (AFREXIM) Bank located in Cairo, Egypt.

'Security should be concern for tourism industry'

By Express Reporter

Terrorism and the security of tourists must be the concern of anyone concerned with the travel industry today, according to the U.S. Embassy's Chargé d'Affaires, Michael S. Owen.
Tour operators should not deny that terrorism exists, but rather explain to clients what steps are being taken to combat terrorism and to deal with its aftermath if it strikes.
Owen was speaking yesterday at the opening of a symposium on cultural and eco-tourism, being held this week at the Zanzibar Beach Resort and Conference Centre.
The event was organised by the Africa Travel Association, a US-based organisation that promotes the tourist attractions of Africa and educates travel agents about travel possibilities on the continent.
The envoy noted that the U.S. has issued a Public Announcement stating that supporters of al-Qaida and other extremists are active in East Africa, and urging Americans in the region to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and exercise caution.
He stressed that the Public Announcement was not a travel warning. But he added that: "It does no good to deny the existence of al-Qaida. Instead, what we must do is prepare for facing any eventuality."
"For its part, the United States Government is working closely with the authorities here in Zanzibar and on the mainland to help intercept terrorists who would misuse the traditional hospitality of the people here in order to attack the civilisation we share," he added.
President Amani Abeid Karume also addressed the opening session of the symposium, which has attracted more than 100 U.S. travel agents to Zanzibar.

CECAFA Bans 'Ref' Hafidh Ali

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

December 11, 2003
Finny Muyeshi
Khartoum

The Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA), has slapped a one-year suspension on Zanzibari official, Hafidh Ali for misconduct.

The veteran referee, who is a member of the Cecafa technical committee has been found guilty of misconduct and will remain out of Cecafa activities until January 2005.

Ali has been accused of, among others, misbehaving during a pre-match meeting and pulling Zanzibar team out of the regional Challenge Cup while the tournament was still in progress.

Ali, apparently unhappy with his team's 0-4 loss to Sudan in the opening match, stormed a pre-match meeting the next day accusing senior Cecafa officials of incompetence.

He later pulled Zanzibar out of the tournament, claiming that the team had no chance of making it to the semi finals. But by then Zanzibar still had a mathetical chance of qualifying. It was only by luck that Sudan only beat Rwanda 3-0 in the decisive match.

"If Sudan got another goal we would be in trouble," noted Cecafa secretary, Nicholas Musonye while announcing Ali's ban.

Ali is also accused of trying to stage a friendly match for Zanzibar during the tournament.

Zanzibar Football Association vice chairman, Farouk Karim condemned Ali's behaviour saying it was wrong coming from an experienced football official.

Karim said Ali is secretary general of the Zanzibar referees association, a CAF match commissioner and member of ZFA national office, positions that put him in a good position to understand matters.

Isles debt goes up in Aug

By Timothy Kitundu

The total debt - external and domestic - for the Zanzibar Government as at end August 2003 stood at US$ 96.4million (about Tsh.101 billion), having increased from US$96 million (about Tsh.96 billion) registered the previous month.
The increase was attributed to contracting of new domestic debt. Domestic debt amounted to US$41 million (about Tsh.42.9 billion) accounting for 42.5 percent of the total debt, while external amounted to US$ 55.4 million (about Tsh.58. billion), accounting for 57.5 percent of the total debt.
According to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Monthly Economic Review, the domestic debt increased by 1.4 percent from Tsh.42.3 billion recorded in the previous month to Tsh.42.9 billion following the new borrowing through treasury bills.
The review indicates that the profile of domestic debt reveals that as at end August 2003, the Zanzibar Government's indebtedness to the Union Government amounted to Tsh.13.6 billion representing 31.7 percent of total domestic debt.
The People's Bank of Zanzibar claims to the Government amounted to Tsh.9.4 billion accounting for 21.9 percent of total domestic debt; Zanzibar State Trading Corporation and Zanzibar Port Authority claims amounted to Tsh.4.1 billion and Tsh.0.69 billion accounting for 9.5 percent of total debt, respectively.
According to the review, other creditors' claims amounted to Tsh.15.1 billion accounting for 35.3 percent of the total domestic debt.
The profile of the domestic debt also reveals that as at end August 2003, government advances (outstanding) from Union Government were Tsh.13.6 billion, constituting 31.7 percent of total domestic debt.
Borrowing through long term-loans, government stocks and short-term loans remained unchanged at Tsh.9.4 billion or 21.9 percent, Tsh.4.1 billion or 9.4 percent and Tsh.0.7 billion or 1.7 percent, respectively.
Borrowing through Treasury bills increased by 13.4 percent; and borrowing through "other instruments" (pensioners claims, suppliers credits) remained unchanged at Tsh.9.8 billion.

CCM on Isles prefers delayed voters’ register

Saturday, December 06, 2003 .

By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

A chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) leader has advised the Zanzibar Electoral Commission to start using the proposed voters’ register in the 2010 elections instead of the 2005 general elections.
The CCM Chairman for Urban West Region, Yussuf Mohammed, was of the view that it was not possible to prepare the voters’ register ready for the 2005 elections as recommended by the CCM/Civic United Front Accord of 2001.
Mohammed remarked at a seminar for leaders of political parties organised by the Presidential Commission to oversee the CCM/CUF Accord that took place at Machui in Unguja South Region.
Contributing to a paper presented by a Commissioner of ZEC at the seminar, Nassor Seif Amour, the CCM chairman said the voters’ register was a very important document that required ample time to prepare in order to avoid subsequent problems to the nation.
He said Zanzibar was still backward technologically that it was not prudent to enter into the use of such a voters’ register for the next elections, lest the move sparked problems to the nation.
Mohammed cited the problems that cropped up in Florida State during the 2000 US Presidential Elections leading to votes recounting because of poor records.
“For Zanzibar, it is too early to adopt and use the voters’ register. We have very little time before the 2005 elections. Let us resort to that system for the 2010 elections,” he said.
The CCM Secretary for the Urban West District and National Executive Committee member, Hassan Mussa Takrima, advised ZEC to watch out in the preparation of the voters register.
He expressed worries on whether the preparation of the register would be done diligently given the time remaining to the 2005 elections.
However, ZEC Commissioner Nassor Seif Amour assured the CCM leaders that the voters’ register must be in place for the 2005 elections.
Amour said the first draft of the voters’ register would be in place by next April. He assured Zanzibaris that with such a system of voting, it would not be possible to have voters other than those in the register.
The ZEC commissioner urged politicians to accept the system of voters’ register because it aims at strengthening democracy.

Dira Newspaper Warned Against Online Publishing
 

Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek)

PRESS RELEASE
December 4, 2003

The Zanzibar government has threatened to take legal action against the editorial board of the banned weekly Dira newspaper if attempts to publish the newspaper on the Internet.

Zanzibar Information Services Director, Enzi Talib told a news conference in Zanzibar yesterday, December 3, that to continue publishing the paper in any form is contrary to the government's order to ban it throughout the United Republic of Tanzania.

"Once the ban is slapped on the paper everything is banned, including online publishing. Dira cannot publish online without registering with the Tanzania Communication Commission," Talib told the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) -Tanzania chapter in telephone interview.

He said the newspaper was registered in Zanzibar and that the Isles form part of the Union. The ban therefore also applies to the mainland.

Talib told MISA-Tanzania that the constitutions of both the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar do not give absolute freedom to the freedom of expression. He claimed that an investigation has indicated that the paper was established to disrupt the peaceful political climate on the Isles ahead of 2005 elections.

"The government has banned the paper because of security reasons. There is ample evidence to prove that," he said.

The government alleges that Dira distorts the Zanzibar Revolution history, the Union, as well as creating classes of 'Islanders' and 'Mainlanders'. However, the Dira editorial board accuses the government of not being tolerant to views that criticize it.

The Production Manager of the tabloid, Salim Said Salim, told MISA-Tanzania that the Dira editorial board hopes to take the matter to court by latest Monday, December 8.

BACKGROUND

On November 24, 2003, the Zanzibar government suspended publication of the "Dira" tabloid, which is published by the Zanzibar International Media Company (ZIMCO) allegedly for violating professional ethics.

The Minister of State in the Chief Minister's Office, who is responsible for information, Mr. Salum Juma Othman, said under the suspension the company was not supposed to publish, circulate or republish any previous issue of the tabloid in any part of the United Republic of Tanzania until further notice.

The Minister said he was suspending the paper in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under subsection (1) of Section 30 of the Zanzibar Registration of Newsagents, Newspapers and Books Acts no 5 of 1988.

However, on Friday 28, 2003, the Zanzibar government slapped a ban on "Dira" for what it termed as continued violation of professional ethics. Othman stated on November 28 that the government had reached the decision to ban the tabloid because it has allegedly been fomenting sentiments of hatred between the government and its people.

Dira editors to go to court

Tuesday, December 02, 2003 .

By Correspondent Mwinyi Saddalah, Zanzibar

The Editorial Board of the banned Dira newspaper of Zanzibar has launched a scathing attack at the Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Anthony Ngaiza, for what they claim as his contribution in the banning of the publication by the Government of Zanzibar last Friday.
The accusations were uttered by the Managing Editor of the newspaper, Ali Nabwa, at a press briefing held at the newspaper’s offices located at Vuga in Zanzibar on Sunday.
“Ngaiza has been holding secret meetings with the Minister of State in the Chief Minister’s Office, Salum Juma Othman, with the intention of undermining Dira for its tough criticism of the government to adhere to democratic principles and respect for human rights,” Nabwa claimed.
He also charged that they have sufficient evidence to show that Ngaiza had betrayed his profession by advising the Government of Zanzibar to ban the publication without taking into consideration that such a move was contrary to the principles of freedom of expression as enshrined in the Zanzibar Constitution.
“This unfair move denies the citizens of Zanzibar the right to information and expression,” Nabwa added.
“We discovered the secret meetings between the Government of Zanzibar and MCT, but even before the government took the decision, their schemes had absolutely nothing to do with safeguarding press freedom in the country.
“We can prove at any platform that the Executive Secretary of MCT was directly involved in the banning of Dira and that he has deviated from generally acceptable media principles,” Nabwa claimed.
He added that the verdict against the publication had already been passed long before reconciliatory meetings between the Government of Zanzibar and Dira were called.
At the Sunday’s press briefing, which lasted two hours, the Managing Editor said that the newspaper had no intention to offer any apology, but would instead pursue the matter in court and contest the ban.
“The government has been unfair, if they saw Dira as a threat to national unity or as operating contrary to journalism ethics they should have charged us in court instead of the minister passing judgement on us. The law of the land must be given room to run to its full course,” Nabwa exhorted.
He elaborated that the newspaper would go to court today to contest against Section 5 of The Print Media Law of 1988 because, he claimed, it was contrary to the Constitution of Zanzibar that gives freedom of expression to every individual without regard to religion, creed, colour or race.
“There is a proposal to scrap this law in the Nyalali Commission report as it is one of the oppressive laws that work contrary to human rights principles and the rule of law,” Nabwa claimed,
He added that the law gave excessive judicial powers to the minister in charge of media issues to make decisions without first seeking a defence from the complainant.
The ban of Dira has cut short the jobs of seven journalists and places the businesses of 30 newspaper vendors in jeopardy.
“Zanzibar residents accepted Dira for its open reporting policy. It is not true that we put the history of unification between Zanzibar and Tanganyika in jeopardy.
“Our criticism of the Mainland journalists is because of their fear of the government, which makes them not to report anything negative about the state machinery,” Nabwa elaborated. The Managing Editor also charged that it was unconstitutional for the government of Zanzibar to ban the publication, distribution and sale of Dira newspaper in the United Republic of Tanzania because the media is a non-union matter.
“We will continue to publish and distribute the newspaper via the Internet,” Nabwa said.
When contacted for comment, the Director of Information in Zanzibar (MAELEZO), Enzi Talib, dismissed the allegations as unfounded. He said that the government’s decision to ban Dira was in no way influenced by the Media Council of Tanzania, let alone Ngaiza as an official of the council.
“Our only contact with the council was when we lodged a complaint against Dira’s unethical reporting. Ngaiza was not even a member of the committee that dealt with our case and as such he cannot be linked with the ban imposed on Dira,” he explained.
The Director said that the government had acted independently, guided by the laws of the land.

Robbers murder Briton in Zanzibar

Rebecca Allison
Thursday November 27, 2003
The Guardian

A British businessman has been shot and killed by robbers who forced their way into his beachfront home on Zanzibar.
Antony Griplas, 42, died on his way to hospital after being shot in the stomach on Sunday night when at least 10 attackers, some wearing what appeared to be military uniforms, raided the house and fled with a substantial amount of cash.

His wife Helena and two children were not hurt in the late-night attack.

Mr Griplas was taken to hospital by his neighbour, Gary Greig, but did not survive the journey. Mr Greig yesterday described how he had arrived seconds after the thieves left, to find his friend on the ground, shot in the stomach.

"It was a group of at least 10 with guns. They smashed the door down, and he was shot with a 9mm pistol," he told the Guardian.

"Everyone was in bed. He was asleep as well. I was woken by my dogs barking and heard shouting next door. I put him in the car and took him to hospital. But when we got there Antony had passed away."

Mr Griplas ran Safari Blue, a company chartering traditional dhow sailing boats to tourists. Mr Greig, owner of the Zanzibar Dive Centre, said his neighbour was a well-liked member of the community who had moved to the Indian Ocean island from Kenya nine years ago and built up a successful business employing around 80 Tanzanians.

"I don't think it was personal," Mr Greig said of the robbery. "It was a money thing. Maybe it could have been me. The whole community is in shock at what has happened. People have been rallying round to help Helena and the children who are staying with friends."

Zanzibar, 50 miles off the coast of east Africa, boasts white sand and turquoise waters. Tourism was hit by terrorist bombs on the mainland in Dar es Salaam in 1998, and a year ago near Mombasa, in neighbouring Kenya, which were blamed on al-Qaida.

Mr Greig said he hoped his friend's murder would not deter visitors, since the island relied heavily on tourism.

The robbers are thought to have used a boat to approach under cover of darkness, before disabling security lights and phone lines and breaking into the house in Chukwani, on the west coast of Zanzibar's main island. They are believed to have fled to Dar es Salaam.

A senior British diplomat has flown in to investigate the murder. He confirmed he had met police, tourism officials and Tanzanian foreign ministry officials.

"They told me the authorities were treating this very seriously, and that it was extremely important it be cleared up as soon as possible," he said. "This is a very sad case, because it so rare for something like this to happen here."

Mr Griplas was cremated on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by about 300 Tanzanians and expatriates.

"It was very touching. His body was carried by some of his staff, all wearing company T-shirts," the diplomat said.

The regional police commander, George Kizuguto, yesterday told the Tanzanian state-run Daily News newspaper that two suspects had been arrested.

Zanzibar govt suspends Dira indefinitely
 

Tuesday, November 25, 2003
By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has suspended indefinitely publication and dissemination of the independent Kiswahili weekly, Dira, allegedly for operating contrary to ethics of journalism since its establishment last December.
The Minister of State in the Chief Minister’s Office responsible for Information and Policy, Salum Juma Othman, said the suspension order was effective from Monday, this week.
He said the government has reached that decision after being satisfied with various professional reports that the newspaper has been contravening ethics of journalism.
“The government has been forced to take that measure after realising that the newspaper is a threat to national unity because it publishes articles that could lead to breach of the peace and solidarity among people in Zanzibar,” he said.
He said for sometime now, the government has been receiving appeals from some members of the public calling for action against Dira because of its alleged fanning tribal differences between Zanzibaris of different origins.
“From November 24 in accordance with the legal powers, I declare to ban publication and dissemination of Dira newspaper in accordance with Section 30 A of Newspapers Act No. 5 of 1988,” declared the minister.
He warned that if the editorial board of the newspaper would not honour the ban they would be arrested and taken to court. He said the government has taken the decision because the paper refused to reform.
Othman said even after the Zanzibar government sent complaints to the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) over the paper’s breach of the Code of Conduct and writing seditious materials, the newspaper failed to change.
“We had expected that the mediation would help, but to no avail…We have taken this decision (to suspend it) in defence of national unity among Zanzibaris,” he said.
Among the complaints of the government against Dira are its claims that the Zanzibar President, Amani Abeid Karume, is not a Zanzibari and following up his family in order to tarnish the image of Karume’s father and founder leader of Zanzibar, the late Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume.
The government’s decision has come a few days after the Director of the Information Services here, Enzi Talib, wrote the editorial board of the paper to abide by its objectives as enshrined in the application for its registration.
He urged it to stick to its objectives to educate and inquire in order to avoid conflicts with the government.
A few weeks ago, the High Court in Zanzibar ordered Dira to compensate two children of President Karume, Abedi and Amina, with 660m/- for libel.
On its part, the Dira Editorial Board has been accusing the Zanzibar government of unnecessary follow-ups only because of it being critical of it for failure to adhere to democratic principles and good governance.
It claims that it was from that background that the government declared the Dira Managing Editor, Ali Mohamed Nabwa, as not a Tanzanian, but rather a Comoro national.
The Dira Editorial Board is being chaired by Ismail Jussa Ladhu who is also the assistant to the Civic United Front Secretary General, Seif Shariff Hamad. Ladhu is also a member of the Presidential Commission for overseeing the implementation of the CCM/CUF Accord.
Other members of the board are Nabwa, who formerly worked as assistant to the former Vice President, the late Dr Omar Ali Juma; Salim Said Salim and Ali Saleh who are the production and features editors, respectively.

Zanzibar requests for doctors from Egypt

Monday, November 24, 2003 .

By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has requested assistance of medical doctors from the Egyptian government to solve an acute shortage of the professionals on the Isles.
The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, made the request during talks with the Egyptian Ambassador to Tanzania, Mourad Kammel, last week.
He said the acute shortage of doctors had culminated in poor health delivery.
The minister said he was placing the request for consideration to enable the Isles government implement its programmes to improve public health.
Explaining further, Dr Mwadini said the shortage of doctors was so serious in Pemba that patients were being referred to Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar.
The minister also shed light on bilateral relations between the two countries, saying if they would be maintained, the Islanders could benefit from Egyptian scholarships that could involve training more local doctors.
The shortage of doctors in Zanzibar started in 1995 when many professionals in education, health and the judiciary were dismissed from government service.
However, many other doctors have been leaving the civil service in favour of the private sector
In its report, the committee that probed the dismissal of civil servants on political reasons advised the Zanzibar government to reinstate all the sacked professionals as well as paying them all their dues.

Zanzibar wants tourists back
 

20/11/2003 08:08 - (SA)

Zanzibar Town, Tanzania - Authorities in Zanzibar are campaigning hard to reverse the decline in visitors to the Indian Ocean island's idyllic beaches and historical attractions, a trend brought on by warnings from the US and Britain of possible terrorist attacks.

Tourism is the mainstay of the economy in this semi-autonomous part of Tanzania famed for its coastline and a past seeped in spices and colonial adventure.

Amid the narrow alleyways of Zanzibar's old town, a mosaic of Asian, Arab and African influence, roaming western tourists seem unfazed by the advice of western governments and content to reply to locals' cries of "jambo" (hello) and "karibu" (welcome).

In December and January, the middle of the tourism high season, London and Washington warned that "terrorists" might be planning to attack westerners in Zanzibar.

While Zanzibar is no longer the subject of a specific alert from the US and UK, both governments continue to warn about the threat of terrorist activity in east Africa in general.

Such alerts contributed to a year-on-year 21% drop in tourist arrivals between January and June, according to Zanzibar tourism commissioner Maabad Muhiddin.

He added that the US embassy in Dar es Salaam, which was struck by an al-Qaeda bomb in 1998 - killing 11 people - had rejected requests to supply the intelligence on which the alerts were based.

A simultaneous bombing at the US embassy in Nairobi killed 213 people. And on November 28, 2002, 18 people died when suicide bombers attacked an Israeli-owned hotel near the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.

"In Zanzibar, there is no need to be afraid. There is political and social stability," said the predominantly Islamic island's deputy mufti, Sheikh Fadhil Soraga.

"Our position is very transparent. We are not supporting the killing of innocent people. It is a religious position. Killing innocent people is a great sin," he said.

From January to October this year, 53 000 tourists, mainly European, visited Zanzibar. The majority were Italians, while others came from Britain, Scandinavia, Germany and France. North American and Australian travellers have also visited the scenic island.

In 2002, Zanzibar's vast, coconut palm-lined beaches, coral reef, spice plantations and historic Stone Town attracted 87 500 tourists.

Tourism officials are now busy promoting the island as a safe destination.

"We invite travel agents from different countries... to see for themselves," Muhiddin said.

"We participate in different symposiums and tourism exhibitions to update the situation," he added.

Hotels and other tourist establishments have been given advice on how to improve security.

Strike paralyses public transport service

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Commuter buses in Zanzibar, popularly known as daladala, have staged a strike, forcing hundreds of passengers to cover long distances on foot.
The daladala owners decided to suspend services indefinitely in a bid to protest against a new road safety law, saying that it was repressive.
The law stipulates that any commuter bus found to have overloaded shall be fined 25,000/- and 5,000/- for every extra passenger.
The law also provides for a 10,000/- fine to a driver found to have wrongly parked his bus.
It also bans women wearing veils from driving commuter buses and imposes a fine of between US dollars 30 and 40 for anyone riding a motor-bike without wearing a helmet.
The strike started yesterday morning, and only a handful of buses offered the service. The buses were however, pelted with stones by rowdy youths and anti- riot police from the Field Force Unit (FFU) had to be called in to disperse the hooligans.
Crowds of people could be seen waiting for commuter buses but in vain. Many opted to walk to and from their work places and other destinations.
Workers reportedly arrived at their workplaces very late. Unguja Municipal Council workers, who were supposed to start cleaning streets at 6.00 a.m, were among the late comers.
When contacted for comment, the Drivers Association of Zanzibar distanced themselves from the strike, saying that they had no idea about it.
Its secretary, Ali Masoud, said they would try their best to end the strike so as to resume public transport service.
Masoud, however, blamed the traffic police saying the strike resulted from their disregard of complaints raised by bus owners over traffic police harassment.
Commenting on the strike, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Juma Abdallah Mtumwa, said that the strike should end immediately.
Mtumwa said defiant drivers would have their licences withdrawn.
The Minister for Communications and Transport, Zuber Maulid, warned that the strike was illegal.

Hamad, others acquitted of illegal arms possession

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Civic United Front (CUF) Secretary General, Seif Sharif Hamad, has been acquitted by the court in a case which he and eight others were charged with illegal possession of a firearm and attacking the police.
Delivering the verdict here yesterday, Magistrate Issaya Kayange said the court had decided to dismiss the charges against the accused after he was satisfied with submission from the prosecution side that the accused had no case to answer. He said the court had thrown out charges against, Seif Sharif Hamad (60), Rashid Ali Dadi (43), Ismail Jusa Ladhu (31), and Ali Abdalla Ali (43).
Others are, Mbarouk Haji Makame (40), Munira Abdallah Juma (33), Gharib Omar Ali (32) and Ussi Ameir Hassan (89).
However, he said evidence adduced by the prosecution side shows that two of the accused persons had a case to answer.
He named them as Bakari Ali Hamadi (28), and Saleh Mkonde Saleh (43), both residents of Mpendae Street, Zanzibar.
Kayange said the two, Hamadi and Saleh, would stand the trial after police investigation established that they had charges to answer, in the case filed on April, 2000.
In the counts read before the court, the duo were jointly charged with attacking and causing bodily harm to policemen namely, Asha Mohd, Koplo Mohd Rashid, Hassan Yussuf and Mohd Rashid.
Earlier, the CUF secretary general and eight others were jointly charged with allegedly attacking the police who were on duty at Magomeni in Zanzibar…. and stealing arms, including an SMG loaded with 10 bullets.
They were jointly charged with four counts of stoning and hitting policemen, stealing an SMG worth 3m/-, property of the police force.
Many CUF members and supporters thronged the court premises yesterday, and police had to close roads in the vicinity for security reasons.
Excited CUF members and supporters welcomed the court ruling , saying if Hamad would have been convicted, he would have been disqualified from running for the presidency in the 2005 general elections.

Delayed payment of isles killings victims explained

By Ludger Kasumuni, Dodoma

Refund of the victims of January 26 and 27, 2001 killings in Zanzibar is awaiting the establishment of Fund for Reconciliation and Development under the CCM/CUF accord.
The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, William Lukuvi, revealed this when answering Ali Said Salum (Ziwani-CUF), in the House last week.
Salum had wanted to know when the government would compensate the victims of the political chaos that had culminated in the killings of over 20 demonstrators.
Lukuvi said that in principle, the government had agreed to ‘extend condolences’ instead of compensation. But the exercise was awaiting the establishment of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, adding: “The Mbita Commission on Zanzibar political crisis is carrying out ground work for establishment of the fund . I would like to assure the House that the CCM/CUF accord has been implemented by 90 per cent.”
Lukuvi said it was not true that the accord had been violated, following the delay in paying the relatives and families of people who lost their lives in the wake of January 26/27 killings on the Isles.
He pledged that the government would respect the CCM/CUF accord, saying it had promoted national unity, tranquillity and peace.
Lukuvi also said the government was not in a position to give a deadline, because no formula on how to refund the victims had been worked out yet.
The legislator had earlier argued that delaying the refund violated the CCM/CUF peace accord and wanted the government to set a date for fulfilling this obligation.

Z’bar national team faces financial crisis

Friday, October 31, 2003
By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

Zanzibar national soccer team which will participate in the East and Central Africa Senior Challenge Cup in Sudan is in a financial crisis.
Challenge Cup will be staged in Khartoum and Kasala from November 28.
The Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) Vice Chairman, Farouk Karim, yesterday called for the support from the well-wishers and sports lovers.
He said the team would likely pull out of the regional tournament if it would not be supported.
He said ZFA had no money and participation of the Zanzibar in the regional tournament depended on the government sponsorship and contribution of the soccer fans.
Players who form the team had already been named almost one week ago by head coach Hafidh Badru but were yet to assemble because of financial problems, he added.
According to Karim, ZFA needed 30 million/- to enable the team participate in the Sudan tournament.
Zanzibar will be the second team to pull out. Regular campaigners Somalia had already pulled out because of the same reason.
Other teams which will compete in the Sudan event are hosts Sudan, defending champions Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Eritrea and Djibouti.
Players who were named to form the Zanzibar team are Abdallah Juma, Kassim Issa, Farouk Ramadhan and Mohamed Golo.
Others are Abdi Kassim, Mbarouk Suleiman, Soud Abdulla, Juma Ally, Risasi Issa, Nassor Masoud, Manfred Luambano, Salum Ally, Khamis Sufian and Mwinyi Ally, Rashid Gumbo, Rajab Khamisi, Salum Ally, Steven Nditi, Iddi Mshelli, Hussein Omary, Hamad Othman, Khamis Abdallah, Abdulrahman Ali, Mohamed Abbas, Saidi Hiji, Msabaha Hemed, Mohamed Suleiman, Awe Msimu, Omar Rashid and Said Muharam.

Zanzibar hopes for change
 

Emmanuel Muga
BBC Sport, Dar-es-Salaam


Zanzibar is better known for sights like these than for football

Football officials in Zanzibar are optimistic that the newly-ratified Fifa statutes will bring them recognition as an independent football association.

Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous state in Tanzania, is currently recognised by Caf and Fifa as an affiliate association of the Football Association of Tanzania (Fat).

Yet Fifa's decision to ratify new statutes at its Extraordinary Congress in Qatar earlier this week has left Farouq Karim, the vice-president of the Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA), confident that his body's application to be an independent association will succeed.

"The new statutes have re-defined the world 'country' as 'any state recognised by the international community' and Zanzibar falls under this category," Karim told the BBC Sport website.

"Therefore we are optimistic that our application will be accepted."

Article 10 of Fifa's new statutes declares - 'Any association which is responsible for organising and supervising football in its country may become a member of Fifa. In this context, the expression country shall refer to an independent state recognised by the international community.'

Fifa has confirmed receipt of Zanzibar's application and says it will be considered from 1 January 2004 when the body's new statutes come into effect.

And Karim is confident that Fifa recognition will make a big difference to football in Zanzibar, which has a 16-team league yet one without a sponsor.

"We badly need Fifa support to reverse the declining trend of our football," he said.

"Fat gets money from Fifa but it doesn't use any of it on projects in Zanzibar."

"We have been relying on small donations from the government and individual followers of football."

As Zanzibar is not an independent association, the island cannot benefit from Fifa's Goal project nor the body's US $1million four-year development programme.

In August 2002, the executive committee of the ZFA declared independence from Fat complaining that it was being sidelined in matters that were supposed to be decided by both associations.

World Bank assists Zanzibar on infrastructure

Xinhua News Agency

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 12 (Xinhuanet)

The World Bank (WB) has setup more than 9.472 million US dollars for the rehabilitation project of Zanzibar Airport, a senior WB official said on Friday.
Regional Director of WB Yitzhak Kahmi promised when meeting with Zanzibar President Amani A. Karume that the WB will also inject about 1.8 million dollars to build a road in Pemba, the second largest island in Tanzania.

The regional director also assured to offer 970,000 dollars for road
construction in northern and southern in Zanzibar.

During their talks, they discussed a number of issues related to
infrastructure and stressed the availability of modern tools that will help road
infrastructure and other sectors.

President Karume urged WB to render more help to the Zanzibar
government on importation of equipment to accomplish road construction work.

On his side, Yitzhak Kahmi has advised Zanzibar government to use the
services provided by the WB to complete its development projects.

The two leaders also discussed the implementation of the major
rehabilitation of Malindi Zanzibar Harbor, and that the WB in cooperation with
European Union will facilitate the construction work. The WB is among the
international donors that has rendered Zanzibar on financial aids, to facilitate
its development projects.

A long way from Westminster

Sandra Howard, the wife of the man set to lead the Tories, recalls their 25th anniversary trip to Zanzibar

Even just six days in paradise are worth having. We owed our good fortune in part to our tour operator, Mr Nathani, who sent us bundles of brochures from which we chose Zanzibar and the Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel. He also gave us the phone number of a previous client who had sampled Ras Nungwi (very decent of him) and armed with her moderately enthusiastic recommendation, we set off to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in tropical style.

Mr Nathani's client had warned of the potholed 90-minute drive from Stone Town, Zanzibar's superb little capital, a place steeped in history and with an air of faded decadence. Here you will find mighty Arab doors round every corner, studded with huge fang-like brass knobs, along with markets filled with beautifully carved wooden objects - all of which make good local buys. Then, of course, there is the cornucopia of prettily presented spices, ever-present in Zanzibar, the "Spice Island".

The capital also had lovely places to eat, including Blues for lunch, a roped-round deck on stilts in the harbour with Somerset Maugham-like basket chairs, and Emerson and Green for dinner, a step back into Zanzibar's Arab past.

In the event, the road out of town seemed smooth enough, even straight after an overnight flight, and we put down Mr Nathani's client as a delicate soul. Then came the sudden nose-dive into a cratered red-earth track. We shot out of our seats and felt suitably ashamed at having questioned our client's bouncability.

But it was also an enjoyably atmospheric drive of mother hens and chicks crossing the road, weary water buffalo blinking at us from under their yokes, laden banana trees and roadside stalls piled with small bright tomatoes.

Accommodation at the Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel is in circular chalets with thatched cone-shaped roofs, African style. The semi-circular rooms, two to a chalet, have balconies which are perfect for gazing at an aquamarine sea through palm fronds over early-morning tea - or something stronger for the rest of the day.

A smiling boy brought the morning tea, and always greeted us with "Jambo" - Swahili for hello or good day. It reminded me of the tale of Mr "Teasy-Weasy" Raymond, the famous 1960s hairdresser who, when staying at the Treetops Hotel in Kenya, so the story goes, was brought an early cup of tea and similarly greeted, "jambo". He leapt out of bed shouting, "Where? Where? How many?" Sightings of big game were entered in a book at Treetops: the entry that day read: "Quantity of elephant - as seen by Mr Raymond".

Ras Nungwi is in Zanzibar's remote and beautiful north-east corner. It offers good meals, which is just as well, as eating out would involve the bone-shaking trek back to Stone Town. The food was terrific - but more of that later.

The local village - Nungwi, where dhows are still made - is the only nearby habitation. It is a glorious beach walk away; miles of pure white sand, literally miles - we could walk for an hour in either direction and see only one or two other couples. The hotel has a diving school and the kit for all manner of sea sports and snorkelling, and when the tide is at its lowest, you can walk right
out to the reef. You do, though, need to stay for a fortnight to be sure of suitably timed low tides.

Our days in paradise involved nothing more taxing than studying the tide timetable for our evening walk to the village to see the sunsets, which are legendary at Nungwi. The best bar for sunset gazing is the aptly named Paradise Cafe. I thought it should perhaps be called Paradise West, like Key West of Hemingway fame, also famous for its sunsets, but Michael pointed out, with his usual steely logic, that we were on the eastern side of the island.

An ample lady approached him in the bar with offers of a relaxing massage but he had already had one - on a raised sunbed under a palm at the hotel (for his bad back). I had a henna tattoo instead - they last up to four weeks. I wanted to show off to my daughter and had it on my left shoulder, but I was tempted to have one in more adventurous places.

I did my "kanga" shopping in the village - kangas are lengths of vibrantly patterned cotton, perfect for wrapping round a bikini. Swahili sayings are written into the pattern. Mine were very positive - "True love never dies" and "Passion makes love stronger" - but I am told that African wives choose which kanga to wear according to their morning mood, and that some say "My husband fancies my best friend" or other more biting accusations.

Eating at Ras Nungwi kicked off with a buffet breakfast of fresh fruit and juices - mango, paw-paw, pineapple, passion fruit - eggs cooked on the spot, delicious rolls, croissants and an interesting selection of jams, honey and marmalade. These were in in big bowls at the buffet - none of your twee individual pots - the only problem was that their wooden plinth-like labels were always attached to the wrong bowls; marmalade was mulberry jam, peanut butter was honey - either a language problem or a witty resident.

We had a similar little local difficulty with our pre-prandial drink one night. We ordered a virgin and a bloody Mary; the waiter set them down confidently, saying: "This one, spicy tomato juice and this one with beer". Michael's look of alarm prompted the waiter to clap his forehead and say, "sorry, sorry - with vodka!"
We drank our drinks happily; I thought my tomato juice tasted rather bland but Michael said his was pretty good. I drank wine at dinner and suddenly - and in a voice that carried across the restaurant - announced that I felt very drunk; we had been given the drinks the wrong way round. I told Michael he need never drink again if he thought he was downing vodka when he wasn't, but for some reason he didn't take to the idea.

We had masses of delicious local fish, un-rubbery calamari and tender beef, too, mostly served with spicy sauces, but the piece de resistance was the soup. The hotel's chef was the most prolific soup-maker in the book - and everything he made was scrumptious. We never had the same one twice - creamy garlic, chilled peppers and mushroom, spicy pumpkin . . . the man should be on television.

Food, sea and setting make Ras Nungwi a hit with honeymooners; the talk at the bar was all about wedding vows and what the best man didn't do. It meant the sunbeds hadn't all gone before we got to them.

Newlyweds but no nearly deads: the other guests were families with children and couples like us - in the elastic middle-aged bracket. Table-tennis, pool, mean games of Scrabble and chess, hammock lounging; it was the perfect spot for the energetically challenged. A day or two spent sightseeing and a trip to Pemba, an island entirely given over to the cultivation of cloves, are very worthwhile. But what you must do is visit the tiny local aquarium to see the turtles - browns, greens and ridgebacks - which can grow to five feet in length. We fed them, and the gentle student in charge shyly answered all my nosy questions about their mating habits.

Zanzibar is underdeveloped, its people are poor and live simply; you will see lines of handsome women elegantly carrying firewood and buckets of water on their heads, fishing craft with fishermen gracefully arching a pole, and dhows with their single sail silhouetted against the sun. It could not be a more beautiful island, and the warm, genuine welcome was one that invited return.

 

Isles CCM leaders lodge complaints against CUF

Saturday, October 25, 2003 .

By Lwaga Mwambande

Ruling party CCM yesterday sent a five-member delegation for consultations with the main opposition party in Zanzibar, Civic United Front (CUF), urging the latter to refrain from making statements that could wreck the peace accord.
Addressing a press conference at the Tanzania Information Services auditorium yesterday, CCM Regional Secretary for Unguja North George Mahimbo said:.
“Some CUF leaders are publicly abusing the CCM/CUF accord. CUF will be to blame should anything go wrong,’’ he said.
Mahimbo was flanked by CCM regional secretaries for Unguja South, Sukwa Saidi Sukwa, Saidi Shaame from Pemba North, Bakari Hamad Khamis from Pemba South and Acting Regional Secretary for Urban West, Kassim Zonga.
They singled out CUF Secretary General Seif Shariff Hamad, saying his utterances at a recent public rally invoked bitter memories, particularly the January 2001 killings in Pemba.
They also complained against ‘disrespect’ for CCM leaders and government on the Isles, as well as verbal threats which were contrary to the October 2001 accord.
“Some leaders who signed the accord have been in the forefront in cultivating animosity and mistrust against other leaders,” Mahimbo said.
The five, who are also members of the ruling party’s NEC, dwelt over Hamad’s threat to make Zanzibar ungovernable if there would be no voters register in the 2005 or if his party would be denied victory.
“ CCM needs identity cards, as the most important step in identifying Zanzibaris,” he said.
They also defended their decision to hold the press conference, saying while it was their duty to protect the image of their party, the meeting had nothing to do with CUF Chairman Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, and Hamad’s bid for the presidency.
The 2000 elections culminated in bloodshed after CUF organised a demonstration in January, 2001 to protest against CCM’s victory.
On October 10, 2001, a peace deal between the two parties was signed.

Kuwait's IFA signs agreement with Zanzibar Government for tourism project

Kuwait: Saturday, October 18 - 2003 at 19:00

The Chairman & Managing Director of International Financial Advisors, (IFA), Kuwait, Jassim M. Al-Bahar has announced that IFA Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of IFA, has signed an agreement with the Zanzibar Government for 3 million square metres of land and has outlined plans for a major tourist resort on the island.
In the agreement with the Zanzibari Government, IFA has secured 300 hectares of land - 3 million square metres - with 3 kilometres of beach front. IFA has also purchased one of the major private resorts, the Zanzibar Beach Hotel, which is set in four hectares of land - 40,000 square metres - with 300 metres of prime beach.

Al-Bahar commented: 'When the expansion plans of the resort are completed, the luxury Zanzibar Beach Hotel and Resort will represent an IFA investment of over $50 million over the next five years – the largest tourism investment into the historic spice island to date.

'Our plan is to have the largest luxurious destination resort, employing up to 500 people, on this beautiful island.'

The Zanzibar Beach Hotel and Resort will have an additional upscale beach hotel, 150 rooms Al Qasar - The Palace - which will feature a health spa, an 18-hole golf course, golf academy, a beach clubhouse, children's village, villas and a vacation club within the 300 hectares.

Zanzibar, the largest coral island off the East coast of Africa, is a haven for diving and fishing. Zanzibar waters are home to some excellent year-round game fishing, including the legendary Marlin. Zanzibar, once closely linked to Oman, was once the centre of the spice trade where dhows plied across the Indian Ocean and throughout the Gulf. The island is just four and a half-hour flying time from the Gulf.

IFA anticipates strong Middle East demand for short and long breaks on Zanzibar, given the region's strong historic ties with the island and the extensive Arab influence throughout the island. The island is already an established and attractive destination for European tourists.

IFA Hotels & Resorts aims to link the resort in Zanzibar and a future South African resort with its resort in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as well as its planned resort in Lebanon and its existing hotel and resort in Portugal, the Sheraton Algarve and Pine Cliffs Resort, which is owned by an IFA
Consortium company, United Investments Portugal.

'This will offer tourists in Europe, Middle East & Africa a unique network linking IFA's respective hotels, resorts, timeshare and vacation club destinations,' said Al-Bahar, who expressed his appreciation for the confidence shown by the Zanzibar Government in IFA's investment plans for the island.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Zanzibar Government, by The Honourable Suleiman O. Nyanga, Minister of State – President's Office responsible for Finance - and on behalf of IFA by James Wilson, President & Chief Operating Officer, IFA Hotels & Resorts. The agreement resulted from the Zanzibar Government's vision and proactive approach in positioning the island's tourism industry and in the investment incentives targeted at international tourism developers and hotel groups, provided through the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency.

Jassim M. Al-Bahar concluded: 'IFA's investments in Zanzibar represent the implementation of IFA's strategic objectives of investing in tourist resorts in Africa. IFA is now in the final stages of concluding a major luxury resort investment in South Africa.'

 

Paper to pay president's kids

News24 (SA)
28/10/2003

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - A judge in Zanzibar has ordered a newspaper to pay more than half a million dollars in damages to the children of the president of the semi-autonomous archipelago for publishing stories saying the two used their family's political connections to buy state-owned businesses, the newspaper's editor said Tuesday.

High Court Judge Mshibe Ali Bakari ruled on Monday that the weekly tabloid Dira newspaper, whose name means "the globe" in Kiswahili, published "false and malicious statements" about Abeid Karume and Amina Karume, the son and daughter of President Amani Abeid Karume, editor Ali Mohammed Nabwa said.

Bakari ordered the owners of the paper and Nabwa to pay 660 million Tanzanian shillings (about R4,5m) in damages to Abeid and Amina Karume, he said.

Cannot afford to pay

Although Dira sells about 13 500 copies a week - the highest circulation of any newspaper in the Indian Ocean archipelago - it cannot afford to pay the fine, Nabwa said.

But he insisted the paper will not shut down.

"I am not going to accept that," he said in a telephone interview from Zanzibar. "I am ready to face the consequences, even if it means going to jail."

The newspaper published two stories in January that angered the Karume family: one alleged that Abeid Karume used family connections to secretly buy the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation, and the other said Amina Karume used her father's connections to buy a government-owned shop in the town of Darajani.

Nabwa said Amina Karume demanded an apology after the stories were published but did not offer a different version of events.

No apology was issued, and Abeid and Amina Karume later sued the paper.

The High Court gave the newspaper two weeks to appeal.

President Karume is the son of Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume, the first president of an independent Zanzibar following a bloody revolution in 1963 that ousted the archipelago's Omani rulers.

In 1964, the elder Karume signed a declaration of union with mainland Tanganyika, forming the state of Tanzania. He was assassinated in 1972 while playing cards.

Relax

Friday, October 10, 2003
Eating Out With Diane

Saucy dishes by Africa's most romantic waterfront

For a true taste of Zanzibar at a very reasonable price, the best place to eat in the evening is the water-front park at Forodhani.
To set the mood, catch a sun-downer at Blues. The prices are a little high at this tourist-orientated restaurant, which is built on stilts over the water, but the views are magnificent.

Out to sea, a (jahazi) dhow passes, its single sail white against the red of the setting sun. Looking back on land, you see the old sultan’s palace and the grand buildings of the stone town silhouetted against the fading light.

It must be one of the most romantic views on earth, or at least in Africa. Even the name Zanzibar rolls sweetly off the tongue, spice laden with a hint of mystery and the promise of long languorous days.

As night falls, the waterfront is hustle and bustle. Stall holders put up tables and lay out their wares in preparation for the evening’s business. Kerosene and pressure lamps are lit, the bright lights twinkling in the darkness and illuminating the food displayed for sale.

Skewers of mishkaki and chicken liver are cooked over small grills with samosas, chapatis and Swahili naan breads. Further along Zanzibar, pizza or kima chapati is being expertly prepared. Then there are long tables filled with a selection of seafood – prawns, octopus, crab claws and squid, as well as tuna kebabs and pieces of other fish make up the lavish array.

Just take your pick and it is quickly chopped and cooked as you watch. Other specialities include kachori, bhajia and special Zanzibari fishcakes.

You can eat your fill while walking along for just a few hundred shillings equivalent.

Then there are the sugar cane presses turned by hand. They squeeze out the juice, which is then mixed with water, ginger and lime for a refreshing thirst-quenching drink.

Finally, at the end, is a small kiosk selling ice cream and fruit salad in a cup: banana, pawpaw and crunchy pieces of cucumber topped with a dribble of condensed milk.

Here, you can sit and enjoy the lively evening atmosphere of Zanzibar to your heart's content.

The next morning all the rubbish is swept clean and cleared away and there is no trace of the busy scene of the evening before.

Zanzibar Bans Export of Corals

Business Times
October 24, 2003

Wilfred Edwin


THE Government of Zanzibar has banned the exportation of coral stones, Business Times has learnt.

The ban comes in the wake of "an increased demand in the local market."

The director of environment on the Isles, Mbereki Rashid, was quoted in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio early this week as saying: "We have banned exporting the stones because there is a growing demand for them in the domestic market!"

Germany has been a major market for coral stones from Zanzibar. Rashid, however, did not state how much Zanzibar has been earning from coral exports. But the ban would obviously lead to a decline in foreign exchange earnings for that part of the United Republic.

"If we can use the stones here, why should we deny locals the chance to enhance their income?" was the director's rhetoric question.

The stones are mainly used for decoration on the Isles.

Observers who spoke to Business Times on this expressed surprise at the reason behind this development. Exports do bring in foreign exchange - which has been a scarce commodity in Zanzibar in particular, and for the United Republic as a whole.

"Therefore, to ban the export of corals so as to sell them locally - ostensibly to meet domestic demand - defies logic," said one economist in Dar es Salaam who requested his identity to be withheld from publication.

In any case, Rashid expressed concern regarding the environmental degradation that is being caused by mining the local coral reefs. Nonetheless, he said, Zanzibaris would continue to conduct mining activities for the stones on dry land!

Zanzibar picks national team

Friday, October 24, 2003

By Farouk Karim, Zanzibar

Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) has announced national soccer team players who will start preparing for the Senior Challenge Cup set for next month in Sudan.
ZFA Executive Secretary Mwijuma Hadji Sadat said players would assemble two weeks before the kick off of the Challenge Cup.
He said most of the players who formed the team were from Mlandege, Police, Jamhuri and Forodha.
He said selection of the players depended on their performance in the Zanzibar Premier League.
Sadat said four players in the squad were from Tanzania mainland - Abdallah Juma, Kassim Issa (Mtibwa Sugar), goalie Farouk Ramadhan (Simba) and Mohamed Golo (Yanga).
Mlandenge players in the team are Abdi Kassim, Mbarouk Suleiman, Soud Abdulla, Juma Ally, Risasi Issa and Nassor Masoud.
Manfred Luambano, Salum Ally, Khamis Sufian and Mwinyi Ally are from (Police).
Forodha players are Rashid Gumbo, Rajab Khamisi and Salum Ally. From Jamhuri are Steven Nditi, Iddi Mshelli, Hussein Omary and Hamad Othman. Khamis Abdallah, Abdulrahman Ali (JKU), Mohamed Abbas, Saidi Hiji (Chipukizi), Msabaha Hemed and Mohamed Suleiman (Chipukizi).
There are also Awe Msimu (KMKM), Omar Rashid (Kipanga) and Said Muharam(Miembeni).

Zanzibar: in the eye of the storm
 

openDemocracy Ltd.

Kirsty Hughes
9 - 10 - 2003

An Indian Ocean microcosm of global politics – democracy, development, and election fraud, arguments over sovereignty, violence and pluralism – what can Zanzibar teach the world? Kirsty Hughes talks to Juma Duni Haji, a leader of its main opposition party, the Civic United Front.

As policy-makers worry about how to develop their security, foreign and development strategies in the face of the ‘war on terror’, the intricate political realities of a particular country or region can offer their own insight into the grand strategic designs that seek to capture them. Zanzibar – beautiful Indian Ocean spice island and historic cultural crossroads – is one such territory that brings home both the specificity of local politics and their links with international networks of power.
 

To read this full interview go to:  http://www.opendemocracy.net/themes/article-3-1533.jsp
 

Zanzibar to Host Music Festival

Business Times (Dar es Salaam)
October 10, 2003

Eric Toroka

To be organised by Busara Promotions' Swahili Encounters project and DCMA & Ford Foundation, the event will take place between December 2 and 7 this year at the Stone Town cultural centre.

Organisers say the Zanzibar Commission also supports the event.

It is expected to attract the travel industry from within and outside Tanzania.

Zanzibar's leading music and cultural groups are also expected to perform at the event.

On October 10, Busara Promotions has organised Full Moon Party, Kendwa Rocks in Zanzibar North Coast.

According to a statement by Busara, there will be a variety of music from around the world and the best beach vibes this side of the Indian Ocean.

Recently a New Jazz Collective from the Netherlands performed at the Stone Town Cultural Centre.

This talented quartet plays mainly jazz from the 1940s and 1960s with a soft touch of modern jazz smoothly incorporated.

Apart from the quartet's own compositions, jazz music from legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane & Charlie Parker is also played.

The recent shows of the band included the famous North Sea Jazz Festival in the Hague, the Netherlands - the biggest Jazz & Blues Festival in Europe.

The Netherlands Embassy in Tanzania sponsored the event.

Meanwhile, Zein al Abdin, master oud player from Mombasa, Kenya, was recently leading Oud and Maqam master-classes with music teachers of Zanzibar's Dhow Countries Music Academy. Zein al Abdin is the undisputed oud master of the southern hemisphere, with more than 400 songs in his repertoire, mostly self-composed, and one of the few remaining taarab artists in Kenya who continues to play acoustic style.

It was his first visit to Zanzibar since the Zanzibar International Film Festival 2000. Next February 13-15, a cultural event will take place in Zanzibar. Called Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) Swahili Music + Cultural Festival, it will show various performing arts rooted in Swahili language and traditions.

It is expected to feature the finest traditional, contemporary and other groups from Tanzania, East Africa and beyond.

The show will be held at the Stone Town Cultural Centre.

Raza still at loggerheads with Isles govt

Friday, October 10, 2003 .

By Guardian Reporter

A famous businessman in Zanzibar, Mohamed Raza, has said proposals for adoption of a three-government tier system for the structure of the Union emerged out of the weaknesses of the present system, which marginalises the economy of the Isles.

Raza, the sports advisor of the former Zanzibar President Salmin Amour, but now at loggerheads with the system here, said in a statement issued yesterday that the proposals would disappear when the weaknesses in the Union Government have been addressed.

“If Zanzibar will get its economic rights, the issue of three governments will not be there and whoever raises it will be an instigator,” the businessman said as he tried to shrug off claims that he was in heaven during the Salmin Amour tenure in office through tax evasions and dubious business deals.

Raza described as baseless claims that he had fallen out with the current Zanzibar government because it had plugged the leaks he used to evade tax.

He said the people behind the claims were escapists who try to conceal the problems of the Union Government, especially to Zanzibar.

The issue of Tanganyika was not instigated by people, but cropped up when the Tanzania Mainland appeared to be more favoured in the Union setting, he said.

Raza accused the Isles government of escaping issues he raised on the Union government and instead relapsed to attacking him personally.

He said his critics should build up on the issues he raised and tell the people why Zanzibar’s economy was increasingly affected under the present system.

He defended his use of the media to air his grievances, claiming that Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s hierarchy did not allow a bottom-up input of views of its members the party.

“I’ve never refused to give my views in the party meetings, but under the system of the party it is not easy to take one’s view there,” he said.

He challenged his critics to prove that he was a tax evader during Salmin Amour tenure in office.

Isles TRA once again fails to meet target

By Business Correspondent

Zanzibar revenue collection misery continues after the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) failed yet again to meet its own forecast in July this year, for almost seven months in a row.
During the month under review, which ended in July this year, TRA managed to collect revenue amounting to Tsh. 2.9 billion, down from Tsh. 3.8 billion collected in June.
The revenue collection accounted only 55.5 per cent of projected monthly level of Tsh.5.2 billion, BoT said in its August Monthly Economic Review.
"The dismal performance in revenue collection was mainly attributed to lower than expected collection in all revenue categories, with the exception of income tax and some other tax categories," BoT says the report.
The Express could not reach TRA Zanzibar to establish what is the reason behind for the Authority's failure to collect revenues as projected as there is no working telephone in the Ministry of Finance and Economics.
Worse still is that the revenue collected in July, as the first month of the new finance year of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, accounted for 4.6 per cent of the annual projection of Tsh. 62.9 billion. Last financial year, TRA in the Isles failed to reach its target by over 30 per cent.
Tax on imports decreased from Tsh.1.4 billion to Tsh.one billion. BoT attributed the squat collection mainly to low imports volume through Zanzibar Port.
Similarly, VAT and excise duties (local) declined by 28.5 per cent to Tsh. 700 million compared to 900 million registered the previous month.

Isles govt takes tough stance against drugs

Wednesday, October 08, 2003 .

By Guardian Correspondent

The Isles government plans to introduce more strict laws controlling the production, trafficking and abuse of drugs, Khamis Juma Chande, Secretary of the House of Representatives, said yesterday.
Chande told TAMWA in Zanzibar that the new law would provide for stronger punishment of those found guilty of contravening the island’s drug laws, but did not release specific penalties.
“Drug abuse among the youth in Zanzibar has been rapidly increasing in recent years,” commented Rashid Hemed, the Island’s Director of Drug Abuse Control Unit. He said the term “youth” widely applies to those between 19-40 years of age.
He explained that 77 of 85 users, who were at the unit over 2002-2003, had to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Kidongo Chekundu.
Hemed said poor upbringing; parental divorce, unemployment and cultural deterioration caused by adopting the habits of youths from rich nations in the world were to blame.
Commenting on the drug problem in the isles, Ramadhani Kinyogo, the Director of Criminal Investigation, Zanzibar, said that 115 drug cases have been reported in different police stations in Unguja and Pemba from 2001 to September 2003. Fifty-nine of which were reported in 2002 compared to 43 in 2001.
Unguja is most affected as 100 of the cases took place there, while 15 occurred in Pemba, he said.
Prosecution has started proceedings on 106 of the cases but none of the accused has made their way to trial, he said, adding the other nine cases are still under investigation.

Terrorism: Tanzania Deports Italian Doctor for 'False Alarm'

By ALI SULTAN
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Monday, October 6, 2003

THE TANZANIA Immigration Department has deported an Italian doctor who, early this year, allegedly raised a false alarm about terrorists in Zanzibar.

According to a letter dated July 7 and signed by Tanzania’s Director of Immigration, K.W.D Khomano, Dr Mario Mariana, who was also honorary Italian Consul in Zanzibar, was asked to leave within 90 days.

Dr Mariana, who appealed through different channels to the government to rescind its decision to no avail, left the country recently under supervision of the Immigration officials at the airport.

He came to Zanzibar 15 years ago as an employee of Unicef, but became an investor after his contract with Unicef expired.

He set up his own hospital, the Zanzibar Medical Diagnostic Centre, which initially treated foreigners and investors before it extended its services to locals.

He was later appointed by the Italian government as its honorary consul in Zanzibar earning an honorarium of $1,000 per annum.

Though the letter from the director of immigration did not provide details, sources from the department told The EastAfrican: "Dr Mariana was on the watchlist due to his activities and contacts."

Early this year, Dr Mariana was reportedly to have tipped off foreign embassies in Dar es Salaam of the presence of terrorists in Zanzibar after he had just treated "Arab or Muslim" visitors at Serena Hotel in Zanzibar.

Government officials were said to have been angered by his action, which disrupted the inflow of tourists. The tourism industry, being the Isles' economic mainstay, was hard hit.

Tourists stopped coming while international airlines halted services to the Isles.

Western embassies led by the US and UK posted repeated warnings to their citizens not to travel to Zanzibar. The Italian government and Scandinavian countries followed suit.

The warning, posted in the internet worldwide from January 15, was taken seriously by tourists, who cancelled bookings on the Isles.

Idyllic Zanzibar Languishes Unvisited

By PHILIP SHENON

Published: October 5, 2003
ANZIBAR, Tanzania

EVEN the name has a certain magic: Zanzibar, an island of idyllic palm-fringed beaches and architectural wonders set at the cultural intersection of Africa and the Arab world.

For years Zanzibar has been promoted as the next great travel destination in the developing world, waiting to take its place as Africa's answer to Bali or Patagonia, capable of luring adventurers and luxury travelers alike. But to the dismay of Zanzibar's political and business leaders, the wait is likely to continue indefinitely.

The tourism industry of this lush Indian Ocean island has been devastated over the last year, first by terrorist attacks last November in neighboring Kenya that were blamed on Al Qaeda, then by a series of alerts issued this spring by the United States, Britain and other Western nations about terrorist threats in Tanzania and the rest of East Africa.

While this reporter and his Western friends recently found the island to be tranquil, the latest State Department advisory on Tanzania, issued on Aug. 28, warns of special safety threats in Zanzibar, which has a conservative Muslim society and where Al Qaeda is believed to have supporters, if not full-fledged members. "Travelers should maintain a high level of security vigilance at all times," the advisory says.

Government figures show that foreign visits to the island peaked in 2000, with 97,200 arrivals, mostly Europeans. The number dropped to 76,300 in 2001, climbing back to 87,500 last year. This year, tourism revenue may fall by nearly 30 percent from last year, according to the local government tourist office, representing the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars each month for the island's hotels and restaurants, as well as jobs.

The economy was already in trouble because of a global decline in the price of cloves, the main export of this 640-square-mile island; tourism is its No. 2 industry.

Emerson D. Skeens, the American proprietor of the Emerson and Green Hotel here, undoubtedly one of the most romantic and eccentric hotels in Africa, sees Zanzibar as a special haven. "It's not like other tourist destinations, where the people are friendly because they want to see your money," he said. "Here, it's genuine warmth and a genuine welcome. "

Mr. Skeens, a choreographer by training, and an American partner, Thomas Green, have converted a former Swahili Empire mansion into a 10-room hotel, each of the antiques-packed rooms with its own name and distinct atmosphere. The rooftop South Room, for example, is reached by a small wooden bridge, with a garden veranda separating the bedroom from a bathroom that is partly open to the skies. Rooms are priced at $150 a night, which includes tax.

The mansion, the home of one of the powerful Arab merchants who controlled the island's economy in the 19th century, has special significance in African history. After the British abolished slavery in Zanzibar in 1883 and agreed to pay off slave owners, the British colonial authorities used the mansion as a staging point for the transactions - and for freeing the slaves.

The Emerson and Green has continued to thrive, thanks largely to American and European honeymooners who packed the hotel this summer.

But down the street at the waterfront Zanzibar Serena Inn - the other luxury hotel in Stone Town, the island's historic center - the lobby and restaurants have been largely empty of foreign visitors for weeks at a time. "It's terrible that people are staying away from this beautiful place," a front-desk receptionist said. "I don't think there are terrorists here. There are no terrorists, and there are no tourists."

While the signs of a strict, devout Muslim society are everywhere, including veiled women and mosques every few blocks, residents say they take pride in the island's history as a meeting place of cultures. Street crime against foreign visitors is almost unheard of.

Yet the terrorist alerts issued half a world away in Washington and London are keeping thousands of visitors away and threatening to do lasting damage to the island's economy. "Everybody is broke,'' said Mr. Skeens, the transplanted American hotelier. "This whole society has been devastated.''

Homosexuality threatens family

By Emmanuel Rubagumya

Homosexual practices threaten to disintegrate and disturb the family system and strong values in the country.
A lecturer at the Institute of Social Work, Naftali N'gondi said because of the practice, credibility of marriages may be lost by people thinking that sex is someone's choice and this it does not matter whether someone's partner is of the same or opposite sex.
He said today homosexuality is very common because homosexuals are accepted by society in the sense that they do not accuse it anymore.
"A person is known to be a homosexual but he is still respected and socialises with others as normal," he said.
Homosexuality is a sexual activity between individuals of the same sex.
Some experts consider homosexuality as a result of biological factors while other researchers believe a person's sexual orientation is associated primarily with social and psychological factors.
In Zanzibar, homosexuals who do not want to be recognised are known as Askari kanzu while the term Askari magwanda is used for those who 'come out' and want to be recognised as homosexuals.
Askari magwanda can be identified through their movement and posture, clothes and the way they emulate women when talking.
Another lecturer at the Institute, Andrew Mchomvu said psychologically, the practise damages people in the long run causing lack of confidence, unhappiness and emotional disturbance.
Mchomvu, who is a psychologist said to prevent homosexual practices, the institute teaches people on ethics and good morals.

Terror warnings slow Zanzibar's progress

Kirsty Hughes finds the threat to Zanzibar's idyllic peace comes from within, not from terrorism, whatever the Foreign Office says.

Sunday September 21, 2003

The Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar is a popular destination for many western tourists, offering palm-lined beaches and the atmospheric winding streets of Stone Town after dusty safaris in northern Tanzania. Yet US and British warnings of high risks of terrorism are threatening the idyll, and its economy, despite strong doubts as to whether Zanzibar is under a genuine threat.
Yet how real is this threat? The website for the Foreign and Commonwealth office describes all of Tanzania including Zanzibar as being at "high risk from global terror", citing the May bomb attacks in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia as evidence that the terror threat "remains real". Why terror attacks in Saudi Arabia should indicate a terrorist threat in Tanzania is not obvious - throwing a general warning over not only the middle East but East Africa too surely suggests an approach that is either too casual or too genera.

Tanzania is, after all, despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, also a remarkably stable society, and one where tensions between the Christian majority and large Muslim minority are mostly few and far between. And in Zanzibar, it is local rather than international politics that has been destabilising in recent years.

The Zanzibar islands, unlike the mainland, are predominantly Muslim but Zanzibar has long been a cosmopolitan crossroads, mixing African, Arab, Indian and other cultures - ruled over in recent centuries by Omani Sultans and then British regents, finally gaining independence in 1963, and then rapidly forming a Union with Tanganyika in 1964 creating today's Tanzania.

Mosques abound in Stone Town on Zanzibar, most women wear black hijab, with schoolgirls in cream scarves and long navy skirts - but down an ally in Stone Town you can come across the garish coloured spires of a Hindu temple or an occasional church.

Zanzibar is perhaps being unfairly penalised not only for its Muslim population and by the general international nervousness over security, but also for its location - a relatively short distance south down the coast from Mombassa in Kenya - where terrorists last year bombed a hotel and attempted to shoot down an Israeli plane. Tanzania too has seen terrorist attacks with the bombing of the US embassy in Dar in 1998 - but that was the mainland and not Zanzibar.

Unnecessary or overstrong terror warnings have the potential to create not only economic problems but also political resentment. The US and UK warnings of a high global terror risk have certainly impacted on the economy in Zanzibar. Tourism fell sharply in the first 3 months of this year, and while numbers are rising again, American and British tourists are few. All hotels, whether local or foreign, have had to pay more attention to security; the FBI have been in to provide advice on security, and even small hotels often have armed guards at night. And travelling across the island police road checks seem to pop up every 10 kilometres.

Many see the terror warnings as unfair and damaging, yet there is little anti-Americanism - or anti-British - feeling evident. The fall-off in tourists for most is a cause of complaint, but while tourists are welcome, the activities of some of the foreign investors chasing the tourist dollar are not always equally so,

Many of the hotels in Zanzibar are foreign-owned and some of these chose to close within days of the terror warnings throwing - often foreign - workers immediately out of their jobs. Some of the foreign hotels are seen to contribute little to the local economy, not even employing local staff - some acting as cut-off enclaves, sealing their foreign tourists off from the surrounding island.

In one case on the East coast of the island an Italian hotel tried to cut off the beach to local villagers, even though the sea is the main source of their living - women do seaweed farming and men fish around and beyond the coral reef. The villagers responded by cutting down palm trees to block road access and the hotel was forced to back down.

And tourism can sometimes look like a transmuted form of colonialism not least in the hordes of white westerners served by locals on the sunset terrace of the former English club (now a hotel) in Stone Town, and the casual attire of most tourists, showing little sensitivity to the culture around them. Tourism for now is still seen as beneficial overall and important economically but it is vital that it contributes positively to local economic development, and is culturally sensitive, if tensions are not to grow in the future. It would be ironic indeed if terror warnings, leading to an unwelcome fall in tourism, also lead to a backlash against that tourism as not contributing adequately to the local economy and society. For now, the fall-off in tourists is the biggest concern but tensions are there.

Yet the biggest political challenges and tensions currently facing Zanzibar come not from possible terrorist threats but from conflicts in local politics. In recent years, violence in Zanzibar has in fact been directed against the local population not coming from them, mostly against the mainly Muslim members and supporters of the main opposition party, the Civic United Front (CUF). Elections in both 1995 and 2000, while passing off peacefully on mainland Tanzania, resulted in allegations of vote-rigging and fraud in Zanzibar which opposition politicians say let the ruling party (CCM, as on the mainland, the party of former President Nyerere) win power unfairly. In demonstrations against the results in early 2001, violence erupted. At least 22 protesters were shot by police and hundreds of others arrested, with Amnesty International reporting incidences of torture and rape.

Since a "peace" agreement between the 2 parties in autumn 2001, local politics has been calmer, and opposition politicians say they can carry out normal political activities and campaigning without the frequent harassment that was typical in the past. National and international observers commented favourably on the conduct of local by-elections held in May on Pemba island, hoping they augur well for the next national elections in 2005.

But below the surface, emotions and tensions remain high. Juma Duni Haji, deputy secretary-general of CUF in Zanzibar, is still worried. Although he thinks the government will hold back from using violence again, they may instead, he says, use the courts to try to stop the opposition winning in 2005. "They know they cannot use force any more as people are so much more motivated and conscious of their rights" he says. "If they use force again there will be a lot of bloodshed, so they may use the courts as an alternative".

For now, the situation remains calm but if the international community is concerned to avoid the potential terrorism dangers they claim to see then fair handling of the next elections, not anti-terror warnings, must surely be the top priority. This is the best route to avoid further social and political instability, and any attendant alienation or radicalisation it might bring.

Some worry that an opposition victory could lead to a break-up of the Union with mainland Tanzania, and that opposition party, CUF, could introduce sharia law. Juma Duni Haji says that government politicians label the opposition party Islamic because they want to create a connotation of Islamic and terrorism. Tanzanian law does not in fact allow religious political parties. But opposition politicians certainly do talk of renegotiating the Union agreement, in terms that are sometimes reminiscent of British Conservatives' views on renegotiating the UK's position in the EU.

Zanzibar faces intertwined pressures and challenges of poverty, highly conflictual local politics, alongside the mixed blessings of tourism. International terror warnings, add new tensions to this already complex mix. The rationale for the British and American global terror warnings for Zanzibar remains unclear, but it is clear what is needed for Zanzibar to develop as a stable, open, cultural crossroads.

TLP hails CCM/CUF Accord

Thursday, September 18, 2003 .
By Guardian Reporter

The CCM/CUF Accord reached in Zanzibar has elevated the country’s reputation in conflict resolution, Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) Publicity Secretary Thomas Ngawaiya commented yesterday.
Ngawaiya, who is the legislator for Moshi Rural, said the Accord, which ended hatred on the Isles, has made Tanzania a reference point in conflict management without recourse to foreign assistance.
He was speaking at the 11th conference on the State of Politics in Tanzania, which ended at the University of Dar es Salaam yesterday.
When asked whether his position signalled a departure from TLP’s claims that the CCM/CUF Accord only meant to benefit the CUF Secretary-General Seif Shariff Hamad, Ngawaiya maintained that the Accord was good for Tanzania.
However, he admitted that the Accord lacked legal powers to make it a national treasure because it appeared to favour Zanzibar.
Ngawaiya said the agreement appeared to promote disunity between Zanzibar and the Mainland.
The Chairman of the Research on Education and Democracy (REDET), Professor Rwekaza Mukandala, also supported Ngawaiya saying the laws of the land were silent on the CCM and CUF Accord.
The Chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Dr Emmanuel Makaidi, was more critical of the CCM/CUF agreement describing it as frustrating efforts to build democracy in the country.
Kibiti MP (CCM), Prof. Juma Mikidadi, and Isaac Cheyo (Bariadi West-UDP) supported the Accord.
Prof. Mikidadi said instead of criticising, the Accord should be hailed because it has become one of the models of conflict resolution.
Cheyo said the Accord has contributed to bringing peace and checking excessive use of force.
He said because the Accord has the blessings of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, it should be tabled before the National Assembly in order to get legal backing.
CCM Secretary-General Philip Mangula accused ‘some politicians’ for misinterpreting the Accord as well as its implementation.
CCM and CUF decided to sit down and iron out their differences following the January 26 and 27, 2001 killings of over 30 CUF demonstrators in Zanzibar by police for allegedly taking part in an illegal procession.
CUF had announced holding the demonstration to express their rejection of the 2000 elections, call for writing of the constitution and the need to have an independent electoral commission. Many of the demands were incorporated into the agreement.

Zanzibar minister to press for repeal of repressive law

Friday, September 12, 2003 .
By Guardian Reporter

The Zanzibar Minister for Youth, Employment, Women and Children Development, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has promised that her ministry will press for amendment of the Spinsters and Divorcees Act No. 4 of 1984.
In an interview with TAMWA in Zanzibar this week, Samia said her ministry would soon sign an agreement with the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP) aimed at implementing various activities aimed at promoting women in Zanzibar.
“Amending the Zanzibar Spinsters and Divorcees Act is one of the priority activities to be implemented under the agreement before June 2004,” the minister said.
She said her ministry would work in collaboration with the Ministry of State in the President’s Office, Constitution and Good Governance and as well as non governmental organizations.
The law provides for two years imprisonment for a woman found guilty of becoming pregnant out of wedlock and five years jail sentence for a man found guilty of impregnating a woman who is not his wife.
Samia said the law not only undermines women integrity but also violates the human rights of expectant mother and the new born child.
Recently, complaints were raised from different sectors and private people, pressing for the amendment of the law because of its negative impact on women and children.
The action resulted from pressure from the Zanzibar community who had shown dissatisfaction over the previous law.
Of late, however, the law came under heavy attack from members of the House of Representatives, gender and human rights activists, lawyers, religious leaders and the Zanzibar public in general, warning that it undermined women integrity and violated children’s rights.
Moreover, it has been contended that the law is impracticable.

Medical Officials Downplay Pemba Disease

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
September 12, 2003
Dar Es Salaam

Government health officials in Zanzibar have played down reports that a mysterious disease had killed several people on the archipelago's northern island of Pemba.

The permanent secretary in Zanzibar's Ministry of Health, Dr Makame Shauri, told IRIN on Friday that the reports of large numbers of people infected and five people killed were merely exaggerations in the press.

He said that the ministry had received reports of 39 cases of the disease but there were was no information of deaths specifically caused by the disease.

However, he said the ministry and the World Health Organisation had agreed on Friday to call in more experts to conduct a detailed study into the matter.

He said the situation was not that bad. "Those that were affected have been receiving multi-vitamins and physiotherapy and are now recuperating. Some of those who were paralysed can stand and move," he added.

The exact causes of the disabilities appear sketchy, but health officials on the island have said that peripheral neuropathy, a common neurological disorder resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves, was most likely.

The disease's symptoms, which include weakness, numbness, paresthesia (abnormal sensations such as burning, tickling, pricking or tingling) and pain in the arms, hands, legs and feet, fit many of the reports coming from Pemba.

Local news reports earlier in the week had suggested that a mysterious disease was spreading across the semiautonomous archipelago and had killed five and infected more than 100 people.

Finnish grant to help Zanzibar green project
 

By Hamis Suba

9/07/03

The Governments of Tanzania and Finland recently signed two grant agreements, amounting to approximately Tsh. three billion.
The agreements cover support to Sustainable Management of Land and Environment in Zanzibar (SMOLE) and support to Forestry College Curriculum revision in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
"The government of Finland will provide financial assistance amounting to Tsh 1.2 billion during 2003/04 as contribution to poverty eradication efforts of the Government of Zanzibar through environmentally safe economic development," the permanent secretary in the ministry of finance, Gray S Mgonja, said.
The Zanzibar government is expected to contribute to the project to the tune of approximately Tsh. 197 million.
Mgonja said the government of Finland would also extend financial assistance amounting to Tsh. 1.8 billion for the period 2003/05 to assist Olmotonyi Forestry Institute in Tanzania and similar institutes in the project countries to revise training curricula to conform with the current policy and legal frameworks of each of these countries.
The overall objective of the program is that students and forestry staff trained at forestry colleges in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia are capable and motivated to promote community-based Natural Resources Management in their extension work.
In Tanzania, the responsibility for the implementation of the program lies with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, while practical matters pertaining to the implementation shall be handled by the Forestry Training.

Z’bar govt approves TRA tax evasion curbing steps

Friday, September 05, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has approved measures being taken by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to curb tax evasion at the Zanzibar port.
The Minister for Industry, Commerce, Marketing and Tourism, Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, declared on Wednesday after bringing together importers, clearing and forwarding agents and TRA that the government had approved the revenue authority steps.
He said some importers were not truthful in declaration of their imports upon which taxes are calculated.
The minister had called the three parties following a boycott by clearing and forwarding agents from transporting cargo from the port and Zanzibar airport on grounds that TRA had hiked taxes.
Minister Mohamed said it has been revealed that some importers import goods in the containers that are different from the declaration documents in a bid to deny the government of revenue.
“Because of the situation, the meeting resolved that a thorough investigation be done by TRA officers and those at the port to ensure that steps are taken against those involved in cheating,” he said.
However, he did not tell when the investigation would end. He said the isles government aims at ensuring that such cheats are curbed and that each importer pays duties according to one’s imports.
He blamed clearing and forwarding agents for being responsible for cheating and said it was from the background that they were critical of the newly introduced stringent inspection by TRA.
“Their machinations have come to an end. They have been uncovered for denying the government of its revenue for personal enrichment,” he said.
He appealed to importers to continue paying the taxes and collecting their consignments from the port and said they should not expect to press the government to withdraw TRA inspectors.
Representatives of clearing and forwarding agents were expected to meet later yesterday to decide whether to call off the strike or take other measures.

Pemba mysterious disease victims ask for help

Friday, September 05, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Relatives of about 60 persons who have died from a mysterious disease where the victims paralysee from the waist to the legs in Pemba Island have appealed to the Union government to send experts to determine the source of that problem.
Speaking to PST, some of the relatives from Micheweni District said since the eruption of the disease three months ago, they were yet to know the source of the malaise.
So far most of those affected are aged between six and 40 years.
Kombo Saidi Kombo, a trader from Micheweni asked for the Union government intervention in order to hasten investigation and provide people with results, to end the anxiety they now experience.
The Zanzibar Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, and the Deputy Secretary General of CCM, Zanzibar, Saleh Ramadhan Ferouz, have visited the affected persons, but the cause of the problem is yet to be established and made public.
The Director of Diseases Prevention from the Ministry of Health and Community Development, Juma Rajab, told PST that the isles government was going on with investigations on the cause of the disease in collaboration with officials from the World Health Organisation and Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).
‘‘We try to counsel those affected by the paralysis as we continue looking for the cause and cure,” he said.
A survey conducted by PST has established that the affected families are in need of humanitarian assistance because most of the victims were the bread earners who are now hospitalised for months.
The Zanzibar Television (TvZ) has been showing some of the affected persons taking exercised aimed at stretching their joints to function normally.
Some non-governmental organisations have started to make various donations like food and water. Also some traditional healers are cashing in on the problem by pretending to provide the cure for the mysterious disease, but so far nobody has recovered.

Z’bar govt intervenes in port stand-off
 

Wednesday, September 03, 2003 .

By Correspondent Mwinyi Sadallah, PST, Zanzibar

The Government of Zanzibar has decided to intervene in the clearing and forwarding agents’ boycott to clear cargo from the Zanzibar port, lest the move affects the economy.
The Minister for Industry, Trade, Marketing and Tourism, Mohammed Aboud Mohammed, said yesterday that the government was trying to resolve the matter.
The Clearing and Forwarding agents claim the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has hiked taxes to unprecedented levels to an extent that makes their businesses unprofitable.
But TRA retorted that most of those complaining were not the importers and were ignorant of TRA rules and regulations.
Minister Mohammed said a meeting to discuss the matter was held yesterday involving senior officials from the Zanzibar Ministry of Finance and Planning, his ministry and leaders of the Zanzibar Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.
He told journalists the main agenda of the meeting was to discuss the complaints of Zanzibar traders that they were being charged higher import duties than their counterparts on the Mainland.
He said some businesspersons have threatened to transfer their businesses to the Mainland because of the alleged exorbitant taxes.
“The government is obliged to intervene because the business sector and Zanzibar port were very important to the economy,” he said.
He said he wondered why TRA officers ignored the import documents produced by traders and employed guess-work in determining duties that the importers have to pay.
Clearing and Forwarding Agents downed tools last week to press for review of the tax regime if importers were to continue bringing in goods through the Zanzibar port.
The Minister urged businesspersons to be patient while the government was trying to resolve the matter. He promised that a lasting solution, which is fair to all of them, would be found.
“The complaints are very serious and if they are true, then TRA would be acting contrary to agreements between the Union and Zanzibar governments,” he said.
He said because Tanzania was a Union of two countries it was crucial that TRA officials on the Isles and those on the Mainland respect each other and had confidence in one another in discharging their duties.
“I’m puzzled to hear a TRA officer on the Mainland does not respect decisions made by his counterpart in Zanzibar by questioning the tax rates set and putting new ones,” he said.
The Clearing and Forwarding agents boycott has affected greatly operators of trucks, who survive on carrying cargo from the port.

Now Zanzibar Firms to be Licensed Locally
 

Monday, September 1, 2003

By MOHAMED ISSA MOHAMED
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The East African

BUSINESSMEN IN Zanzibar now obtain registration certificates and licenses in the town instead of getting them from Dar es Salaam.

In joint meeting in Tanga, Tanzania Minister for Trade Juma Ngasongwa and his Zanzibar counterpart, Mohamed Aboud, agreed to amend the 1967 and 1982 legislations on registration and issuance of licenses to make it possible for business to obtain their documentation in Zanzibar instead of Dar es Salaam.

This empowered the Deputy Registrar of Companies (Zanzibar) to effect the registrations without reference to Dar es Salaam.

Mr Aboud told The EastAfrican that Zanzibar’s Deputy Registrar, Ali Rajabu, has now been mandated to issue licenses to industries in Zanzibar.

Previously, he merely rubber-stamped the documentation done by his boss in Dar es Salaam.

The two trade ministers met in Tanga "to ease trade relations" between Zanzibar Islands and the Union government.

Mr Aboud said he hoped that the decentralisation of the licensing regime would help create more employment for many Zanzibaris.

Listing the benefits of the new licensing regime to Zanzibar, Mr Aboud said that, among others, the revenues generated from the licensing and registration of the firms would remain in the Isles coffers instead of being remitted to Dar es Salaam.

The chairman of the Tanga Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture Yakub Hasham, hailed the decentralisation and expressed hope that the ministry would further decentralise the Registrar’s office to the 21 regions on mainland Tanzania.

Mr Hasham also called for a review of licence fees and the prolongation the licence period from one to at least three years.

Since 1964 when they united, Zanzibar and the Tanzania mainland have had problems in harmonising economic, fiscal and business affairs, requiring top political decisions to resolve a number of impasses. The country has one tax and monetary regime.

Most of Zanzibar’s businesses involve trading and importation of consumer goods from the Persian Gulf states and the Far East – mainly electronics, textiles, and motor vehicles. The Isles' main market is the Tanzania mainland.

A few years ago, unscrupulous businessmen were smuggling these imports into Tanzania using dinghies and dhows and landing the goods at more than 30 illegal landing sites along the mainland’s 800-plus km Indian Ocean coastline.

The Zanzibar conduit was believed to be losing the tax authority over Tsh6 billion ($6 million) annually.

Authorities have since closed the loophole by harmonising all Customs duties on goods landed in Zanzibar or Tanzania mainland ports. TRA collects a total revenue of Tsh110 billion ($110 million) per month from Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

The two ministers also said that mainland-bound cargo from Zanzibar would now be subjected to only one Customs inspection and the Tanzania mainland Customs office would have to accept the documentation as authentic and final.

"There should be no no need for re-inspection because those who conduct the verification before the goods are shipped to the mainland come from the same TRA," the ministers said. TRA sometimes carries out random re-inspection of shipments to uncover smuggled or undeclared goods.

The ministers further agreed that should Customs need to re-examine goods being imported into the mainland, on suspicion of underdeclaration, it would have to use the minimum dutiable values as recommended by the World Trade Organisation.

Zanzibar U-19 Champs

The East African Standard
August 29, 2003
Nairobi

Home side, Zanzibar beat Uganda 6-5 on post match penalties to clinch the East and Central Africa under-19 football title at the Aman stadium on Wednesday.

Zanzibar goalkeeper, Wakili Yusuf, who saved three penalties was the star of the match that ended in a barren draw after regulation and extra time.

Zanzibar watched by 20,000 fans among them President Abeid Karume who was the tournament sponsor took home US$8,000 (KSh608,000). Uganda went home with US$6,000 while Rwanda, who beat Ethiopia 2-1 to finish third went home with US$4,000 (KSh 304,000) .

According to Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) secretary general, Nicholas Musonye of Kenya, the next under-19 tournament will be staged in Eritrea in 2005.

The next Cecafa tournament will be the senior Challenge Cup in Sudan in November/December. It will be followed in February by the Club Championship in Kigali, Rwanda.

Meanwhile, Cecafa has congratulated President Paul Kagame on his election as Rwanda's president. Musonye said on arrival in Nairobi from Zanzibar yesterday that they were hopefully football in the region will prosper with Kagame's election.

The Rwandese president is the sponsor of the Cecafa Club Cup that has a prize money of US$60,000 (Sh4.02 m) annually.

Musonye also send the council's condolences to President Mwai Kibaki following the death of Kenya vice President, Michael Kijana Wamalwa. He noted that Wamalwa was a keen football follower and had played a major role in the formation of Bunge FC close to 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, Hamza Heroes scored two goals in each half to hammer Kamaliza United 4-2 in a one-sided Nairobi Youth Challenge Cup tie played at St. Patrick Maringo, reports Dennis Mabuka.

In another match, Shauri Moyo hit MadawaLabu FC 4-0 to remain in contention for the title. James Njemba (10 &64), Murage (22), Mickey (78th) and Hamza (21st) scored for the victors.

Results in summary: Ajax 6 Sinai 5, NCC 0 Jericho All Stars 0, Quick Fit 1 Wigu FC 0, University 0 Huruma 2, Dandora All Stars 6 MailiSaba 0, Fulnesco 0 Dandora Youth 4, Nyambene Heroes 0 Sakayonsa 0, Madawalabu 0 Shauri Moyo 4.
 

Zanzibar take on Uganda in final

Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Hosts Zanzibar play Uganda in the final of the Confederation of East and Central African Football Association under-19 tournament today.
In the semi-finals, Zanzibar beat Ethiopia 1-0 while Uganda defeated Rwanda also 1-0.

Ame Hamisi scored Zanzibar's goal while Uganda's winner came through Tony Odur.

The final kicks off at 8:30 pm but will be preceded by the play-off for third place at 4.30 pm.

Zanzibar’s Ame Hamisi scored the only goal through across pass by Rashidi Gumba in the 25th minute.

In the thrilling encounter Zanzibar made sure that no cross pass from the Ethiopians passed through their defence till the last whistle, which determined their victory.

Hamad Woos UK, US Over Zanzibar Reforms

The East African (Nairobi)

August 18, 2003
Paul Redfern
Nairobi

CIVIC UNITED Front leader Seif Sharif Hamad returns from a high level visit to London and Washington this week, where he has been trying to win political support to push the reform process in Zanzibar forward.

In an interview with The EastAfrican while in London, Mr Hamad said he had also been trying to reassure political and business leaders in Britain and the US that Zanzibar was a safe place for tourists to visit.

Mr Hamad met senior officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and the State Department in Washington along with UK Secretary of State for International Development Valerie Amos during his fortnight trip.

He said that he had been particularly keen to impress on London and Washington the need to continue putting pressure on Zanzibar President Amani Karume to fulfil his promises on the political agreement on Zanzibar "for which he is not very enthusiastic."

Citing the failure to implement judiciary reform and live up to the promises to include CUF leaders in senior positions in the government, among a number of areas where the ruling CCM party has failed to honour its pledges, Mr Hamad said the remaining areas of the agreement "must be implemented in full.

"We are not at all satisfied with the pace of Karume's reforms," Mr Hamad said. "He continues to drag his feet despite pressure from [Tanzanian] President Benjamin Mkapa and the West."

But the CUF leader indicated that he was hopeful that progress would be made and was content that his concerns were being taken seriously in both London and Washington.

The extent to which they were being taken seriously could be seen from the fact that Mr Hamad's visit to London was sponsored by the Foreign Office, who also arranged high-level meetings with the Commonwealth Secretariat as well as opposition parties in the UK.

Also on the agenda was the issue of security and terrorism on Zanzibar and Mr Hamad said that part of his visit was to try and reassure the West that its tourists could now return safely to the islands.

"We don't suffer from extremists in Zanzibar," Mr Hamad said. "It should also be noted that the police and army have tightened up security across the islands.

"The Zanzibar economy is dependent on cloves, trade and tourism. All have been badly affected since the events of September 11 and the subsequent warnings given out by the Foreign Office in the UK and the State Department in the US. I am hopeful, however, that things will now begin to improve."

Mloo’s retirement likely to create vacuum in CUF

Thursday, August 14, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Civic United Front (CUF) Vice Chairman, Shaaban Khamis Mloo (73), is expected to retire from active politics later this year because of old age.
Sources close to him have said here that Mloo, who is one of the founders of Civic United Front, will not compete in any of the political posts in the intra-party elections slated to climax next February.
When contacted, Mloo confirmed in an interview with PST that he would retire, but declined to comment further on the grounds that there was still a long way to go before he quits active politics.
“It is true that I am an elderly person, but we are going to have elections. It is not wise to start speaking about other issues,” he said.
Until yesterday Mloo had not picked any forms to vie for any of the national conference posts from Mkunazini party branch.
After retirement, Mloo is expected to remain one of the party advisers, the sources have said.
Following reports of retirement of Mloo, his succession has already started to attract heated debates and underground campaigns.
According to the sources, three names are being mentioned as possible takers of the post. They include Hamad Rashid Mohamed, a nominated legislator; the former Director of Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, Mohammed Ali Yussuf and the former Zanzibar Attorney General, Ali Haji Pandu.
However, there is a section of old guards within CUF who are against the retirement of Mloo, claiming that to let him go would weaken the party.
Meanwhile, preparations for the meeting of CUF slated for next February have started from the branch levels to those of the constituencies.

Human rights commission fails to set foot on Zanzibar

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 .

By Karegero Karegero, Bagamoyo

The Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRGG) has failed to execute its mandate in Zanzibar since its establishment despite having jurisdiction in there.
The constitutional constraint facing the commission was revealed over the week-end by the CHRGG Chairman, Retired Justice Robert Kisanga, when he was addressing over 100 Tanganyika Law Association members in Bagamoyo in Coast Region.
The lawyers had convened at this coastal town for a two-day long business to deliberate on matters pertaining to their association, which enjoys jurisdiction in the country.
They had also come all the way long here to boil down on the controversial theme of the “State of Human Rights in Tanzania” as presented by Justice Kisanga.
Addressing the learned brothers, Justice Kisanga said it would appear that human rights and good governance were not among the “Union Matters” listed in the First Schedule to the Union Constitution of 1977 as amended from time to time.
The Commission Chairman said the failure of the Commission to execute its mandate in Zanzibar resulted from problems inherent in the constitution allocation of powers over union and non-union matters between the respective organs of the constituent units.
He said legislative competence over “Union matters” and all other matters pertaining to Tanzania Mainland, were an exclusive reserve of the National Assembly.
The House of Representatives on the other hand had legislative authority over all non-union matters in and for Tanzania Zanzibar.
Elaborating, he said the commission’s founding law passed by the National Assembly and which concerned non-union matters but with its application being extended to Tanzania Zanzibar, had a constitutional implication which under the law, is rendered null and void unless certain conditions were met, including seeking ratification of the House of Representatives before it can operate there.
Justice Kisanga told the attentive audience that the constitutional constraint was a major obstacle that limited the execution of the Commission’s powers in the Isles.
“This constitutional constraint has really stood in the way of the commission as it has not been able to deal with a number of complaints that were not dealt with by the defunct Permanent Commission of Enquiry (PCE) and the new ones filed since the commission’s establishment.”
However, he was optimistic that the Zanzibar Executive would soon resolve the matter.
A commissioner of the Commission, Robert Makaramba, accompanied Justice Kisanga

Zanzibar wants Tanesco to pay for infrastructure

Saturday, August 09, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The recent Zanzibar power disconnection saga took a new twist yesterday after the Isles government said the power utility firm, Tanesco, should pay for using power transmission infrastructures installed by the Zanzibar government.
This was said on Thursday by the Zanzibar Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, when winding up the House of Representative Budget session.
“Tanesco has the responsibility of paying us the expenses of maintaining infrastructures that transport the power from Kiromoni Bay (in Kunduchi in Dar es Salaam) to Fumba in Zanzibar,” Nahodha said, noting that the conduits utilisation was on business basis.
Elaborating, the Chief Minister pointed out that the infrastructures were constructed using Isles government money.
He said because the world now experiences free trade options, it would be better if every person and institution paid for services accorded to it.
However, Nahodha said the Zanzibar State Power utility was facing managerial problems rendering it incapable of fulfilling its responsibilities including timely settling of power bills to Tanesco.
He told the House that actions have already been taken to ensure that the Zanzibar Power firm management and administration module was changed.
Among the efforts was to pick competent people to head various departments who could bolster the firm into profitability.
In order to serve the nation from further embarrassment due to Tanesco threat to institute powercuts, Nahodha urged power consumers to settle their bills in time. He also asked the government institutions to create a situation that would enable the State Power Company to collect its income easily.
He said in the meantime, the government would continue with its efforts of looking for alternative power sources for the Isles.
“The Ministry of water, Works, Power and Land is carrying out a study on wind power and generators so that Zanzibar can have reliable power,” he said.
He said the generator electricity research was being financed by the Independent Power Product (ITP) company from Egypt and some Zanzibar companies which he did not name.
Tanesco disconnected power to Zanzibar recently for three hours saying the Isles power utility firm was yet to settle its bills.
However, the three hour blackout is estimated to have inflicted Zanzibar a loss amounting to 500m/-.

Kenyan help sought to curb illegal clove trade-minister

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 .

By Lwaga Mwambande, Dodoma

Tanzania has asked for help from neighbouring Kenya in order to curb the illegal clove business from Zanzibar.
The Minister for Finance, Basil Mramba, to the House yesterday that responsible ministers from the two East African countries have been consulting over the issue, and according to Mramba, Kenya has promised to cooperate with Tanzania to curb illegal clove exports to Kenya from Zanzibar.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Mohamed Rajab Sudi (Jang’ombe - CCM), who had wanted to know how the East African Community (EAC) assisted in ending illegal trade of clove.
Sudi said it was unacceptable for Kenya to export cloves when the crop was not being produced there.
Earlier, the Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr Festus Limbu, had said no arrests had been made on illegal cloves traders, who transport cloves from Zanzibar to Mainland Tanzania.
He said like other traditional cash crops, there is no any export tax charged on cloves.
Dr Limbu said because the crop was being cultivated in Mainland Tanzania (Tanga) and Zanzibar and Pemba islands, there is no tax charged on unprocessed cloves.
“Because there is no any custom duty charged on importation of cloves from Zanzibar to Tanzania mainland, traders do not transport the cash crop through illegal routes,” Dr Limbu said when answering Haroub Masoud (Koani - CCM).
However, the Deputy Minister said processed cloves, like other processed export crops, are charged Value Added Tax (VAT).
Masoud had wanted to know if TRA had ever done any inspection and seized any cloves that had entered the mainland illegally. He also wanted to know if there have been any measures taken against the culprits.
The Deputy Minister added further that there had been no any TRA search on illegal cloves transportation from Zanzibar and that there were no any statistics on the matter.

Z’bar bans liqour business

Tuesday, August 05, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Government of Zanzibar has banned issuing of business licences to all liquor shops in the Zanzibar municipality on the grounds that selling of alcoholic drinks was a source of trouble for those who did not drink.
Issuing the order here yesterday, the Urban West District Commissioner, Ali Khamis, said the government reached the decision as a result of complaints from Zanzibar residents.
He said many municipal dwellers claimed that the flourishing of liquor shops was a major problem for non-drinkers, who are always forced to endure troubles from drunkards.
According to Khamis, the concerned dwellers had forwarded complaints of “loss of peace” in their residential areas due to the presence of liquor shops.
“We have instructed the division responsible for issuing liquor business licences to immediately stop the service so that we can take appropriate steps to solve the problem,” he said.
Khamis said that the decision came after a meeting of liquor business licence issuers who met in Zanzibar to discuss the liquor business in residential areas.
The DC did not explain whether the ban was for new shops only or if it would also affect those which are operational.

Z’bar sues Italian, Greek firms

Monday, August 04, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has instituted legal measures with the Paris-based International Criminal Court (ICC) against Italian and Greek construction firms alleged of poor building and supervision of the Zanzibar port in the early 90s’.
This was revealed here yesterday by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Isles Vice-Chairman who also doubles as the Zanzibar President, Amani Abeid Karume, during a public rally at the Mtende, South Zanzibar region.
Speaking to thousands of wananchi at Mtende, the Isles President said his government had been forced to seek legal redress on the poor work done by an Italian construction firm, Cogefar Impresitl and a Greek engineering consulting firm, ADK Consulting Engineers.
“Because of poor work done by the two firms the government has been forced to reconstruct the port at extreme huge costs.
“This could not have been the case if the two firms were to do their job as supposed,” observed the President, adding that the Isles government through donors support is undertaking major reconstruction at the port to increase efficiency as the port is one of the major Isles government sources of funds.
Records show the port reconstruction exercise will cost Zanzibar over 12 million dollars (over 12bn/-). The European Union has so far released some funds for the port reconstruction initial stages.
Reports from Zanzibar show the port’s poor condition threatens employment of over 3,000 people including porters, sea men, port workers and those who provide services to the staff. “We are facing economic hardships as a result of problems experienced at the port, poor performance of the tourism sector as a result of terrorism threats and poor production in agriculture sector.
“The government is working hard to see the condition is revised for the good of us all,” noted the President. Among the measures taken is to improve services at the investment sector and woo more investors to invest in Zanzibar.
“We are banking much on a fast recovering tourism sector, I am optimistic that in this financial year the sector will play a lead role in the nation’s revenue sector,” he summed up.

TANESCO justified to disconnect power - Zanzibaris

Saturday, July 26, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Some Zanzibar residents have supported the state power utility firm, TANESCO, saying the decision to disconnect power to the Isles on Monday was justified because it was protecting its business agreements.
They were reacting to a statement by the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Daniel Yona, in Parliament Thursday that there was nothing to apologize for TANESCO’s decision to cut power to the Isles.
Speaking in Dodoma on Thursday evening, Yona said the Zanzibar government was to blame for its breach of the agreement on how to settle power bills as well as presenting fake cheques.
“Zanzibaris must accept the fact that each business must be profitable. TANESCO cannot incur costs to provide power and then just sit back without getting a return when it is due, one resident said.
He said Zanzibar and the Union government should have discussed with each other prior to the privatisation of TANESCO to ensure that Zanzibar interests are safeguarded.
Kombo Masudi of Michenzani said individuals paid power tariffs every month and wondered why the Zanzibar power and petroleum authority did not remit the same to TANESCO.
He said the problem with Zanzibar was that the earnings of state firms like the power company here were being diverted to cater for government functions because of the fall of the economy here.
“Had the Zanzibar government paid the power and petroleum company 6bn/- as power bills, the company could not have failed to pay 400m/- to TANESCO when it was due as it is the case now,” he said.
Kombo, a retired armyman, called on individuals and the government to build a culture of settling debts and honouring various business contracts.
Othman Haji said the call by legislators that Yona should apologise for what TANESCO did to Zanzibar was tantamount to running away from a shadow.
He said the same MPs were responsible for allowing restructuring of TANESCO and the coming in of a foreign management firm without taking into account of Zanzibar interests.
“Minister Yona is correct, but the MPs are to blame because they are running away from their own shadow,” he said.
A shadow minister in the House of Representatives, Said Ali Mbarouk, said Zanzibar was part of the Union and that TANESCO should not have taken that drastic step of disconnecting power in order to defend the Union.
He said it was not proper to disconnect power in the isles just as TANESCO do to the mainland.
Minister Yona is obliged to apologise to his Zanzibar counterpart because the TANESCO action caused untold sufferings to innocent civilians here, he said.
Rufea Juma Mbarouk said the TANESCO decision to disconnect power did not take into account that Zanzibar was part of the Union and that its debt should have been discussed through government circles.
‘‘TANESCO should concede that they are wrong. They had many alternatives to remind Zanzibar to settle its dues. And Union leaders should have criticised the power for its hasty decision,” she said.
A number of residents here have asked the two governments to sit down and discuss how to end the debts to avoid such an incident in future which is dangerous for the economy in the isles.
Minister Yona had told the National Assembly in Dodoma that the TANESCO management has the right to collect debts and nobody would be spared.

Zanzibar Suffers As Clove Prices Slip

Business Times (Dar es Salaam)
July 25, 2003
Posted to the web July 25, 2003
Hassan Mghenyi
DECLING clove volumes and prices are hurting Zanzibar's foreign exchange earnings. Clove export earnings decreased to US$1.2 million in May this year from $1.4 million in April 2003.
The decrease is attributed to declines in clove prices and the low stocks maintained by the farmers.
According to the Bank of Tanzania, the export volume decreased from 600 tonnes last May to 520 tonnes in the previous month.
Generally, the clove production dropped to 1,910 tonnes in 2001 from 8,027 tonnes in 1999. Recent production data are unavailable.
The clove unit price decreased from $2,363.6 per tonne in April 2003 to $2,338.7 per tonne in May this year, said the report.
Clove is the major source of Zanzibar's forex. It contributes about 85 per cent of the total export earnings.
The isles' total export earnings dropped to $1.4 million in May this year compared with $1.8 million in April.
That was generally attributed to declining of both traditional and non-traditional exports. Traditional exports decreased from $ 1.7 million in April 2003 to $1.4 million last May.
Exports of seaweeds decreased to $0.2 million in May this year from $0.3 million in the previous month.
Export volume of seaweeds decreased from 1,370 tonnes in April 2003 to 860 million in May this year. The unit price declined from $198.5 per tonne to $192.6 in the same period.
Seweeds production rose to 7,748 tonnes in 2001, from 4,834 tonnes in 1999. The 2002 production was not immediately available.
Non-traditional exports decreased to $0.05 million in May 2003 from $0.08 million in April 2003.
Manufactured goods, fish and fish products and other exports decreased by 75.5 per cent, 5.2 per cent and 39.7 per cent respectively.
Meanwhile, the overall import (c.i.f.) decreased to $5.6 million in May this year from $5.9 million in April 2003.
The trend was mainly attributed to a decline in imports of intermediate goods and consumer goods.
Intermediate goods declined to $1 million in May this year from $2.5 million, mainly because of falling oil imports.
Consumer goods declined to $1.4 million from $2.2 million due to the decrease in importation of food and foodstuffs during the same period.
Capital goods, however, increased significantly from $1.2 million last April to $3.2 million in May this year, said the report.
However, during the period, the combined income and services account recorded a surplus of $0.6 million in May this year from a surplus of $2 million in the previous month.
The decline attributed to a 40 per cent decrease in foreign receipts- from $3.5 million recorded in April 2003 to $ 2.1 million in May 2003. That outweighed a slight decrease in foreign payments by 3.2 per cent- from $ 1.54 million to $ 1.49 million during the same period.

Reps accuse Isles government of
sidelining Pemba

Friday, July 25, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Civic United Front (CUF) lawmakers accused the Zanzibar government yesterday of marginalizing the Pemba island claiming that it is focussing many development projects in Unguja.
The lawmakers said in the on-going session of the Representative Council that the government was constructing good roads in Unguja only while Pemba featured very minimal in the plans as its roads are ignored.
“The way we have been going is not promising, why is it that many development projects are being planned without clear criteria and balance between Pemba and Unguja. These segregative policies are not healthy in poverty eradication drive,” said Haji Fakh Shaari (Mkanyageni-CUF) while contributing to the budget proposals for the Ministry of Communication and Transport.
The legislator said Pemba deserved government preference in the construction of infrastructure because the government was aware that its roads were damaged.
He said that it was amazing that the government has planned to use all donor funds to construct roads in Unguja Island alone especially in South Unguja Region.
The Shadow Minister, Salim Abdallah Hamad (Mtambwe-CUF) said it was equally amazing that the 4.5km road stretch from Mkoani to Mtuhaliwa in Pemba has been under constructions for three years now.
He urged the government to terminate the contract with the entrusted company because it has been established that it was incompetent and it should not be given the 21km from Mtuhaliwa to Chake Chake.
“If it took three years for the company to construct 4.5km, it is obvious that it will take 12 years to construct the remaining 21km stretch. Government should not play with this road because it is very important to Pemba economy,” the Representative remarked.
The nominated Representative, Rufea Juma Mabarouk, said that concerns raised by the opposition were critical as it was true that road infrastructure in Pemba was in bad state for a long time now.
She urged the government to immediately improve infrastructure in Pemba especially by renovating the Mkoani Port and ensure it acquires international standard.
The World Bank has set aside 6.18m US dollars (6.18bn/-) for the Mkoani-Chake Chake road project and SMZ is expected to contribute 120m/-.
Closing the debate, the Minister for Communication and Transport, Zuberi Ali Maulid, said it was the donors, who chose which roads to sponsor through their assistance.

Zanzibar calls power cut ‘unpatriotic
and disgraceful’

Wednesday, July 23, 2003 .

By Bilal Abdul-Aziz and PST, Zanzibar

The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has labelled the power cut made by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) on the isles Monday as unpatriotic and disgraceful.
The SMZ Minister for Water, Works, Energy and Land, Burhan Haji, in a statement —being an official reaction to the three-hour blackout on the Isles Monday afternoon— issued yesterday at a media conference in Zanzibar, said the cut was unpatriotic and disgraceful to the Zanzibar government before the eyes of foreign visitors.
He said taking into consideration that Zanzibar was among the major customers of the power utility in the country, it was unfair to disconnect electricity knowing that the act would adversely affect key economic and social sectors.
The Minister said Tanesco needed to be patient and could hold on longer since the discussions on settlement of the monthly and outstanding bills had already been made.
“I was surprised to learn that power had been disconnected, while we had already informed them (Tanesco) that we would settle the bill Monday afternoon, and we honestly paid the bill at 12 noon through the NBC, Zanzibar branch,” he explained.
Haji said that Tanesco management was also supposed to consider effects of power disconnection in the provision of key services, like hospitals, and the small and medium scale sector, which were key to the isles economy.
The Minister said the SMZ believed that the Union government did not pressurize the utility firm to disconnect electricity to Zanzibar, only that the Tanesco management had been carried away by its commercial interests rather than giving service to the people.
He said that SMZ was devising appropriate measures that would ensure electricity is not disconnected to Zanzibar in the future.
Meanwhile, Tanesco denied yesterday that it acted unwisely and inhumanly to disconnect power on the isles on Monday.
Efforts made by The Guardian to get comments from the Tanesco Managing Director, Rud Huysen, failed as the latter claimed through the Information Manager, Daniel Mshana, he was not ready to respond.
“The Managing Director says he can’t reply as he has not received or seen the SMZ statement,” said Mshana over the telephone yesterday.
Zanzibar went without electricity Monday after Tanesco made real its threat to disconnect power because of the failure of the Zanzibar power company to pay a huge outstanding bill.
The blackout lasted for three hours, from around 1.05 to 4.05 p.m. and it affected areas including, light industrial areas, CCM headquarters at Kisiwandui, private stores and internet cafes as well as government ministries and departments
According to the Manager of the Zanzibar power and petroleum company, Suleiman Juma, Zanzibar has been purchasing power worth 400m/- each month in accordance with agreement with Tanesco in order to reduce the outstanding debt that is in terms of billions of shillings.
He said the power utility firm had disconnected power when his company has already settled the monthly bill through the People’s Bank of Zanzibar which in turn wrote a cheque to the NBC Limited only to learn that the money has not been paid.
As a result they were told to pay 18m/- as fine for the bad cheque because it did not indicate the outstanding bill of 438m/-.
He said the Zanzibar power and petroleum company paid 174m/-, but the amount also bounced on grounds that Tanesco want to be paid the whole outstanding power tariff at a go.
The total debt of the Zanzibar power and petroleum company to Tanesco is 33bn/- which is being paid on instalments. Interest on the debt has been scrapped on mutual understanding between the Zanzibar and Union government.
Tanesco which is under the management of a foreign firm, NetGroup Solutions, had threatened earlier to disconnect power to the Isles if the bills were not settled by Monday afternoon.

Tanesco disconnects power to Zanzibar

Tuesday, July 22, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Zanzibar islands went without electricity yesterday after the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) made real its threat to disconnect power because of the failure of the Zanzibar power company to pay a huge outstanding bill.
The power cut was experienced from 1pm yesterday. Affected areas included light industrial areas, CCM headquarters at Kisiwandui, private stores and internet cafes as well as government ministries and departments
Some personal secretaries in government offices had a forced ‘leave’ as the computers they use for their daily duties became useless because of lack of power.
A number of people who use pay meters thought they had run out of power units only to learn the truth later.
A survey conducted by PST revealed that even the Zanzibar State House was not spared by Tanesco . They had to resort to a stand-by generator.
However, some State House officials were seen frequenting the power authorities here to find out what was amiss. Until 4pm, the power was yet to be restored, forcing some workers to go back home.
Residents of Stone Town buildings were the most affected by the power blackout as one resident of the area said lack of electricity made the small streets dark even during the day.
The manager of the Zanzibar power and petroleum company, Suleiman Juma, said it was not proper for Tanesco to disconnect power to the isles because payment has continuously been effected every month since November last year.
He said Zanzibar has been purchasing power worth 400m/- each month in accordance with agreement with Tanesco in order to reduce the outstanding debt that is in terms of billions of shillings.
Juma said the power utility firm had disconnected power when his company had already settled the monthly bill through the People’s Bank of Zanzibar which in turn wrote a cheque to the NBC Limited only to learn that the money had not been paid.
As a result they were told to pay 18m/- as a fine for the bad cheque because it did not indicate the outstanding bill of 438m/-.
He said the Zanzibar power and petroleum company paid 174m/-, but the amount also bounced on the grounds that Tanesco want to be paid the whole outstanding power tariffs at a go.
Juma criticised Tanesco for not providing its services on ‘patriotic’ terms, saying the Zanzibar power company provided services to the public and that it was not capable of operating profitably. He urged Tanesco to exercise restraint as the debts were being paid.
Juma also wondered that Tanesco was adamant to ensure that Zanzibar pays 40 per cent of the use of electricity in the country when all other regions in the country were not being pursued with that force.
“We have paid the power bills covering November last year to last May and we have paid 174m/- for June, but our colleagues (Tanesco) want us to settle the whole lot,” he complained.
The Zanzibar power and petroleum company manager said Tanesco informed him of their decision to disconnect power on the telephone.
The total debt of the Zanzibar power and petroleum company to Tanesco is 33bn/- which is being paid in instalments. Interest on the debt has been scrapped on mutual understanding between the Zanzibar and Union governments.
Tanesco, which is under the management of a foreign firm, Net Group Solutions, threatened to disconnect power to the isles if the bills were not settled by yesterday afternoon. Tanzania mainland is the major source of electricity for the isles.
The reports were confirmed later by Tanesco management, saying they would continue to cut power to Zanzibar for hours everyday until the debt is settled.

Union Govt policies harm Isles- former minister

Saturday, July 19, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The former minister for Planning and Investment of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government, Ali Juma Shamhuna, has lashed out at union investment policies, saying they were undermining business sector and efforts for eradicating poverty in the isles.
Shamhuna, who is at the moment a member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives for Donge (CCM), said this while contributing to the budget proposals for the Zanzibar Ministry of Tourism and Marketing.
According to the former Minister, bad policies set by the union government were the ones responsible for forcing businessmen to abandon the use of the Zanzibar port when importing goods due to an increase in excise duties and what he called ‘unnecessary bureaucracy’ both of which were introduced to the isles from Tanzania mainland.
“The Zanzibar port is now empty without any freight since the introduction of the same standard rates of excise duties and regulations from the mainland,”, he said, adding:
“The present tax system must be reviewed due to such defects. The Zanzibar economy largely depends on trade and that’s why tax-free zones for investments and trade including the port were introduced.”
Shamhuna added that there was an immediate need for the respective ministers from both sides to sit down and discuss the issue so as to reach a consensus before more harm is done to the isles’ economy.
“Our economy has dramatically declined. I really beg to differ with reports that it has grown by six percent because the standard of living among ordinary Zanzibaris has been worsening day after day,” he lamented.
Worse still, Shamhuna pointed out, businessmen from the isles were denied access to the mainland market that has more than thirty million people as opposed to treatment of Mainland businessmen who have been smoothly conducting business in Zanzibar without any hindrance.
“People from both sides should be allowed to undertake businesses in any part of the country without interference. I’m not against the union between our countries but I think much is still to be desired so as to make it mutually beneficial to both sides,” he further said.
He gave an example of cement business whereby traders from the isles were in what he cited as a difficult situation by being forced to buy the basic building material from the mainland where it is sold at a low price compared to the cement manufactured in Zanzibar.
He said cement in Zanzibar costs more due to increased production costs.
“We need to review the policy that protects our local industries because most industries are closing or are on the verge of collapse due to unfair trade between the two sides of the union,” he said.
He also condemned the recent action by the union government to bar importation of YUASA batteries into the mainland via Zanzibar on the ground of protection against importation of poor standard batteries.
He alleged that the move was intended at protecting the mainland YUASA plant at the expense of the Zanzibar businessmen.

Zanzibaris dismiss salary increase as election stunt

By Fakih Yusuf, Zanzibar

The recent increase in salaries in Zanzibar has been received cautiously by residents, according to a survey conducted by this paper in the Isles.
The Express survey on people's reaction after the Revolutionary government announced Tsh. 40,000 as the minimum salary for workers in the Isles in 2003/2004 budget year, was seen as a campaign by the ruling party for the 2005 general elections.
Said Simai (33) of Magomeni (Unguja) said that the news of salary increase was a shock to the average Zanzibari as it came at a time when the government reported a fall in its revenue.
"We still do not believe if the government will keep it for the long time since acute shortage of funds was cited as the reason for the government failing to execute some crucial projects," he observed.
Said Mwanajuma Hamad Ramadhani (35) of Jangombe said the salary increase came after the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, sensed tough opposition in 2005 and decided to woo the masses.
Haroun Juma Vuai (50) of Ziwatuwe was among the Zanzibaris who opposed the new salary scale, saying it was too small and insignificant.
The efforts of the government to build a strong economy parallel to its campaign to eradicate poverty, have yet to yield any results.
According to a recent statement of Chief Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, the government revenue would not improve much in the 2003/2004 budget year and that would affect the people's economic and social progress.
Nahodha revealed during the parliamentary session in Dodoma, that the Government had collected about Tsh. 42.24 billion in 2001-2002, slightly above the Tsh. 38.67 billion collected during the 5th phase government under Salmin Amour.
"This amount will not take us anywhere since it does not come near the total amount needed for the government expenditure," he observed.
He said in the 2002/ 2003 financial year, the Zanzibari economy suffered big blows, which hit the Isles income. According to Nahodha, the ongoing threats of terrorist attacks around the world and the US waged war in Iraq have had negative impact on the Isles economy.
There has been an economic growth rate of 4.3 percent in 1995-1999, 4.5 percent in 2000 and 5 percent in 2002 in Zanzibar.

Be ready to reciprocate, Karume tells CUF

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 .

By Ludger Kasumuni

The Zanzibar President, Amani Abeid Karume, has cautioned the Civic United Front (CUF) against banking on the special parliamentary seats, granted by the Isles presidency, saying free hand-outs are also expensive.
A fax message sent to The Guardian from the Office of the Zanzibar President yesterday denied that Karume said he would not nominate CUF members to the Zanzibar House of Representatives . He had only cautioned them that a free-hand out was not a fundamental right.
The message was refuting a story published by a daily tabloid on Monday this week, suggesting that the Isles’ President had refused to appoint CUF members to the House of Representatives.
“It is my discretion to grant free seats to political parties, because I am not bound by neither the Zanzibar Constitution nor the CCM/CUF accord to grant special seats to CUF only. However, we had earlier said that it was not bad if we granted you(CUF) the seats in case a shortfall was huge on your side, “ the statement quoted the Zanzibar President as saying.
He added: “But mind you, if you accept something given with a kind heart, be ready to reciprocate. Don’t depend on free hand-outs and then turn them to be your right.”
The statement also said Karume who is also the Deputy CCM National Chairman (Zanzibar) had quoted clause 66 of Zanzibar Constitition as amended and clause 19 of the eighth constitutional amendments when he clarified on the appoinment of Zanzibar representatives.
According to the statement, the clause states that: “There will be 10 members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives who will be appointed by the Zanzibar president. But out of them only two members will be appointed from the political parties after consultation with either the leader of the opposition in the House or the political parties in case there is no leader of the opposition in the House.”
Under the eighth Zanzibar constitutional amendment, the implementation of the emended clause would begin after the results of the 2005 general elections.
Clarifying his points in relation to the CCM-CUF accord signed in October 2001, Karume said no clause in the CCM-CUF accord which bound him to pick the House members from CUF only.
“To strengthen and build a conducive environment for political legitimacy, co-operation and national unity, under the accord, all political parties had agreed to co-operate in all matters partaining to governance,” the statement said.

Zanzibar in bid to woo investment from India
 

GULF DAILY NEWS
30 June 2003

Pre-sident Amani Karume of Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar yesterday said that the door was wide open for Indian investors, especially in trade and industrial fields.

"We wish to have more investors in industries from India," a state house statement quoted Karume as telling the visiting Indian Commerce and Trade Minister Satyabrata Mookherjee.

Karume said industrialisation would help to kick-start the economy of Tanzania's twin-Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, badly dented by the fall in clove prices and recent terror threats.

Mookherjee is in Tanzania for a six-day official visit and was scheduled to attend a series of meetings aimed at promoting economic and trade ties between the two countries.

Mookherjee told President Karume that India would soon send an expert to assess the potential of Mahonda sugar factory.

He said that an Indian delegation of businessmen would also visit the spice islands soon.

Mookherjee also held discussions with Zanzibar's Trade, Industry, Marketing and Tourism Minister Mohamed Aboud, on various issues aimed at enhancing trade and business.

Two KZN communities get land compensation
 

June 28, 2003, 15:00

Two small KwaZulu-Natal communities, including South Africa's smallest minority group, today received the title deeds to their properties. A former Cato Manor community and Durban's Zanzibari community were handed title deeds by Dirk du Toit, deputy land affairs minister.

They were dispossessed of their land, at Cato Manor, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and on the Bluff in Durban, in terms of apartheid-era legislation.

Zwelihle Memela, Land Claims Commission spokesperson for KwaZulu Natal, said 191 households from the Bluff's Zanzibari community - South Africa's smallest minority group - received title deeds today.

The Zanzibari community, whose ancestors came from Tanzania's island of Zanzibar came to South Africa as slaves and were liberated in South Africa over 130 years ago. They are a small group of African Muslims who have maintained their traditions for all these years. Memela said their original homes were destroyed and they were forced to leave the Bluff in 1955 to be resettled in the Indian community of Chatsworth, just outside Durban.

The monetary value of their claim is R13,5-million. At least 6 000 former Cato Manor householders, forcibly removed in the 1950s and 1960s and relocated to Chatsworth, have applied for some form of restitution, Memela said. Of this number about 107 claimants opted for housing assistance, and were awarded their title deeds today. At least R5,8-million has been set aside to build housing for the 107 people at a plot chosen in Chesterville, near Durban. He said around 800 people had gathered at Durban's Exhibition Centre for the celebration. - Sapa

Isles to spend 9.47bn/- on airport renovation

By Abduel Kenge, in Zanzibar
6/25/03

The government of Zanzibar has set aside about US$ 9.47 million (Tsh. 9.47 billion) for renovation of passenger building and extension of runway of the Zanzibar Airport.
The Isles Minister for Communications and Transport, Zuberi Ali Maulid, said last week that the rehabilitation move is set to upgrade the airport and bring it on par with international aviation standards.
He said the runway will be extended from the current 2.46 kilometres to three kilometres, the move geared to improve safety, speed and convenience of landing and taking off of large aircraft.
On the passenger building, Minister Maulid said already passengers' screening machines have been installed at the building and security measures will be upgraded further.
He was the chief guest at the re-launching of Gulf Air service after two years of absence in the twin spice islands of Unguja and Pemba.
Maulid said the revolutionary government is committed to doing everything possible to make the airport safe and modern and not to let down international carriers which want to land in Zanzibar.
He said: "The return of Gulf Air flight is lauded by the Zanzibar government and public at large as it will promote business, trade and tourism in the Isles."

Zanzibar wins anti-boxing campaign

By Burton Brown

ZANZIBAR'S campaign to keep boxing out of bounds in the Isles, won this week when the Council of Tanzania Armed Forces Games agreed to stage boxing and swimming competitions in Dar es Salaam after Zanzibar denounced them many years ago.
Since boxing was banned about three decades ago by the then Zanzibar President, the late Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume, Zanzibar maintained that order until recently when the Armed Forces Games wanted to stage the sport there.
The Chairman of the Council, Brigadier Ernest Galinoma, told The Express on Monday that his Council had agreed to stage boxing and swimming events in Dar es Salaam as suggested by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
However, General Galinoma said the winners of both swimming and boxing would receive their medals in Zanzibar, where winners of other sports would get their medals and prizes.
Previously, the Council had asked the Zanzibar authorities to stage the two sports in the military camps so as to keep them out of civilians' view, but the authorities strongly turned down the offer and maintained that the two sports be played outside Zanzibar.

Zanzibar teams join Nyerere Cup championship

By Burton Brown

Zanzibar's Chipukizi and Police netball teams have confirmed their participation in this year's Nyerere Cup Championship that will be staged at Dodoma's Jamhuri Stadium between June 28 and July 7.
The Acting Secretary General of the Tanzania Netball Association (CHANETA) Anna Kibira confirmed this when she talked to The Express early this week, and added that fewer teams than expected had shown interest of competing.
"We have extended the confirmation deadline to June 16 to give enough time to teams that are yet to make up their minds," she said.
Other teams that are expected to compete but which are yet to decide are Zanzibar Bandari, Nyuki Brigade and Mafunzo - all from Zanzibar.
Defending champions, Jeshi Stars is among the teams from the Mainland that will compete in the tournament. Others are JKT Mbweni, Police Mara, JKT Mgulani, Tegeta Secondary, JKT Makutupora and the hosts Mapinduzi Dodoma.
Kibira said the tournament would also attract teams from Kenya and Uganda, which are expected to be Telkom, Prisons, KCB, NSSF from Kenya, while teams from Uganda are NIC, Kampala City Council and Posta.

Isles Govt salaries up by 30 per cent

Thursday, June 19, 2003
By Guardian Reporter, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar Government has increased salaries and pension of its civil servants in the coming financial year.
The increase was announced here yesterday by the State Minister in the President’s Office (Finance and Economy), Suleiman Othman Nyanga, when tabling the 2003/04 budget proposal in the House of Representatives.
Nyanga said in his budget speech that salaries would be increased by 30 per cent.
He said that effective next financial year, the low income salary level would be 40,000/- instead of current level of 30,000/-.
He also revealed that pension levels for retiring civil servants would be between 2,500/- and 7,500/- for lower cadre servants.
Nyanga said the move has been taken to ease stinging economic situations among civil servants.
On government income, Nyanga said that from next financial year, port fee would be increased from the current level of 500/- to 1,000/-.
The government has also removed bureaucratic procedures of importing fuel as a way to promote free market system. The Minister also said that the government has decided to modify levy system in tourist hotels and guest houses.
He said under the decision, the government would regulate various taxes that are being collected by ministries.
Those which will be seen as too little would be hiked, he said.
Nyanga told the House that in general various changes adopted by the government in revenue collection are expected to inflict economic growth from 5.2 to 6.0 per cent.
He also said that the moves are expected to lower inflation to 4.5 per cent from 5.2 per cent. The economic growth was the result of good command of economic endeavours by the government in tourism, industries and agriculture.
Among issues to be tackled head on by the government would be HIV/AIDS, he told the House which started yesterday by the sworning in of newly elected members.
He said that the disease has been cited as one source of increasing poverty among Zanzibar residents.
In its efforts to improve social services, Nyanga said the government would be keen on issuing tax exemptions especially in transport and investment sector.
In the next financial year the government has planned to spend some 149.1bn/- for development and recurrent issues.

Zanzibar Polls Win Praise From Commonwealth

The East African (Nairobi)
June 2, 2003
Posted to the web June 4, 2003

Paul Redfern, Special Correspondent
Nairobi

COMMONWEALTH Secretary General Don McKinnon has said that last month's by-elections in Zanzibar were a basis for "further progress" towards full democracy on the islands.
In a statement released following the report by the Commonwealth's Expert Team to the May 18 elections - the full text of which will be released on June 7 - Mr Mckinnon urged all parties in Zanzibar to "continue to work together to build on the atmosphere of calm and tolerance which was so evident during these elections.
"Everyone involved should continue to do all they can to consolidate the positive democratic developments in Zanzibar and to ensure progress prior to the 2005 General Election."
Mr McKinnon also said that while it was clear from the Expert Team's report that there were "lessons to be learned for the future," the the elections "provided a basis on which all concerned could move forward."
The Commonwealth Secretary General said that critically the polls were peaceful and huge numbers of people had turned out to vote and that "generally" the political parties had behaved responsibly.
There was also praise for the work of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission - derided by the Commonwealth less than three years ago - for the way in which it had "worked hard to ensure that the arrangements went smoothly and the police also deserved credit for their conduct."
However, Mr McKinnon said that the team of experts had "made some suggestions for improvements regarding future elections" and that he would offer further Commonwealth technical assistance in that context.
But overall, the report spoke of the "considerable progress" that had been made in Zanzibar - in terms of the democratic process - over the past 18 months in "building trust and confidence," and added that the 17 by-elections held in Pemba "marked a further important stage in that progress."
In May, Mr McKinnon agreed to send a high powered team to observe the Zanzibar elections, less than two and a half years after issuing a highly critical report on the last elections on the islands.
The five-member delegation was headed by Sulley Amadu of the Electoral Commission of Ghana and included Karamajit Singh of the Electoral Commission of the UK and Michael Hendrickse of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa.
In October 2000, the Commonwealth observer team delivered a damning assessment of the last elections on the islands when Dr Gaositwe Chiepe, the chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group spoke of his "sadness and deep disappointment at the way in which so many voters were treated by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission on voting day.
"In many places this election was a shambles. The cause is either massive incompetence or a deliberate attempt to wreck at least part of this election: we are not yet in a position to know which.
"Either way, the outcome represents a colossal contempt for ordinary Zanzibari people and their aspirations for democracy. On the evidence of polling day, the elections should be held again, in their entirety. But first, the existing election management machinery must be reformed from top to bottom," said the team's report.
The report led the international donor community to ostracise Zanzibar. But now it is hoped that the May elections will bring new credibility to the government on the islands.

CUF refutes secession claims

Saturday, May 31, 2003 .

By Peter Nyanje

The Civic United Front (CUF) has refuted allegations that it is backing
plans by some Pemba Islanders to secede from the United Republic of Tanzania and establish their own republic.
Speaking to this paper in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the CUF Publicity and Communication Director, Richard Tambwe Hiza said however that the opposition party does not support the current form of union.
“Our policies have always been open. We are against the current form of union. What we want is a union of three governments,” Hiza emphasised. He was reacting to allegations made against CUF that it was orchestrating a plot for Pemba Island to secede from the Union.
Seven opposition political parties alleged at a press conference in Dar es Salaam on Thursday that “a dangerous rift was rapidly developing and threatening to break up the United Republic of Tanzania.”
The allegations were made by Reverend Christopher Mtikila (United Democratic Party-DP), James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi), Augustine Mrema (Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), Ramadhani Mohamed Mzee (FORD), John Cheyo (United Democratic Party-UDP), Dr Emmanuel Makaidi (National league for Democracy-NLD) and Fahmi Nassor (United People Democratic Party-UPDP).
However, Hiza played down the allegations saying that those who harboured such a notion were politically bankrupt.
“What we want is a union with three governments namely; the governments of Zanzibar, Tanganyika and the Union government,” Hiza said explaining that this does not amount to plot to break- up the Union as alleged by some people, but rather strengthening the Union by tuning it into a befitting structure.
He said that this would be a befitting union outfit as it would assist in reducing, if not solving altogether misgivings harboured and raised by both mainlanders over Zanzibaris and vice versa.
“The union issue is a policy issues and CUF have adopted and made clear its stand over the union and its structure, he said adding that those who are claiming at this point that CUF had plans to break the union do not know what they are talking about,” noted Hiza.
Hiza pointed out that CUF have been enjoying increasing support from the society because many people wanted a three-government set up.
He said that CUF support of three governments in one country was not an exceptional case as there were a number of countries around the world that follow a similar system and they have recorded tremendous achievements.
“India he said, followed similar system, and that recently, Tony Blair adopted similar system for the UK. Many people blamed Blair accusing him of breaking the UK. Now however, things are working positively and many people have started to hail the changes he had made… our three government tie proposition does not mean that we are aiming at breaking the union,” he insisted.
The seven leaders told the press conference that Pemba Island was poised to form it’s own break-away republic and that “a political party in the isle,” has already tuned the people there (Pemba) “to detach themselves from the Union government and claim their freedom.
On the opposition parties’ unity agenda, Hiza said that CUF had been hesitating to join the bandwagon because most of the so-called political parties have nothing to offer in the envisaged union.
He said that for parties to forge ‘common unity’ they needed to pull together their resources, but most of political parties in Tanzania had no resources, as not many people supported them.
“How can we work together with a party that has no even a single parliamentarian or how can we work with a party that has been showing declining signs? Parties need to have a ‘capital’ to put into the pool in order to strengthen the opposition unity,” he said.
He noted that even in Kenya, where NARC ousted Kanu, the unity was of parties that had support in different areas and when they decided to come together, they easily managed to boot out KANU.
“There is no way this unity can work in Tanzania if opposition leaders insist that strong parties like CUF will be forced to work together with dying parties,” he pointed out.

CUF sweeps out other parties in Pemba by - elections

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 .

By Guardian Reporter, Chake Chake

The main opposition Civic United Front in Zanzibar has emerged the overall winner in the just ended by-elections held in Pemba Island on Sunday despite a number of bottlenecks experienced by the party during the election process.
Save for six constituencies where its aspirants were objected by the court, CUF scooped all the seats in the results announced so far both in the Zanzibar House of Representatives and the Union Parliament, to set yet another record in the Isles politics.
According to the Zanzibar Electoral Commission’s (ZEC) announcement on the results of the elections, CUF emerged the overall winner in seven out of 17 House of Representatives constituencies and in two Union Parliament constituencies. More results were not announced by yesterday.
The constituencies in which the results were out until yesterday are those of Mkanyageni, Chambani, Utaani, Mtambile, Ole, Chonga and Ziwani for House of Representatives and Ziwani and Utaani for Union Members of Parliament.
As predicted, the Sunday elections were dominated by CUF followed by the ruling party, CCM. Other opposition parties which took part in the by elections, namely the NCCR-Mageuzi, Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) and Tanzania Democratic Alliance (TADEA) failed to secure a single seat in all 17 constituencies.
To show its dominance in the Isles politics, CUF won a seat in Mkanyageni constituency, the home of the Union Vice-President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein.
Even in constituencies where CUF aspirants were objected, results show that the majority of people were for its candidates as most of the votes were spoiled.
Prior to the elections, the CUF national chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba, had asked his supporters to go to the polling stations on the election day and show their disapproval of candidates from the other parties. Investigations here show that they did by voting for ghost candidates.
The initial results showed that in Mkanyageni constituency, CUF candidate, Haji Faki Shaali, got 3,618 votes, CCM aspirant Khamis Juma Othman secured 1,725 votes, NCCR-Mageuzi candidate Idrisa Omari got 72 votes, TLP aspirant Suleiman Mwadini Juma got 58 votes, while 130 votes were spoiled.
In the Chambani constituency for the Zanzibar House of Representatives, ZEC results were as follow (with figures in brackets): Juma Abbas Muhunzi of CUF (4,510), Juma Salim Hassan of CCM (449), Omari Kassim Ngwachene of NCCR-Mageuzi (103), Rashid Abubakar Salum of TLP (127) while 137 were spoiled votes.
Other results for the Zanzibar House of Representatives were as follows: In Utaani constituency, CUF aspirant Mohamed Seif Hamad scooped 5,130 votes to be followed by Zulefa Abdallah Said of CCM who got only 741 votes. Nassor Humud Seif of NCCR-Mageuzi emerged with 59 votes and Mariam Omari Khamis of TLP tailed with 17 votes.
In Mtambile constituency, results were as follows: Muhidin Mohamed Muhidin of CUF (5,527), Mohamed Mgaza Jecha of CCM (845), Wahid Khasim Mohamed of NCCR-Mageuzi (167). Some 177 votes were spoiled.
ZEC announced that CUF aspirant for Ole constituency, Ali Rashid Wame, got 5,640 votes, CCM candidate Hamad Salum Hamad got 789 and TLP candidate Omari Ali Faki got 115 votes.
In Chonga constituency, CCM aspirant Khasim Mohamed Nassor got 1,680 votes, NCCR-Mageuzi candidate Salum Suleiman Khamis got 401 and TLP candidate Yakub Makame Juma secured 300 votes while as large as 3,745 votes were spoiled. This is one of the six constituencies where CUF aspirants were barred from contesting.
ZEC announced that in Ziwani constituency, CUF’s Ali Said Salum, got 5,763 votes, CCM aspirant Ali Salum Ali got 721 votes, TADEA’s Mohamed Ali Salum secured 65 votes and TLP candidate Suleiman Omari got 26 votes.
As far as the Union Parliament by-elections are concerned, in Utaani constituency, the CUF candidate, Mwadini Abbas Jecha, got 5,221 votes, CCM aspirant Ali Rashid Ali got 721, NCCR-Mageuzi candidate Khamis Yusuf got 21 and TLP’s Shariff Ali secured 42 votes.
In Ziwani constituency, Ali Said Salim got 5,763 votes, CCM candidate Ali Salim Ali emerged with 721, Mohamed Ali Salim of TADEA secured 65 votes and TLP aspirant Salim Omari got 26 votes in the Parliamentary by-election.
ZEC Director Khamis Ameir said here yesterday that his commission was not able to announce all results yesterday as they were not yet compiled, attributing the deficiency to poor communication.
He, however, promised that the remaining results would be announced as soon as they arrive at the commission’s office here.

Police arrest CUF Ole secretary

Monday, May 19, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Pemba

Police here have arrested a senior Civic United Front (CUF) leader in Ole Constituency, Hamad Ali Mussa, allegedly for using abusive language.
Hamad was arrested yesterday during the polling exercise in 17 Pemba constituencies described by polling agents as peaceful.
“It is true that police have arrested our Secretary in Ole Constituency shortly before people started voting on the grounds that he was uttering abusive words,” one of the CUF leaders confirmed to PST.
The CUF Secretary in Wete District, Riziki Omari, said Mussa was arrested at around 10.45pm on Saturday night at the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) offices in Wete where he was taking part in the distribution of voting materials to constituency officers.
It is alleged that Mussa uttered the words: “What are
all these guns for, I do not want them in my constituency,” to show his dislike of the weapons that were being distributed in his constituency.
It is alleged that after the utterances, the Pemba North Regional Police Commander, who was in the vicinity, asked who was the source of the words only to be told by Mussa that it was him in his capacity as the CUF leader in the constituency, Riziki narrated.
It was then that the RPC who further wanted to know why the leader was asking such questions ordered his arrest.

EU donates 2bn/- for CCM/CUF accord

Saturday, May 10, 2003 .

By Peter Tindwa

The European Union yesterday disbursed 2bn/- (about 1.975/m Euros (2bn) for the implementation of the Political Accord signed in Zanzibar by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi and main opposition Civic United Front.
Speaking shortly after the signing of the agreement in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Tanzania, Ambassador William Hanna, said that the funds would be used for creating conducive conditions and prepare for free and fair elections.
‘’This will be possible through the implementation of the “Muafaka 2”, he said.
Ambassador Hanna signed the agreement on behalf of the EU while the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Gray Mgonja, signed the agreement on behalf of Tanzania government.
“Muafaka aims at restoration of peace and tranquillity in Zanzibar through the establishment of democratic traditions in which there is respect for the expressed will of the people,” he said.
Ambassador Hanna reiterated that all EU member states supported CUF and CCM for their political commitment.
“We renew our congratulations to both parties for their work, and encourage them to continue with their efforts to bring peace, stability and prosperity to Zanzibar,” he stated.
The EU funds donated to the Peace Accord would be channelled through the Donors’ Basket Fund set up jointly last year to support implementation of the CCM and CUF agreement, according to Ambassador Hanna.
Areas to be financed by the yesterday’s EU funds would include support to Zanzibar Head Office and Pemba Office of the Joint Presidential Supervisory Commission (JPSC), state organ reforms, electoral reforms such as consultancies, workshops, supplies, voter Identification Cards (IDs), voter and civic education.
Also on the list of areas to be funded by the EU financial support would be judicial reform together with support for reconciliation and indemnisation, he said.
On his part, Mgonja commended EU for its continued support to Tanzania.
“We can only promise that we will do our best to ensure that such valuable support bears fruit - not only in guaranteeing harmony and tranquillity between the two political parties and free and fair elections in Zanzibar, but also in the promotion of everlasting security for the country as a whole,” he said.
Promotion of an everlasting security for the whole country should be regarded as a prerequisite for economic development and poverty reduction, Mgonja stressed.
Yesterday’s signing of the agreement was also witnessed by high commissioners and ambassadors from EU member states accredited to Tanzania.
The EU financial support to the implementation of the accord yesterday was done while EU was marking its Europe Day.

Gulf Air reinstates flights to Zanzibar

5/08/03

Gulf Air is reinstating its flights to Tanzania’s tropical paradise island of Zanzibar.
Flights to the ‘spice island’ will commence on June 18 and will be operated by Gulf Traveller, the airline’s new all economy full service airline.

Gulf Traveller’s fleet of Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will provide twice-weekly services to Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam from Abu Dhabi and Muscat, fitting in perfectly with the recently announced Gulf Air Holidays ‘World Experience’ programme’.

“As a division of Gulf Air, Gulf Traveller offers everything traditionally associated with an economy service on a major international carrier,” said James Hogan, President & Chief Executive, Gulf Air.

“Guests flying to Zanzibar and to the Tanzanian capital will feel completely relaxed and cared for with a carefully selected dining product, a range of inflight entertainment and by the language skills of our multi-lingual flight attendants on board each flight.”
 

Sweden praises Zanzibar on economic reforms

5/04/03
By Observer Reporter

Sweden has praised Zanzibar for its efforts in revamping its economy through rapid reforms.
The compliments were made by the visiting Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation (Migration and Asylum) Mr Jan Karlsson, when he paid a courtesy call on Zanzibar President Mr Amani Abeid Karume at the State House.
Mr Karlsson noted the significant changes made by the Zanzibar government to reform key sectors.
He urged the Zanzibar government to continue with its development activities adding that Sweden will continue to support the Isles in its endeavours.
The Swedish minister appreciated then political accord signed by CCM and CUF, and hoped that the forthcoming Pemba by-elections for the 17 constituencies will be conducted in a peaceful democratic manner.
On his part President Karume thanked the Swedish government for its assistance and assured him that it would be channelled into the intended projects.
He also stated that his government would sustain political harmony in Zanzibar to speed up development and eradicate poverty. “Poverty is the source of all evils,” he said .

Coffee to be Zanzibar’s newest cash crop

Saturday, May 03, 2003 .
By Lwaga Mwambande, Mbeya

Zanzibar may get a new cash crop if the current experiments by a Mbeya coffee estate are successful.
Utengule Estates Company, which owns the oldest coffee farm in Southern Highlands, is establishing a coffee farm in Zanzibar in a bid to ensure the isles have alternative cash crop to cloves.
“Zanzibar needs a new cash crop (because of the fall of clove price), we think may be coffee can be the new future cash crop of Zanzibar,” the Utengule Estates Manager, Stephan Copes, said yesterday. He told a group of journalists that his estate had only been allowed to grow one acre of coffee at Kizimbani area.
Copes said they have decided to grow coffee in Zanzibar after discovering some areas with more or less the same climate that supports coffee cultivation. Coffee is regarded as one of the leading foreign exchange earning crops in the country.
As a result of their desire to engage in coffee farming in the isles, Copes said the Zanzibar Minister for Agriculture was expected to visit the company’s 130-hectares-coffee farm next week.
He said he hoped the Zanzibar government would eventually permit them to expand the coffee farm and that if the project succeeds it could usher in a new era and business for other Zanzibaris as well.
Copes also said through the Zanzibar Coffee Company, the Utengule Estates Company which is owned by a Swiss national would establish a coffee shop in the Stone Town to cater for tourists and other coffee consumers.
Commenting on small holder coffee growers, Copes said fall of price and lack of knowledge on how to take care of coffee plants led to poor harvests.
He said most of them lacked knowledge about coffee price at the world market as well as lack of farm inputs and poor processing lead to poor and low quality produce of coffee.
And yet even agricultural extension officers seem not have up-to-date information about the crop.
“Here we produce 1,200kgs per hectare and is set to increase to 1,800kgs in the near future, but many small scale coffee growers get 200 or 300kgs per hectare. A few of them get 1,000kgs,” he said.
He urged villagers to come together, form associations and be able to buy processing machines of coffee where quality would be given top priority. And for extension officers, he urged them to get knowledge for them to be useful to farmers.
Copes also expressed concern over farmers who buy hybrid seeds for maize, plant them and after harvesting keep part of the harvests for planting next season, saying doing so contributed to poor harvest.
“Once planted and properly managed hybrid seeds lead to bumper harvests, but planting the harvested seeds next season leads to poor harvests, because they are not meant for that. It is of no use to work very hard in the shamba and end up getting poor results because of poor seeds,” he said.
Acquired in 1921/22, the Utengule Estates Company has a total 800 hectares the other area is the Utengule Country Hotel and the rest forest. It is open to students in the learning process.
Currently, its workforce is down to 120 from 200 due to fall of coffee price and increased operational costs. It employees between300 and 500 women during the picking season of coffee.
According to Copes the farm is one of 10 farms with the quality production of coffee in the country. The journalists are reporting about USAID-sponsored projects in Mbeya Region and their trip was also on the same spirit.

Zanzibar hit as tourists stay away

BBC World Service
Friday, 2 May, 2003

Zanzibar is facing an economic crisis following the collapse of both its tourist trade and its clove export industry.

Britain, Australia and the US have all warned their citizens against visiting the islands because of terrorism fears.

The result, according to Zanzibar President Amani Karume, is a 30% slide in tourism revenue - which normally brings in about $90m a year - which has led to up to 1,000 job losses in hotels and related businesses.

The group of islands form an autonomous part of Tanzania just off the African coast in the Indian Ocean.

Export crash

The tourism slump comes just as the market on the mainland for cloves, the islands' premier export industry, has hit rock bottom.

Indonesia, which buys the bulk of the stock for its aromatic cigarettes, is now buying from its home market instead.

Income from clove exports, already damaged by a decade of falling commodity prices, is down 60% on last year's performance, Mr Karume told a May Day rally.

Zanzibar authorities have accused Kenya of smuggling cloves from the islands, further eating into income from the trade.

Warning

The terrorism alerts issued by Western countries are not solely to do with Zanzibar.

The US has warned travellers to stay away from east Africa in general, saying that terrorist networks connected to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda are active in the region.

The US has particular reason to be nervous, following the bombing of embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's commercial centre, and the Kenyan capital Nairobi on 7 August 1998.

But the island has its own problems which in the past have triggered inter-communal violence as its rulers, who have a measure of independence from the rest of Tanzania, have sought to hold onto power despite election setbacks.

CUF files case seeking to block Pemba by-elections

Saturday, May 03, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Civic United Front (CUF) has filed a case at the High Court in Pemba seeking an injunction to suspend elections in six Pemba constituencies where its aspirants have been disqualified from contesting by the Zanzibar Election Commission (ZEC).
The High Court Registrar in Pemba zone, Abraham Mwampashi, told journalists yesterday that CUF has filed the case on defence of its six contenders on grounds that they have been banned illegally.
The Registrar said legal arrangements for hearing of the case including appointment of judges to preside over the case, have already started.
However, he could not name a judge who has been assigned to hear the case or where it would be held.
The Registrar mentioned CUF arguments as being centred on the ground that its contestants had all rights to take part in the by-election because they had not contradicted section 69 (4) c of Zanzibar constitution as claimed by ZEC.
The referred section bars a person who have been dismissed from the House of Representatives to vie for the same post in the period of five years after such a person was expelled.
Giving its ruling on the NCCR-Mageuzi objection over the six CUF candidates, the ZEC said the contestants were illegal as five years had not elapsed since they were expelled from the House in 2000.
In its application, CUF requests the High Court to give explanation on Kiswahili terminologies kufukuzwa, kuachishwa and kujiondoa.
CUF prays in its application that the contestants have been banned illegally because by the time the House speaker announced their expulsion, they were yet to take oath. CUF representatives and MPs refused to attend the House sessions because they were contesting the results of the 2000 general elections.
Mwampashi pointed out that in the application, CUF asked the court to bar election in six constituencies until a clear explanation of the terminologies were given by the court.
The CUF application was filed by party lawyer, Nassor Khamis.
Constituencies that CUF has applied for injunction and their contestants in brackets are Wingwi (Kombo Khamis Kombo), Chakechake (Mussa Haji Kombo), Chonga (Abdalla Juma), Tumbe (Khatibu Omar), Kojani (Omar Ali Jadi) and Micheweni (Rashid Jabu Dawa).
CUF said it has no problem with the remaining constituencies.
The CUF Secretary General, Seif Shariff Hamad, had said earlier in Dar es Salaam that the party was contemplating court action to counter the ZEC ruling on its members.
ZEC disqualified CUF candidates on grounds that Section 69(4)(c) of the Zanzibar Constitution of 1984 and 2002 amendments, bars them from running for a public .

Civil servants mark May Day without salaries

Friday, May 02, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

May Day celebrations in Zanzibar were spoilt yesterday after civil servants, who had not received their April salaries, entered the Amani Memorial Stadium in a sombre mood.
The workers, wearing gloomy faces, had attempted to leave the stadium earlier, but the unprecedented mass exodus, which might have left the President, Amani Abeid Karume, addressing only a handful people, had to be stopped.
Angry civil servants told the PST the government had violated their labour right to be paid on time.
“It is unacceptable that the government, the custodian of our rights has failed to meet its legal obligation to pay our salaries. If this is how the government is behaving, what about private employers?” asked an angry civil servant.
Addressing the nation, President Karume hinted the possibility of the Isles government increasing the minimum workers wage in the 2003/2004 fiscal year, though the move will depend on a number factors.
“We will take into consideration the economic growth and government revenues before considering minimum a wage hike,” hinted the President. The government’s position on minimum salary has left civil servants in a dilemma.
President Karume however urged civil servants not to be disappointed by his remarks saying that his government would try its best to help civil servants survive.
On the just ended American military invasion of Iraq, the Isles president linked the war to a poor performing Zanzibar economy.
“The war has sent oil prices sky rocketing, tourists cancelled travel arrangements hence denying Zanzibar millions of dollars in revenue. Furthermore the continued fall of clove prices at the world market has hit our economy hard too,” added the president.
Available data show that a tonne of clove sells at a meagre 1,000 US dollars (about 1,040,000/-) against 5,000 US dollars (about 5,200,000/-) that the same fetched in the past.
Explaining on side effects of the poor performance of the tourism sector as a result of the Iraq war, President Karume said revenue collections has plummeted by 30.7 per cent with 1,000 workers sent home.
Prior to the President’s speech, the Zanzibar Labour Federation proposed a hiking of the minimum wage by 100 per cent from 30,000/- to 60,000/-.

Villagers Clash Over Land, 10 Homes Burnt

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
April 28, 2003

Villagers armed with traditional weapons injured several people and burnt 10 homes during fighting over land in Unguja South, on the island of Zanzibar.

A Dar es Salasam newspaper, "The Guardian", reported on Monday that some villagers fled into a nearby forest, after the clash. It reported that fighting erupted after some residents of Ukongoroni village slashed crops planted on a contested piece of land by their neighbouring Bwejuu villagers. Following the clash, a number of villagers suspended agricultural activities for fear of being attacked.

The local chairman of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, Makame Khamisi, was among those wounded and was admitted to a Zanzibari hospital.

The Police Field Force Unit intervened to calm the villagers and made several arrests. Unguja South regional police commander Abuu Kificho was quoted as saying that he had increased the police presence in the two villages.

NCCR-Mageuzi says all CUF candidates illegal

Thursday, April 24, 2003 .
By Correspondent

NCCR-Mageuzi yesterday accused Civic United Front (CUF) of fielding
17 illegal candidates in the scheduled House of Representatives
by-elections in Pemba.

The NCCR-Mageuzi National Chairman, James Mbatia, told a news conference in Dar es Salaam that the Zanzibar Constitution bars all of the CUF’s 17 candidates set to run in the by-elections.
According to Mbatia, the Zanzibar constitution, despite last year’s (CUF/CCM accord) amendments, has a provision which states that a representative dismissed for failure to attend the House sessions cannot vie for the same post until after five years.
“All the 17 CUF contestants for House seats are those who were dismissed from the House because of their failure to take part in three consecutive House sessions in 2001, therefore all of them are illegal contestants,” he declared.
The provision, he said, impinges directly on all of CUF’s 17 contestants. He insisted that the provision must be adhered to.
He said NCCR-Mageuzi contestants in eight constituencies, out of 13 which the party contests, had learnt of the said provision on the final day of filing objections against the CUF contestants.
Flanked by his Vice Chairman (Zanzibar), Ambari Khamis, and NCCR-Mageuzi Director of the Legal Section, Dr Sengondo Mvungi, warned that if the elections in Pemba constituencies will go on and CUF aspirants got elected, a constitutional crisis would ensue.
Mbatia said CUF and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) hijacked the role to recommend constitutional amendments to the Zanzibar constitution last year, but left intact Article 69 (7) (c), which currently appears as Article 69 (4) c).
He named the constituencies where NCCR-Mageuzi contestants have raised objections against CUF candidates as Chonga and Chake Chake in Chake Chake District, Micheweni, Wingwi, Mgogoni and Tumbe in Micheweni and Utaani and Kojani in Wete.
The constituencies where NCCR-Mageuzi failed to lodge objections against CUF candidates because of time limit include Mtambwe, Konde, Chambani, Mtambile and Koani.
Mbatia said returning officers for Chake Chake and Micheweni districts, where there are six constituencies, have dismissed their objections.
Without naming the returning officers, he said the Chake Chake officer had claimed there was no provision that barred the contestants, while the one for Micheweni said the contestants were terminated not dismissed as the objections purported.
“We have already filed appeals to the Director of Elections of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) against the decisions...If justice will not be done we shall take the matter to court,” he said.
Mbatia warned further that a constitutional crisis would ensue in the isles unless the CUF contestants were declared illegal.
He also said that last year’s constitutional amendments which did not involve the whole Zanzibar community, save for CCM and CUF, were behind the problems.
“Even ZEC has a lot of defects, it is made up of only CUF and CCM representatives (excluding all other parties), it is being run more in accordance with the CCM/CUF accord instead of the law,” he said.
Responding to questions as to whether NCCR-Mageuzi was sincere in seeking alliance with other parties—while its secretary general, Mwaiseje Polisya, chaired a committee of secretary generals of over 10 opposition parties, including CUF— Mbatia said cooperation did not warrant breaking the constitution.
He said most of the blunders which Tanzania experiences today result from the previous leaders’ treating each other as “mwenzetu” (colleague), even when one made a costly mistake to the nation.
“Cooperation of political parties does not warrant violation of the constitution. We do not want to close our eyes to this problem, lest history proves us wrong,” he said.
Dr Mvungi said the Pemba by-elections question was constitutional and that CUF contestants lacked the required qualities to vie for the House of representatives positions.
Following the October 2000 elections, which was marred by massive irregularities in 16 constituencies in Zanzibar, CUF, which is the main opposition party on the isles, rejected the whole election process as null and void.
As a result, its elected representatives and members of parliament for the Union Parliament, particularly from the isles, boycotted the house sessions and were later declared as non-legislators by the two Houses two years ago.
The CUF/CCM accord, precipitated by the January 26 and 27, 2001 killings of over 30 CUF demonstrators, has led to lessening of animosity among Zanzibaris and led to a number of other measures aimed at improving democracy on the isles.

Pemba airport lacks fire fighting equipment

Thursday, April 24, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Four regions in Zanzibar regions have no fire fighting and rescue services for more than six years after the government failed to purchase equipment due to economic constraints. Some of the important areas in Zanzibar that have no reliable fire fighting facilities are Pemba Airport and Zanzibar Harbour.
The Chairman of the Constitutional and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives, Ali Juma Shamuhuna, said this when presenting the report of the committee in the House.
Generally, he said North and South Unguja, North and South Pemba all lacked fire fighting equipment.
He said fire fighters are reporting for work every day but they can do nothing in an event of a fire outbreak.
“The fire fighting and rescue Services department is in very poor state because in Pemba Island they cannot even contain a small fire because of lack of equipment,” he said.
He advised the government to improve the services given its importance on ensuring the safety of wananchi.
Shamuhuna said that the government should prioritise fire fighting and fescue services in sensitive economic areas such as harbour and airports.
Reacting to the report, the Minister of State (Regional Administration), Alli Abdallah Alli, said it was true Zanzibar lacked fire fighting facilities.
However, he said the government has been taking steps to solve the problem and improve the services but implementation of the plans were limping due to financial constraints.
He said the situation has been improved at Unguja International Airport where more than two vehicles have been purchased. The vehicles provide services to other areas within Mjini Magharibi region, he added.

Zanzibar DPP slams politicians for failing to solve Union problems

Thursday, April 03, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Political leaders are behind the failure to solve the Union problems, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Zanzibar, Othman Masoud Othman, has said.
Contributing to a debate at a human rights and good governance workshop, Othman noted that for long time Zanzibar had been suffering economically because of Union problems but political leaders had shown little interest in solving such problems. In his contribution, Othman also said that delay in amending the Union and Zanzibar constitutions also contributed to the persistence of the problems because many laws were contradictory.
He said that political leaders kept promising in various forums that they would solve Union problems but “there is no indication that such a goal will be achieved in the near future.
“ The failure to solve Union problems made Zanzibar to be dependent for it was failing to collect enough revenue to sustain its needs.
He said that Union problems had increased from 11 to 36 issues and most of the additional problems were the consequence of the failure by the two sides of the Union to reach agreement on certain issues.
This made some laws enacted by the Union Parliament not to be applicable in Zanzibar.
Othman cited the formation of the Human Rights and Good Governance Committee saying the committee was failing to work on the Isles because human rights and good governance were not among what were regarded as Union issues.
“Union problems must be resolved because there have been promises to solve them within 60 days but until now nothing has been done in that regard, he said.
The Representative from Rahaleo, Hafidh Ali Tahir, said that it was high time bills drafted by the Union government were also discussed by the House of Representatives in Zanzibar before they were tabled in the National Assembly for debated and approval.
He did not elaborate on what he meant.
Zanzibar has 55 members in the Parliament who actively participate in all debates presented before the law making institution.
Hafidh said the current system whereby the Parliament passed laws and the House of Representatives was only notified as the case with the Human Rights and Good Governance Committee, was not healthy.
In his reactions, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Mohamed Ramia, who made the presentation on behalf of his chairman, Judge Robert Kisanga, failed to answer the concerns noting that the committee had organized the workshop so as to introduce the representatives to the committee.
He said that the composition of the committee took into consideration representations from all Union sides as there were two commissioners from Zanzibar and he, who hailed from Zanzibar, also served as the Deputy Chairman.
He said the committee had not started operating on the isles waiting for consent from the House of Representatives.

Journalist Refutes Government Charge of Illegal Citizenship

International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto)

PRESS RELEASE
March 31, 2003
Toronto

Ali Nabwa, editor of the weekly newspaper "Dira", published in the semi-autonomous state of Zanzibar, has vehemently denied government charges that he is not a citizen of Tanzania and that he has been living illegally in the country since 1993.

At a 25 March 2003 press conference, Nabwa told journalists the Zanzibar government's accusation was a malicious response to his newspaper's attempts to hold public leaders accountable. He said the decision to strip him of citizenship could be attributed largely to his newspaper's continuous criticism of Zanzibar's government (Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar, SMZ), which he claimed was "failing to adhere to principles of good governance."

Nabwa also attributed the Zanzibar government's anger partly to his refusal to join it after he completed his contract with the Union government as press secretary and personal assistant to the former vice-president, the late Omar Ali Juma. "When I started this paper, SMZ leaders started summoning me frequently to the office of the chief minister, where they threatened to close the newspaper, saying it was too critical of the government," he stated.

Nabwa said he intended to initiate court proceedings to counter the government's action. He admitted to being in possession of a Comoro passport, but explained that he obtained it in accordance with directives of the then director of intelligence, due to his professional status at the time.

"Dira" sports and features editor Ali Saleh, who is also a correspondent for the BBC's Kiswahili service in Zanzibar, told MISA-Tanzania that the SMZ is well aware of the reasons why Nabwa was issued with a Comoro passport.

According to Saleh, the citizenship issue was being used to justify government attempts to censor the newspaper.

BACKGROUND: Nabwa was stripped of his Tanzanian citizenship on 19 March and directed to reapply for it if he wished to do so.

On 25 March, the state-run "Daily News" newspaper reported that a letter signed by Zanzibar Assistant Director of Immigration Services Ali Khamis Ali said Nabwa had been staying in the country illegally, since his passport, issued in Zanzibar on 7 December 1993, had been issued illegally. Nabwa was given until 18 June to surrender his passport to the Immigration Department.

The Immigration Department explained in a 19 March letter that Nabwa lost his right to Tanzanian citizenship by assuming Comoro citizenship as an adult.

The letter quoted Immigration Act Number 1995, Section (4)(a), which stipulates that "a citizen of the United Republic of Tanzania shall cease to be a citizen if having attained the age of 18, he acquired the citizenship of some country other than the United Republic of Tanzania by a voluntary act other than marriage".

NEC not to invite external observers
in Pemba, Mainland by-elections

Friday, March 14, 2003 .
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz

The National Electoral Commission says it will not invite external observers in the forthcoming by-elections for vacant Mainland and Isles constituencies which will take place on 18 May, this year.
Speaking at a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the chairman of the commission, Judge Lewis Makame, made it clear that his commission did not intend to invite observers to witness the elections.
“We, as NEC, will not invite external observers. However, the commission has no objection for those who wish to come,” Judge Makame said.
He noted that the commission did not have the tradition of inviting external observers in by-elections, but the door was open for those who wished to witness proceedings of the by-elections to come.
The electoral commission announced yesterday that by-elections for the four vacant constituencies in the Mainland and 15 others in Pemba would be held on May 18, this year.
The constituencies on the Mainland are Kilombero, Bukoba rural, Mpanda West and Kigoma South.
The vacant constituencies in Pemba are Mtambile, Mgogoni, Ziwani, Micheweni, Konde, Tumbe, Chonga, Wingwi, Chambani, Mtambile, Pandani, Kojani, Gando, Ole and Utaani.
A schedule for the by-elections, released by Judge Makame in Dar es Salaam yesterday, shows that nominations of candidates for all constituencies will be done on 20 April this year.
The registration of voters for Pemba constituencies will be between 1 April and April 16, this year.
On the Mainland, the registration of voters will start on 30 March and end on 19 April this year.
Campaigns for the elections are expected to start on 21 April and end on 17 May this year, a day before voters cast their votes.
Judge Makame said that the National Assembly had amended the law to bring forward by-elections on the Mainland to tally with those on the isles in a bid to reduce operational costs.
He said the commission needed about 1.28bn/- to run the by-elections, but until yesterday the government had disbursed 880,000m/- only.

Zanzibaris sail to Pemba to register
as voters, CCM claims

Wednesday, March 05, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar

The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi here says many people who live in Urban West District are going to Pemba to register as voters for the May by-elections to be held on the isles, claiming its main rival, the Civic United Front, is behind the move.
The CCM Chairman in Urban West District, Borafia Silima, has told PST that most of residential houses in the district are now occupied by children and servants.
He claimed that CUF was encouraging people to go to Pemba to register as voters, saying this was a gross violation of election laws.
Those who were going to Pemba were from Mwera, Daraja Bovu, Bububu, Jangombe and Mji Mkongwe areas, he claimed.
He said the situation was similar to what happened in the last general elections, insisting that CCM had evidence that CUF encouraged people to go to Pemba to register as voters in the 2000 elections.
“They should know that this is contrary to the muafaka,’’ he said, referring to the recent reconciliation between CCM and CUF to end political impasse on the isles.
Silima said that the Urban West District residents were travelling to Pemba by canoes and were entering the island through Wete and Micheweni ports.
The Zanzibar Electoral Commission insists that voters in the Pemba by-elections must be bona fide residents of the spice-rich island.

Z’bar Mufti on attack over police action

Thursday, February 27, 2003 .
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz

Chief Sheikh of the Parley of Clerics of Zanzibar has blamed the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for denying Muslims in the isles their constitutional right of freedom of worship.
Speaking at a media conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Chief Sheikh, Farid Hadi, attacked the newly created office of the Mufti in the Isles for colluding with the government to intimidate Muslims.
“The two recent commotions of the police against Muslims, one during Eid El Hajj and the other on February 21 this year provide proof beyond doubt that the government has created Mufti’s office to suppress Muslims in the Isles,” said Sheikh Farid.
Commenting on the recent fracas between police and Muslims at Malindi, Sheikh Farid said the government was to blame for the incidents due to the fact that it interacted a peaceful gathering and dispersed believers by force.
“The meeting was conducted peacefully and according to the regulations, but surprisingly police came in and ordered people to immediately disperse. They applied force when people refused to obey,” he said.
He said the Muslims in the isles were opposing establishment of the office of Mufti. “As far as Muslims’ affairs are concerned what is its role? We don’t see any point of having this office,” he said.
According to Sheikh Farid, the powers vested on Mufti’s hands to issue permits to Islamic institutions so that they could organise and conduct their public gatherings was unconstitutional.
He noted that isle’s constitution provided people freedom to gather and preach their religions only that they inform the police before the event so that police could ensure them with security.
Sheikh Farid dismissed assertions that recent confrontations between police and Muslims were motivated by Isles rival politics.
“We only preach, we are not involved in any kind of politics,” said Sheikh Farid, adding that the idea that religious gatherings conducted in Zanzibar were behind political ends of some politicians or political parties was false and baseless.
Meanwhile, the Committee for Islamic Propagation of Zanzibar said yesterday that it would conduct a public rally at Malindi grounds in the isles tomorrow without permission from the office of the Mufti.
The committee’s stance was given by one of the leaders, Sheikh Azzan Khalid Abdallah, in a statement read before members of the press in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
“We don’t see a point to ask for permission from its office of Mufti as our constitution gives us the right to gather and preach. We will inform the police, only that,” Azzan said.
He said that the committee was already prepared to preach and not confront with the police. “We will preach, to enjoy our constitutional right, police should see to it that security is maintained,” Azzan said.

Police suspect Muslim militants in Zanzibar blasts

24 Feb 2003

DAR ES SALAAM, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Attackers threw petrol bombs into two bars on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar on Sunday and police said they believed Islamic militants were responsible.

No casualties were reported after the attacks with two homemade bombs on Sunday evening.

Zanzibar, an island of white sands and palm trees, is facing a slump in tourism after warnings by some Western countries last month that extremists might be planning attacks there.

"We suspect the people behind the bombings are Islamic extremists, mainly because they have targeted bars which sell alcohol and because they have used petrol bombs," Zanzibar Police Commissioner Khalid Iddi Nuizan told Reuters.

In January last year, four people were seriously injured after suspected Islamic militants attacked bars and stores selling alcohol with petrol bombs.

But Nuizan said police had not ruled out the possibility that anti-government elements or criminals could be behind Sunday's attacks on the mainly Muslim island off the coast of Tanzania.

He said a number of people had been arrested in connection with the attacks, but no one had yet been charged.

Zanzibar, a popular tourist destination, has been relatively calm since the opposition Civic United Front and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party signed a reconciliation agreement in October 2001 aimed at ending years of political instability.

Z’bar police injure Anwar Sunna members, again

Saturday, February 22, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Several people have been injured after being shot by members of Field Force Unit here after a protracted fight between the riot police and a group Moslems who were defying the order to stop their meeting at Malindi grounds.
The people were injured after the FFU members arrived in the grounds and ordered people to disperse. The people who gathered at the ground defied the order on the grounds that it was against their freedom of worship.
People who witnessed the incident said the riot police arrived in the scene and threw
tear gas but they could not disperse the people.
“They were hurling stones at them and burnt tyres and that is when the police fired at them…we saw people dropping and blood spilling,” said a businessman close to the grounds.
PST saw several people rushed to Mnazi Mmoja Hospital. One severely injured was seen ferried on a motorcycle with blood all over his clothes.
Members of the Fire Brigade Unit also came out to put out the burning tyres along Darajani Street, which created tension among the businessmen owning shops and kiosks in the area.
Shops and kiosks along Darajani Street were all closed and commuter buses temporarily suspended services. Other people ran to mosques and closed windows.
Primary and Secondary School students who were going home during that time of the day became the major victims of the tear gas from the riot police.
Information obtained from police sources said the meeting had no police permit and lacked blessings from the Mufti of Zanzibar Harith bin Khelef.

Zanzibar Police Probe Terrorism Scare Story

The East African (Nairobi)

February 17, 2003
Ali Sultan, Special Correspondent
Nairobi

POLICE IN Zanzibar have questioned several people in connection with last month's terrorism scare that has left many Zanzibar tourist hotels empty and threatened the jobs of more than 600 workers.

Although Zanzibar police would not give details of their enquiries, saying it was too early to comment, a medical doctor said police had questioned him.

Speaking to The EastAfrican, the doctor said he wanted to clear his name after rumours circulated that he was connected to a story that claimed terrorists were planning to attack the island.

The story caused the US and the UK to advise their citizens in Zanzibar on holiday to leave or consider cancelling planned trips to the Indian Ocean islands.

"I don't know who sent the message to these people ... I did not tell the world that there were terrorists in Zanzibar. My position is clear and the matter is in the hands of the police. I didn't report to the police. I totally deny this."

According to police sources, security officers stormed a hotel in the Stone Town and picked up several people for questioning when they were tipped off that some suspicious-looking people were lodging there.

"I am in a difficult position because of this report. I told the police my side of the story about the five people I met at a hotel.

"One of the visitors was ill. I treated him, then we had a drink. All of them were friendly and relaxed, no tension. They did not look suspicious at all," the doctor said.

He displayed the business cards the visitors had given him. "They're from a very respected family in Kuwait, part of the royal family. They are not from Yemen, as was reported in the media."

He said he liked Zanzibar, where he has lived for many years.

"My job is to build, not to destroy. My duty is to promote Zanzibar abroad. Many of my patients are tourists. My business has also been affected because of the terrorism scare. When tourism is down, I have no patients to treat. If tourism is affected, my business is affected."

Some hotels have closed because of cancellations and 600 workers have been laid off.

Suppliers, local businesses, curios shops, tour guides, travel agents and air charters have also been affected.

Government authorities said airport arrivals at the airport had dropped by 80 per cent as most charter and scheduled flights into Zanzibar had been halted.

The Zanzibar government, the Tanzania Union government and Dar es Salaam-based diplomatic missions have launched an intensive public relations campaign to assure visitors of security on Isles. Some 200 French tourists made a one-day trip to Zanzibar last week.

Revolutionary govt refutes claims
of stand off with Salmin Amour

By Mwinyi Sadallah, PST Zanzibar
02/15/03

The Revolutionary government of Zanzibar yesterday refuted claims that it was currently not on good terms with former President Dr Salmin Amour, popularly known as commandoo.
The refutation was made by the Isle’s Minister of State in the President’s Office (Finance and Economy), Suleiman Nyanga, when speaking to the press at State House.
“As of now, there are no differences between the former President and the current leadership under H.E Aman Abeid Karume. Actually, the two leaders are working together for the betterment of the country,” Nyanga stated.
Nyanga’s statement came shortly after rumours emerged that the government of Zanzibar had limited some basic services to Dr Salmin which he was entitled to as a retired leader.
The information claimed that among services which had been cut-off included his security detachment and the electricity supply to his residence.
It was also claimed that the current government had cut his monthly retirement pay by 10m/- as a way of humiliating him.
However, Nyanga told this paper that these claims are false because Dr Salmin and his fellow retired leaders were all getting their monthly retirement benefits as usual.
He said the claimed 10m/= deduction was made with Dr Salimin’s consent. The money was deducted in repayment of a debt to the government.
“Dr Salmin has a debt to the government and before he left office he ordered that the debt be settled by a deduction from his pension. Indeed, he is a faithful leader,” Nyanga said.

Z’bar mufti, police rebuff call to resign

Friday, February 14, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Mufti of Zanzibar and senior police officers here have said they will not step down from their positions.
Their statement is a reaction to calls made by political and religious leaders who have demanded that they resign following an Eid el Haj commotion, during which at least three Answar Sunna believers were injured by police.
While the Mufti denied responsibility of giving instruction to the police that they should interrupt the prayers and disperse the believers, the police defended their action and said they were merely fulfilling their obligations.
Speaking at a press conference here yesterday, the Mufti of Zanzibar, Sheikh Harith bin Khelef, said he did not order the police to prevent people to conduct Eid prayers.
“What I actually directed was that Muslims should conduct Eid prayers in one day. I did not order them not to pray, as worship is the matter of one’s belief,” Mufti Khelef said.
He said that those who had claims on his position as Mufti should forward your queries to the President who appointed him to serve all Muslims in the isles.
He added that he was not involved in formulation of the existing law of Mufti, elaborating that the matter was in hands of the Attorney General.
Mufti Khelef urged Muslims to be wise and stop taking matters into their hands with emotions. He said the door was open for the any one wishing to discuss any issue relating to religion.
According to section 10 (1) (B) of the Zanzibar law, the Mufti is vested with powers to issues directives relating to the Islamic religion. Whoever violates could be charged, fined or jailed.
Meanwhile, the police explained that the clashes with Muslims on Tuesday could not be avoided as the former had refused to disperse and stoned the police instead.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, SACP Juma Mtumwa Ramadhani said police were forced to use rubber bullets and tear gas after being overwhelmed by Muslims devotees.
He said police did not tear gas mosques through doors and windows as alleged by some people. They only aimed at dispersing them, he added.
SACP Abdallah said it was true that the constitution of Zanzibar gave the people freedom of worship, but the freedom did not mean breaking the law.
According to SACP Abdallah, about six people have been sent to court in connection to the incident.

Eid festival clash in Zanzibar

Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 14:37 GMT

Muslims have clashed with police in Zanzibar in a row over the date of the Muslim festival of Eid - the celebration to mark the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Muslims who started praying in a mosque on Tuesday were interrupted by police who fired tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse them.

The Zanzibar Goverment wants Eid to be celebrated on Wednesday, when the president is due to address the Eid Council.

But Muslims began celebrating Eid on Tuesday, arguing that the moon had already been seen in Saudi Arabia, and the festivities should begin.

Police used weapons against Muslims in the mosque when they refused to stop praying.

Four people were injured in the ensuing fracas.

The BBC's Ali Saleh in Zanzibar said a seriously injured person was being held in police custody.

Six have been charged with contravening the orders of the Mufti, the Muslim authority in the country, and released on bail.

Six months ago a law was passed allowing only the Mufti to decide when Eid should be celebrated.

Our correspondent says that the power struggle between the government and ordinary Muslims has been going on for a long time.

Many say they will not be dictated to in order to be able to celebrate Eid when they want.

Terror warning cripples Z'bar economy
Warning to remain until May

By Emmanuel Muga, back from Zanzibar
O2/12/03

Zanzibar economy is reeling under the impact of the terror warning issued by the US and UK governments on the island earlier this month. Its tourism industry virtually crippled with most Western nationals deciding to keep off, over 600 Zanzibaris have already lost their jobs and hundreds others hard hit.
The US Department of State early this month issued a statement saying it had received information that a terrorist group was planning an attack on an unspecified location frequented by Westerners on the Island
The warning, which expires on May 12, 2003, pointed out targeted locations as restaurants, clubs or hotels. American citizens visiting Zanzibar or other nearby coastal locations in Tanzania were cautioned to take appropriate measures and carefully evaluate their security posture.
Following the warning, some hotels on the East Coast of Zanzibar closed down after their mainly Italian clients abruptly stopped visiting the spicy island.
The Italians used to come in groups in chartered planes but after the warning, you canít see the planes anymore,î said Yusuph Saleh Kibula, a taxi driver.
Kibula said his taxi business had also suffered, as he no longer makes the kind of money he used to when the tourists were coming in large numbers.White tourists pay better than other visitors; we were forced to bring down our charges and our incomes went down as a result,î he lamented.
As a result of closure of some hotels, more than 600 Zanzibaris have lost their jobs, according to the Principal Secretary of Zanzibar Revolutionary Council Ramadhani Muombwa.
The Hotel Manager of Serena Inn Hotel, Dismas Simba, said his hotel used to operate at 70 to 80 per cent capacity during peak season in January and February, but they are currently operating at a mere 30 per cent!î
Said Simba:Most of the inquires we get are about security situation. They contact us with questions related to security situation instead of making reservations, others cancel their orders. It is difficult for us,î he said.
He added that American tourists were leading clients before the terror warning but now their number is going down.
He cited Germans and Australians as the visitors they receive most.
Tourists who spoke to The Express admitted the warning had spoilt their Zanzibar visit. “My friend and I learnt of the warning when we were on the plane coming to Africa. I felt scared but we could not turn back,” said Suzanne, an Australian tourist.
She added: “If the warning had been issued before arranging the tour, I would have cancelled because I have children back home. But my friend does not care because she has no children back home.”
However, there are others who were not scared by the warning. Andrea Edwards, also Australian, said she feared pickpockets more than terrorists.
“You can’t stay hiding away because of such warnings. Terrorism can be perpetrated anywhere, not just in Zanzibar. Therefore, there is nothing to fear. As I am going to Zanzibar, I fear pickpockets more,” she quipped.
The Zanzibar government, on its part, has blamed the US for issuing a warning without any consideration for the Island’s economy. “We asked the US embassy security official to tell us the source of their information but he could not tell,” Mtumwa Abdallah, the Zanzibar police spokesperson told reporters last week.
He added: “After discovering that the information was baseless we asked the embassy to retract their warning, but they have yet to do so and our economy continues to decline.”
Zanzibar Tourist Commission Issa Ahmed blasted the US for issuing the security information of a second country without any base.
“How should they know our security? This is just propaganda with economic objectives,” he told reporters.

UNDP and UK boost efforts to stem poverty in Zanzibar

United Nations Development Programme (New York)

February 12, 2003
New York

UNDP, in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), is helping strengthen efforts to reduce poverty and promote development in Zanzibar, the east African island that is part of the United Republic of Tanzania.

More than half of Zanzibar's people live in poverty, and economic strains add to their hardship. The economy has been hit by falling prices for cloves, its mainstay, and fewer tourists are visiting the island's beautiful beaches due to global jitters over terrorism.

The three-year, US$9.6 million programme supports the Zanzibar's poverty reduction plan in four key areas: monitoring, development management and public finance, support to civil society, and governance.

"With the Government of Zanzibar putting in place the foundations for implementing its framework for poverty reduction, this programme of support is very timely, and we see it as key to improving our people's livelihoods," said Julian Raphael, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

UNDP Resident Representative John Hendra said: "This ground-breaking partnership between the Government of Zanzibar, DFID and UNDP to promote pro-poor growth and build national capacity to lead the development effort marks an important step forward in the fight against poverty."

The initiative "is crucial to Zanzibar achieving the Millennium Development Goals,'' he emphasized. The first goal includes the target of halving the proportion of people living on less than US$ 1 a day between 1990 and 2015. The Government has also set its own goal eliminating abject poverty in Zanzibar by 2020.

Under the programme, a number of studies have been commissioned to provide a comprehensive understanding of the economy, governance and public administration requirements.

One study by UNDP, DFID, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, working with the Government of Zanzibar, is examining public financial management and identifying strengths and weaknesses in financial accountability. It will indicate priorities for reform and design a programme for improved management and accountability.

Another study, led by the World Bank in partnership with UNDP, will review budgetary and financial management, and Sweden is funding an analysis of Zanzibar's economy.

The initiative will set up a poverty monitoring system to aid development planning, help the Government focus its poverty reduction efforts and strengthen the ability of civil society organizations to advocate for pro-poor policies. It will also promote better understanding of human rights among law enforcement officials and support aid and donor coordination.

UNDP is providing computer equipment to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and other ministries directly involved in carrying out the poverty reduction plan to support the programme. UNDP is also providing training in management development and policy and analytical skills.

Isles Weekly Faces Libel Suit over Graft Claims

By ALI SULTAN
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

THE ZANZIBAR government is on a collision course with the Isles' first privately-owned weekly newspaper, accusing Dira of defaming President Amani Abeid Karume and his family.

The president is demanding an apology and compensation in connection with stories about the allegedly irregular sale of houses belonging to the Zanzibar State Trade Corporation.

Two other high-ranking government officials – the Minister for Lands, Housing and Energy, Burhani Saadat Haji, and the general manager of the Zanzibar Port Authority Mustafa Aboud Jumbe – have also threatened to sue if Dira fails to apologise.

But the editor of Dira, Ali Nabwa, defended the publication, saying it was committed to promoting good governance and transparency.

Dira is the second weekly newspaper in Zanzibar. The other, Nuru, is state-owned. Dira has published seven issues and has become increasingly popular among Zanzibar readers.

It boasts a circulation of 5,000 copies.

The Dar-based law firm, Mkono and Company Advocates, acting for President Karume, has demanded an apology for the stories published on January 17.

The demand note states: "By reason of the publication of the said articles, our clients have been brought into public scandal, odium, hatred, contempt and suffered damage and hurt feelings."

Mr Jumbe has demanded that Dira publish an apology with the same prominence as the original story.

Mr Nabwa said the story was not published in bad faith.

"The main objectives of our newspaper is to promote good governance in this era of openness and transparency."

He added that both the presidents of the Tanzania Union and Zanzibar, Benjamin Mkapa and Karume, were elected on a platform of fighting graft.

"So we’re just helping them as a private newspaper to expose the bad apples in government."

Sumaye intervenes in Union/Z’bar funds debate

Thursday, February 06, 2003

By Peter Nyanje, Dodoma

Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye yesterday was forced to intervene in Parliament and issue a supplementary explanation on division of aid funds between the Union and Isles governments.
Sumaye was the third minister to issue clarification on the issue to top up what two Deputy Finance Ministers, Dr. Festus Limbu and Abdisalaam Issa Khatibu, told the National Assembly, following questions raised by Lucas Seleli (Nzega) and Aziza Sleyum (special seats).
The Premier told Parliament that the United Republic of Tanzania was one country with two governments.
“It should not be viewed as if we are living by fighting over money or certain interests,” Sumaye said.
He said Tanzania was one country and there was no side of the Union that used more resources at the expense of the other.
The Parliamentarians basically asked about principles that govern allocation of grants between the two governments. Their arguments portrayed a picture that one part of the Union was exploiting the other.
In the basic question, Seleli wanted to know the amount of national income allocated to Zanzibar and what sum was set aside for three pillars of government namely the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary.
Reacting to the question, Dr. Limbu said that the Constitution of Tanzania does not state anything on allocation of income between the two governments.
“However, according to agreement reached by the Union and Isles governments, it was agreed that programme and bilateral grants should go straight to the relevant government,” he said.
He added that according to agreements, 4.5 per cent of all grants obtained from international organizations are extended to the Isles government.
According to the agreement, in 2002/03, Isles government would be given 9,297m/-, which is equivalent to 4.5 per cent of total grants of 206,000m/-, he said.
In last year’s budget, he added, some 6,300m/- were set aside for Zanzibar but the actual amount that was sent was 8,200m/- due to special request made by Zanzibar.
However, in a supplementary question, Seleli argued that 4.5 per cent was too much; given the fact that one side of the union was larger with more people.
He suggested that a bill be brought to Parliament so that a reasonable amount should be set legally, based on all factors.
After Dr. Limbu explanation of the issue, Aziza requested the Union government to extend to Zanzibar equipment that was not sent when the country experienced economic problems.
This forced Khatib to intervene and say that the Zanzibar government had been receiving its due allocation. He said that the two governments resolved the issue several years ago.
Seeing that the situation was becoming tense, Sumaye stood up after Khatib to make more clarifications.
He said that there was a criteria used for allocation of foreign assistance but the two governments assisted one another whenever need arose.
“I want to underscore that there is no tussle for money between the Mainland and the Isles. We are living together as one country for the benefit of all people,” he said.
On allocation of funds between Judiciary, Parliament and the Executive, Dr Limbu said that each pillar was given money in accordance with its needs.
He said that in 2001/02, some 7,252m/- was set aside for Parliament. This amount was equivalent to 0.08 per cent of national income while in 2002/03; the amount was hiked to 10,409m/- or 0.11 per cent of national income.
In his queries, Seleli argued that amount set for Parliament and Judiciary was too small compared to what the Executive received from the national cake.

Global Fund approves USD 2.3m to fight HIV/AIDS in Zanzibar

Wednesday, February 05, 2003 .

By Guardian Reporter

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria announced Friday that it has approved 2,302,922 US Dollars in funding to help fight HIV/AIDS in Zanzibar. The United States is the Fund’s largest contributor.
The funding for the Zanzibar programme was announced at the Global Fund’s Fourth Board meeting held last week in Geneva.
A statement issued by the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam yesterday says that the Board approved the second round of proposals, which more than doubled both the first round financial commitments and the number of benefiting countries. Nearly 100 proposals from 60 countries totalling 866m US Dollars over the first two years were approved.
“The Global Fund also announced that its Board elected Tommy Thompson, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, as its Chair. He will succeed Dr Chrispus Kiyonga of Uganda,” the statement says.
Thompson was elected by consensus of the Fund’s Board, which include donor and recipient governments, as well as NGOs, foundations and the private sector.
Last week in his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush announced a major increase in funding for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa and the Caribbean. Tanzania was one of the limited number of countries that the White House said would benefit from the new funding.
Tanzania also benefited from the first round of funding from the Global Fund. According to its website, two proposals were approved in the first round: “Implementation of new malaria treatment policy in Zanzibar” (1,153,080 USD) and “Scaling up effective district HIV/AIDS response focusing on communities, primary schools and the informal sector in Tanzania” (5.4m USD).

Zanzibar Wants Bigger Role in EA Community

Monday, February 3, 2003
By HABIBA SWEDI
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

ZANZIBAR IS seeking separate treatment in the East African Community instead of the current arrangement where it is treated as part of the United Republic of Tanzania.

In a recent memorandum presented to the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Zanzibar’s House of Representatives stressed the need for the Isles' increased participation in the regional body's integration and decision-making processes to ensure that its interests are safeguarded.

A similar call was made during a one-day EAC seminar for members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives held in Zanzibar on January 18.

The meeting was attended by House members and government and EAC secretariat officials. It was chaired by the Isles House speaker, Pandu Ameir Kificho.

According to the memorandum, the representatives urged the Community to develop an "Indian Ocean development programme" to benefit Zanzibar, saying the current emphasis was on the Lake Victoria Development Programme "which benefits the Tanzanian mainland only."

According to EAC officials, the Zanzibar seminar was the first in a series that was planned for other East African stakeholders to disseminate information about its objectives and activities.

President Amani Abeid Karume called for efforts to ensure that the process of regional integration was sustained. The House of Representatives said there should be equitable distribution of costs and benefits in the revived EAC and that the problems that led to the collapse of the former Community in 1977 should be avoided.

"Zanzibar is a small island economy with low industrial and agricultural productivity," the representatives said in their statement. "This special situation should be taken into account under the envisaged East African Customs Union."

They urged the EAC to intervene and prevent the smuggling of cloves.

"Zanzibar's economy depends on cloves. But the crop is being smuggled to to a neighbouring country."

The House wanted a direct air link established between Zanzibar and Uganda, saying already there were flights between Kenya and the Tanzania mainland.

Isles cloves growers face bankruptcy

Wednesday 1/22/03
By Felix Andrew

Some clove farmers in Zanzibar have been disappointed by the government’s move to lower prices because some of them had already paid their labourers who had been employed to harvest the crop.
Even before the new prices were announced , clove farmers in the isles have been complaining of low prices.
Speaking to this paper recently, a representative of the farmers, Rashid Hamad, said lowering prices for grade one of the cash crop per kilo is subjecting them to a terrible loss since they had already spent more in terms of productions costs.
He viewed the government’s decision to lower the prices as daylight robbery and called for immediate remedial action.
Another farmer who preferred anonymity said the government has always been calling on people to take up farming to boost the economy and raise their standards of living.
“We wonder why the same government is now mistreating us in this way,” lamented another farmer, Johari Zubeir.
They have called on the Zanzibar President to intervene in the matter immediately with a view to finding a solution.
Recently the Zanzibar government reduced the price of cloves from 3,500/- to 1,200/- per kilogram of grade A crop.
Announcing the prices , the Marketing Manager for the Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC), Hassan Shoka, said that the measure was taken following a slump in prices in the world market.
According to the Marketing Manager, grade B cloves will now sell at 1,100/- instead of 2,500/- per kilogram while grade C crop will sell at 800/- instead of 1,500/- per kilogram.
He said the government could not continue to buy the crop at existing prices because by doing so it would suffer heavy losses.
Shoka said ZSTC might raise the prices, depending on the situation in the world market.
The government has also failed to purchase the entire crop from farmers, a situation which has led to a pile up. The Zanzibar government is the sole buyer of cloves in the Isles.
The Zanzibar government planned to buy 3000 tonnes of cloves valued at 11bn/- this season. Up to now , it has only bought 2,300/- tonnes.
In the world market, the price of cloves has dropped from 5,500 US dollars per ton to 3000 US dollars after big clove producing countries refused to import the crop so as to protect local farmers.

Hamad ordered to give names

Wednesday, January 22, 2003 .
By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Revolutionary Govern-ment of Zanzibar has ordered Secretary General of the Civic United Front (CUF), Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad, to give names of government officials whom he accused of being corrupt.
If he fails to do so, ‘appropriate’ actions will be taken against him.
The order was issued by the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Good Governance), Brigadier General (Retired), Adam Mwakanjuki when speaking to the press here yesterday.
Hamad was recently quoted as saying during a public rally that Zanzibar Government leaders were corrupt.
Mwakanjuki said that accusations made by the CUF leader were baseless and that, apart from misleading Zanzibaris, they were aimed at creating discontent among isles citizens.
He said if Maalim Seif could produce evidence to support his allegations, he (Mwakanjuki) would be the first minister to step down from his position.
“We want Hamad to publicly give evidence to support his accusation against government leaders, and if he manages to do so, I will be the first to resign,” declared Mwakanjuki.
He insisted that it was important that Maalim Seif obeyed the order and presented names to his office as the government of Zanzibar would not tolerate such false and generalised accusations.
He said it was part the Government’s achievements under its good governance policy in Zanzibar that the CUF leader was able to speak out his mind, just like other Zanzibaris, but he added: “Speaking out one’s mind should not mean jeopardising the rights of other citizens.”
Mwakanjuki criticised Hamad’s call on clove farmers to prepare themselves to confront the police when they are asked anything about the crop. The Minister said the call was unlawful and seditious.
He said opposition leaders had no idea about the dynamics of the clove market. He elaborated that the fall of price at international markets was not a political decision, but one that was dictated by world economic trends.
Mwakanjuki cautioned Hamad not to use the CUF/CCM Aaccord for his political ends and to break the law because the government would not tolerate any group of people who purposely jeopardised democracy and the good spirit of plural politics in the isles.

UNDP, DFID form strategic
partnership for Zanzibar

Wednesday, January 22, 2003.

By Guardian Reporter

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced a strategic partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to support poverty reduction initiatives and development management in Zanzibar.
The 9.6 million US dollars (about 9.5bn/-) programme to cover the period 2003-2005 will support programme interventions in four strategic areas within the Zanzibar Poverty Reduction Plan (ZPRP) - the government’s national strategy for poverty reduction - namely, Poverty Monitoring, Development Management and Public Finance, Support to Civil Society, and Governance.
“This ground-breaking partnership between the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, UK DFID and UNDP to promote pro-poor growth and build national capacity to lead the development effort, marks an important step forward in the fight against poverty, and is crucial to Zanzibar achieving the Millennium Development Goals” said UNDP Resident Representative, John Hendra.
Under the programme, a number of country analytical studies have been commissioned to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure and state of the macro economy and the governance requirements on the Isles.
As part of this initiative, UNDP, DFID, the World Bank and the Africa Development Bank are working with the Government of Zanzibar to undertake a Country Financial Accountability Assessment (CFAA).
The aim of the CFM is to examine the performance of public financial management institutions and provide a framework for identifying strengths and weaknesses in financial accountability in the public sector.
It will identify priorities for reform and design a capacity building programme for improved resource management and accountability.
Other studies include the Public Expenditure Review (PER), and a Country Economic Analysis funded by Sweden (SIDA).
Led by the World Bank with UNDP partnership, the PER will collect information on the current performance of budgetary and financial management and a country economic and social analysis.
The UNDP/DFID programme of support will also include the establishment of a poverty monitoring system in Zanzibar to promote evidence-based development planning, to assist the Government to formulate and implement a strategic plan for good governance, and to build the capacity of civil society to enable it better advocate for policies that benefit the poor.
The programme will also focus on promoting an increased understanding of human rights issues among law enforcement officials and support aid and donor coordination.
To address an immediate capacity need in government to effectively implement this programme, UNDP is providing computer equipment, including printers to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and other line ministries directly involved in the implementation of the ZPRP.
Discussions are also being held with the Government on holding a joint UN/Government review meeting in February.
“With the Government of Zanzibar putting in place the foundations for implementing its framework for poverty reduction, this programme of support is very timely, and we see it as key to improving the livelihood of our people”, said Julian Raphael, Principal Secretary, in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.
To help ensure an effective implementation of this programme and closer partnership with the Government and the people of Zanzibar, the UN plans to open a sub-office on the Isles in the next few months.
According to the UN 2001 Country Assessment for Zanzibar, poverty affects over half of the population.
Through the production of a development vision to eliminate abject poverty in Zanzibar by 2020 and a Poverty Reduction Plan, the government has shifted its efforts to designing policies and programmes that build national capacity and directly target poverty reduction.

Zanzibar Seeks Investor for AFC Fishing Project

The East African (Nairobi)

January 20, 2003

Faustine Rwambali, the Eastafrican
Nairobi

The Zanzibar government is looking for new investors in a multibillion deep-sea fishing and fish processing project that stalled in 1996.

The Zanzibar government and Africa Fishing Company Ltd (AFC) have agreed to look for an investor who will compensate AFC rent for the unexpired period of the lease, purchase all the assets owned by AFC and renegotiate with the Zanzibar government the existing lease agreement.

The Zanzibar Fisheries Corporation (Zafico) managed the project until 1996, when its assets were leased out to AFC for 30 years under an agreement in which AFC procured and brought to the Zafico premises components of a fish processing plant and allied equipment.

AFC paid nine-years' rent in advance, but the company later met with financial difficulties. It is now in liquidation.

The Zanzibar Commissioner for Public Investments, Said Mohammed Hussein, said last week that the government will invite an investor with proven expertise, experience and the financial ability to revive and manage a profitable deep-sea fishing and fish-processing company in Zanzibar.

He however declined to comment further, saying: The project is at the tendering stage, whose deadline was on January 8. Giving any information now would jeopardise the process, he said.

In the meantime, the government is also looking for investors in the rubber industry on Unguja and Pemba islands. The 1,270 hectares of rubber plantations are located in Kichwele and Selem in Unguja, and Maziwani, Sanaa, Pongwa, Ngezi, Kangani, Baharini, Kishindeni and Laaraq in Pemba.

Last year, the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency (Zipa) cancelled over 30 projects worth $4.2 million that had failed to operate to capacity.

It also transferred 14 projects worth an estimated $3.2 million to the Zanzibar government. These will now be handled by the respective ministries.

Zipa director-general Hemed Hikmany said late last year that the reasons for the cancellation varied from one project to the other but the common ones were: Failure to get land, strict conditions in getting land, failure to raise needed capital and some projects did not meet Zipa's standards.

He declined to name the owners and value of the projects, saying: The list of 50 projects is too long; we would not advise anybody to publish it.

Although there has been a massive campaign to promote investment in Zanzibar, records show that only 42 per cent of projects are still operational. The projects are in tourism, production, agriculture, construction, transportation and fisheries.

The creation of the Zipa, the Export Processing Zones, the Zanzibar Free Port Authority and the Zanzibar Free Economic Zone Authority (Zafreza) had an immediate positive impact on investment.

* 2001, out of 40 projects worth $1.5 billion approved by Zafreza, 19 , worth $1.2 billion have already closed down. Similarly, at the EPZ, only two companies are still in operation.

Last year, Zipa cancelled over 30 projects worth $4.2 million that had failed to operate to capacity.

Terror Warnings Hit Zanzibar Economy

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

January 21, 2003
Dar Es Salaam

As Western countries last week warned their citizens travelling to Zanzibar of possible terror attacks, Tanzanians say tourism on the archipelago has already been affected, even though no attack has occurred.

Tanzanian police say security has been increased, but complain of a lack of any "concrete" information from international security agencies that would help them with preventive investigations into suspected terrorists.

"During the day, we have armed guards and at night we have patrols inside and outside the hotel as well as other internal measures," explains Maringa Mugo, the manager of the Serena Hotel in the heart of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town. "But yes, there has been an impact on bookings and we have begun to receive the cancellations."

A week after the warnings were first issued, the extent of these cancellations is only just becoming clear.

"We are seeing severe cancellations on current and future bookings," Issa Mlingoti, an official from Zanzibar's Commission for Tourism, told IRIN. "Some hotels are telling us of over 50 percent cancellations, while the travel agents are telling us that their charter flights are coming to take people home, but are not bringing any more visitors, so we expect the Italian resorts to be empty very soon."

Mlingoti said the situation was becoming "very, very serious" and predicted the islands would suffer enormously as tourism brings in over 25 percent of their foreign currency earnings.

However, tourists already on Zanzibar, which is famous for its pristine white beaches, spice industry and history as an Arab trading port, do not seem greatly concerned by the warnings.

"Yes, I did know that the US and the UK governments had issued warnings but they only said that people should be careful, not that they should not come," Jens Kristoffsen, a 21-year-old backpacker, told IRIN. "People don't seem that worried, but we have spent most of our time in the north, on the beaches, where there is little that they could bomb anyway."

Observers agree, however, that these latest warnings will have a devastating effect on the Zanzibari economy, which, since the collapse of the clove market, relies heavily on tourism and has already been hit hard by the effects of the El Nino phenomenon, election-related violence, and several cholera outbreaks.

Since receiving the information about possible attacks, Khalid Idd, Zanzibar's Police Commissioner, told IRIN he had posted uniformed and non-uniformed security personnel to guard hotels and beaches, intensified security checks at airports and seaports, and stepped up the physical screening of baggage and the profiling of passengers.

However, police sources in Dar es Salaam have complained of a lack of cooperation from the countries responsible for issuing the warnings.

"When we ask them [intelligence sources] to give us everything that they have, they don't seem to give us the full picture. There is nothing concrete and, as a result, we are not looking for any particular people or group," a senior police officer told IRIN.

"They are putting us in a difficult position," he said.

Likewise, diplomatic representatives on the island have expressed surprise at the warnings, saying that they had not received any information regarding the matter, prior to the announcement's being published in the media.

There is a slightly increased police presence on the streets of Stone Town and security at the port appears to have been tightened, but some Zanzibaris feel that it will take more than just law enforcement to protect their island.

"We need a collective effort from the government and its state organs, but also from the opposition and society in general," suggests Ismail Jussa an opposition Civic United Front official. "We need to tackle this together and internal politics should be put behind us for the sake of national interests."

"Just to patrol the streets is not enough of a preventative measure - these people have shown that they can disguise themselves as ordinary members of society. We shall see if the government will involve all of the population. We lack the technical expertise, therefore we should rely on our goodwill," he said.

‘Zanzibar safe for residents, visitors’

Tuesday, January 21, 2003 .

By Guardian Reporter

The revolutionary government of Zanzibar has assured residents and visitors that it has taken all the necessary steps to ensure their safety in the face of threats of terrorist attacks.
The government said in a statement yesterday that it had acted on a recent warning regarding possible terror attacks and that the situation in Zanzibar was under control as far as terror attacks were concerned.
A statement issued yesterday by Isles Minister for Trade, Industries, Marketing and Tourism, Mohammed Aboud Mohammed, said security forces were in a state of alert and have taken extra precautions to ensure that security prevailed on the Isles.
“I want to assure Zanzibar residents and our visitors that the government will continue to cooperate with friends in a bid to ensure that security and tranquillity prevails,” the Minister said.
He noted that security had been heightened in every part of the islands and he appealed to members of the public to volunteer information whenever they encountered unusual or peculiar activities.
The government statement comes a few days after the US and UK had cautioned that Zanzibar was among places that are being targeted by terrorists.
The Minister appealed to all those who wished to visit the clove islands to do so because the government would ensure their safety.
For some time now, people in Zanzibar have been living in apprehension following the report of possible terror attacks on the islands
This follows an attack on a tourist resort in Mombasa Kenya late last year.

Yemenis reported arrested in Z'bar

Monday, January 20, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

Six people, said to be carrying Yemen national passports, are reported to have been arrested by police here shortly after they showed up at a tourist hotel, although the police later denied the reports.
The alleged arrests come in the wake of heightened warning issued by the United States and Britain against possible terror attacks in Zanzibar.
Information obtained by PST said that the arrested foreigners were taken to Mjini Magharibi Police Station for interrogation.
PST leant over the weekend that the Yemen nationals were arrested shortly after arriving at the international tourist hotel of Serena seeking accommodation.
It was reported that the foreigners, who come from different parts of Yemen, arrived in Zanzibar from Tanga Region.
The Yemen nationals were reportedly arrested shortly after an Italian medical doctor, who was called in by the hotel authorities after one of the guests had complained of “health disorders”, attended to one of them.
Sources at the hotel told PST that the Yemenis were arrested on Friday night shortly after the Italian doctor had left.
“We received them, but later they told us that they were in need of medical services. After the doctor was called in and attended to the patient, he left and shortly afterwards, policemen arrived,” said one of the hotel workers who refused to be named.
The worker said the visitors were taken under tight security, adding that there were unconfirmed reports that on arrival at police station, they refused to give any statement until their country’s representative here was called.
“Since they were arrested by police on Friday night, we have not seen them again. We have heard that they are still under police custody and that they have been arrested under investigations on alleged international terrorism,” a security guard at the tourist hotel, said.
Police reports said after their arrest and upon arrival at the police station, they were searched and were found to be in possession of passports that were written in Arabic.
In their statements, the foreigners allegedly claimed that they hailed from the same place in Yemen, but their documents showed that they come from different parts of Yemen which somehow aroused suspicion among the investigating police.
When asked, the Mjini Magharibi Regional Police Commander, George Kizuguto, however, denied he had any information regarding the arrest of such people.

Happy weekend in Zanzibar construction site
 

Sunday 19/1/2003

Shanghai Daily eastday.com

Joyful people on Saturday morning gathered at a construction site in West District of Zanzibar, capital city of the island of Zanzibar, to take part in the opening ceremony of the Zanzibar Residential Housing Project.

The project is to be undertaken by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation, which enjoys good reputation in other African countries for their excellent performances in residential housing construction.

National flags of China and Tanzania were flying in the air. In the open ground were some women who, accompanied by rhythmic music, were dancing a Zanzibar folk dance. Chinese technical personnel and Zanzibar construction workers clapped to concert them.

At around 11 a.m. (0800 GMT), Zanzibar President Abeid Amani Karume and Chinese Consul General to Zanzibar Li Qingjiang arrived at the construction site. Karume unveiled a piece of cloth covered on a groundbreaking stone, touching off a wave of applause.

The whole project includes four three-story residential buildings, one shop and pump house, exterior roads and fence, covering a total of 3162 square meters of construction, Ramadhan Mussa Bakari, project coordinator and chief civil engineer of the Department of Construction of Zanzibar, told Karume.

Bakari, who studied architecture in China's elite Tsinghua University from 1976 to 1981, said the project will provide a comfortable and convenient life to residents when it is completed at the end of this year.

After Karume and other guests were seated, two Zanzibar girls started singing a folk song with a sweet melody. The words of the song reflected traditional friendship between China and Zanzibar, including the Zanzibar sugar mill built by China and the wholehearted services to local patients by the Chinese medical team.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, President Karume expressed his gratitude to the warm help of the Chinese government and people to Zanzibar, saying the history of the past years has proved the Zanzibar-Chinese relationship could withstand the tests of time and changes of both domestic and international situations.

Karume said he believes the Zanzibar Residential Housing Project, another symbol of friendship between Zanzibar and China, will set an example for the construction of residential housing in Zanzibar.

Pointing at the open space behind school children sitting in front of him, Karume asked "what's that behind you?"

Children replied "construction site!"

"What will be built there?"

"Apartment buildings!"

"Who will help us build it?"

"Chinese!" Childish voices resounded over the construction site.

Deeply touched by the lovely children, Chinese technical personnel and Zanzibar construction workers applauded warmly. The crowd burst into a great laughter.

For his part, Li Qingjiang said that China's close relations with Zanzibar dated back even before the founding of the Untied Republic of Tanzania, and the Chinese government and people will, within its capacity, continue to support the Zanzibar people in their economic development.

The brief opening ceremony ended, but the construction site was still permeated with a festive atmosphere.

Tanzania tightens security after attack warnings
 

15 Jan 2003 14:11

DAR ES SALAAM, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Tanzania said on Wednesday it had stepped up security on its Indian ocean Zanzibar island after the United states and Britain warned their nationals that extremists might be planning attacks in the archipelago.

"We will follow up any people acting in a suspicious manner be they foreign or Tanzanian, and any elements that are thought to be colluding with terrorists in Zanzibar," Zanzibar police Commissioner Khalid Iddi Nuizzan told Reuters.

However he added police had no evidence of any particular violent extremist group operating on the island.

Britain earlier warned its citizens in Zanzibar to be especially careful in public places such as hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping malls, echoing a U.S. warning last week to its citizens visiting what is a popular tourist destination.

The alerts were published less than two months after three suicide bombers killed 13 people and themselves in a blast at an Israeli-owned hotel in neighbouring Kenya.

Minutes before that attack, two missiles were fired at an Israeli airliner carrying 261 passengers as it took off from Kenya's Mombasa airport. The missiles missed. Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Reactions were mixed among ordinary Zanzibaris with some calling the warnings an attempt to discredit Islam.

Others were unmoved. But Amina Ali, who sells food on the narrow streets of Zanzibar's Stonetown, was shaken.

"I am scared," she said. "I'm trying to avoid places where tourists go like the beach. If such an attack can happen in Mombasa then it can happen here".

Nuizzan said police patrols had been increased in public places such as hotels and beaches and that they were on the look out for any suspicious looking characters.

Hotels on the predominantly Muslim island had also increased security and were employing extra guards to reassure guests.

"We now have armed uniformed guards at the hotel during the day, and at night and we have non-uniformed armed guards posted in various places throughout our hotel," a manager at a leading resort said.

Thousands of tourists visit Zanzibar, a honeymoon paradise, each year, drawn by the warm blue waters of the Indian Ocean, pristine beaches, abundant marine life and rich history. Tourism is the second biggest foreign exchange earner after cloves.

Pedro Lacerini, 25, an Italian on holiday with his girlfriend, said he was encouraged by the new security measures at his hotel. "I'm having fun and I feel safe," he said.

Zanzibar comprises two islands Unguja and the lesser-known Pemba, but the former is the one people tend to mean when they refer to Zanzibar. The islands joined with mainland Tanganyika in 1964 to form Tanzania.

Zanzibar tax income doubles -Karume
Blames population rise for dismal impact
 

Monday, January 13, 2003 .

By Peter Nyanje

Tax collection in the Isles has increased from 11.9m/- in 1998/98 to 20.9bn/- last financial year. Also, the inflation rate has fallen from 8.3 per cent in 2000 to just 3 per cent in 2001.
Addressing a rally to mark the climax of 39th anniversary of Zanzibar Revolution at Amaan Stadium yesterday, Zanzibar President Aman Abeid Karume said achievements had been recorded in economic, social and political spheres.
“However, due to high rate of population increase, these achievements hardly reach many people in the society,” he told the gathering, which included high ranking government officials from the Zanzibar and Union governments, led by President Benjamin Mkapa.
He urged people to increase their participation in economic, social and political spheres so as to maintain what had been achieved so far.
Karume said that in the past year, the country embarked on a programme to assess revenue collection.
The Zanzibar President said the move was aimed at looking into procurement procedures, collection and utilization of economic data.
The assessment also dwelt on cloves, the main cash crop in the Isles. He said that the report would be out next month.
“The evaluation will enable the government to direct the meagre resources to sensitive areas which are vital in the economic recovery programme,” Karume said.
He named the sensitive sectors, which would receive special allocations as health, education, agriculture, transportation and communication, water, good governance and HIV/AIDS programmes.
“These increased allocations will come not only from the government but also from donor assistance and grants,” he said.
Karume said implementation of Accord between Chama cha Mapinduzi and Civic United Front had enabled the country to regain confidence of various donors, including the European Union.
“We will continue to take appropriate steps to encourage democracy, human rights, transparency,” he added.
Karume addressed the gathering after inspecting the guard of honour mounted by Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces, Kikosi Maalum cha Kuzuia Magendo (KMKM), Police, Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi (JKU), Chuo cha Mafunzo (Prisons) and Volunteers.
Other dignitaries who attended the ceremony included the Vice President, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, Former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye, former Zanzibar President Dr Salmin Amour, Zanzibar Chief Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, former PM Mzee Rashid Kawawa, CCM Secretary General Phillip Mangula and CUF Secretary General Seif Sharrif Hamad, who did not attend such gatherings in the past.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

Tanzania

January 10, 2003

This Public Announcement is issued to alert Americans to the potential for terrorist actions on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. This Public Announcement expires on May 12, 2003.

The Department of State has received information that a terrorist group may be planning an attack on an unspecified location frequented by Westerners on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. This may include restaurants, clubs or hotels. American citizens visiting Zanzibar or other near-by coastal locations in Tanzania are cautioned to take appropriate measures and carefully evaluate their security posture.

U.S. citizens are urged to register and to update their contact information with the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam. American citizens overseas may contact the American Citizen Services unit of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania by telephone at [255](22)266-6010 or via email at consulardx@state.gov for up-to-date information on security conditions.

Union, Zanzibar governments collide over visa money

January 09, 2003 .


By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

A dispute has erupted between the union government and the government of Zanzibar over collection of visa fees charged on tourists visiting the Isles.
Reports say that the matter has now been forwarded to the Vice President, Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, for resolution after the Zanzibar government was barred from collecting the fees.
Addressing journalists in Zanzibar yesterday, the Chairman of the Zanzibar Tourist Commission, Issa Ahmed, said though the matter was discussed by high ranking officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources and the Tourist Commission of Zanzibar, no agreement was reached.
According to the Chairman, Zanzibar has been collecting the fees for quite sometime without any interference but was told to stop early last year. The tax is now being collected by Tanzanian missions abroad.
"We used to collect 30 US dollars as Visa fees from every tourist who visited Zanzibar. The money was used in various development projects related to tourism," he said.
Ahmed said with the implementation of the new system, Zanzibar is now losing a lot of revenue from the tourism sector, money that would otherwise be used to improve social services.
Some high-ranking officials in the Zanzibar government say that the issue of visas is a Union matter and Zanzibar was contravening regulations by collecting the fees.
On the other hand, Ahmed said the tourism sector in the Isles had improved tremendously after the two governments stepped up the campaign to promote tourist attractions on the Isles.
He explained that Zanzibar earned substantial revenue from sale of various goods include hotel levy and business licences .

Z'bar Govt leases Chaguu, Bawe islets

January 08, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, PST Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has leased out two islets to a foreign investor in its bid to promote tourism.
The Minister for Industry, Marketing and Tourism, Mohamed Abood Mohamed, said the government has been forced to privatize the two islets in line with its programme to improve its economy.
He said the lease of Chaguu and Bawe islets to Leisure Hotel Limited is valid for 33 years. The investor engages in tourism in East and Central Africa.
The privatization is expected to render 50 per cent of the employees in the Zanzibar Tourism Corporation redundant.
About 100,000 tourists who visit the Stone Town annually also visit the two islets.
Prior to privatization, Chaguu and Bawe islets were under the Zanzibar Tourism Corporation, which was self-reliant, but their divestiture would force it to cut its workforce.
However, the new investor and the Zanzibar government have agreed that the tourism corporation would be collecting 1,000 US dollars fee every month until the end of the lease.
He declined to disclose the direct benefits that the government would get from the lease on excuse that the proper authority was the Lands and Environment Department which handled the privatization of the isles.
The minister admitted that the selection of the investor did not pass through an open tender in accordance with the law. He attributed the ‘defect’ to a special request that the investor made to the government.
“This request was made a year ago and was brought to the attention of the State House (Zanzibar) for security reasons. It is not true that some individuals have a stake in the privatization process,” he told PST in an interview.
However, sources from the Ministry of Industry, Marketing and Tourism indicated that the government would be getting 50,000 US dollars annually, which is lower than what the state tourism company used to collect.
The Director of the Department of Lands and Environment, Salum Simba, said land experts in collaboration with the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency (ZIPA) were finalizing a feasibility study of the islets before they are handed over to the investor.
“I can’t tell the amount of money which the Zanzibar government would get out of this privatization, we are supposed to immediately finish the technical report in collaboration with ZIPA,” he said.
ZIPA Public Relations Officer Khadija Alli Juma said the government had privatized the islets in order to boost tourism. She did not elaborate the benefits.
Sources here had it that, the Zanzibar Tourism Corporation used to get about 9m/- every month from the two tourist attractions
Some officials in Abood’s ministry told PST that their efforts to advise the government not to lease out the islets fell on deaf ears.
“Our efforts to protect workers and their rights to work failed because the answer was that the decision to privatize the two islets has been made at the State House,” one senior government official said.
Apart from other natural resources, the two islets are also famous for rare species of tortoise, some of which are 100 years old.
Two government hotels, Africa House and Zanzibar Hotel have already been privatized, but their former workers are yet to get their terminal benefits.
However, Minister Abood blamed the former government of President Salmin Amour that effected the disposal, but did not pay terminal benefits to the workers.
He said retrenchment of workers in order to improve state firms and industries was unavoidable and that civil servants should be ready for the changes.

Isle govt reduces price of cloves

 January 07, 2003 .

By PST Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has reduced the price of cloves from 3,500/- to 1,200/- per kilogram of grade A crop.
Announcing the prices, the Marketing Manager for Zanzibar State Trading Corporation (ZSTC), Hassan Shoka, said that the measure was taken following a slump in the world market.
He said the government could not continue to buy the crop at existing prices because by doing so it would suffer heavy losses.
According to the Marketing Manager, grade B cloves will now sell at 1,100/- instead of 2,500/- per kilogram while grade C crop will sell at 800/- instead of 1,500/- per kilogram.
Shoka said ZSTC might raise the prices, depending on the situation in the world market.
Even before the new prices were announced yesterday, clove farmers in the isles have been complaining of low prices.
Besides, the government has failed to purchase the entire crop from farmers, a situation which has led to a pile up. The Zanzibar government is the sole buyer of cloves in the Isles.
However, many farmers have been disappointed by the move to lower prices because some of them had already paid much money to labourers who had been engaged to harvest the crop.
The Zanzibar government planned to buy 3,000 tonnes of cloves valued at 11bn/- this season. Until now, it has bought 2,300/- tonnes.
The price of cloves has dropped from 5,500 US dollars per ton to 3,000 US dollars after big clove producing countries refused to import the crop so as to protect local farmers.

Two survive Tanzania shipwreck

5 January, 2003

Fishermen off the Tanzanian coast have rescued two men from the sea four days after a boat carrying at least 40 people capsized, police say.
Hopes are now fading that any other survivors will be found.

The body of a man also believed to have been aboard the ferry was recovered.
Most of the passengers were returning from a wedding party on the mainland. The newly-married couple was also on the ship.

The ferry left Tanga for the island of Pemba, in the Zanzibar archipelago, on Tuesday.
One relative said he believed the boat, the Shukuru, had capsized in a severe storm.

The BBC's Ali Saleh in Zanzibar says ferry accidents are common in the region.
Last year, about 50 people were killed in three such tragedies.

Pemba North police chief Ali Mbilikila said the two survivors - both men from Pemba - were "too weak to speak after spending four days in rough seas".
"Therefore we don't know what happened to the other passengers."

Local police have no boats at their disposal for a rescue operation, and rely on fishermen to work as rescuers, correspondents say. According to the police, the Shukuru was overloaded with passengers and a cargo of fruit and vegetables.

Fears rise for missing Tanzanian ferry
 

Friday, 3 January, 2003, 15:56 GMT

At least 40 people are feared dead after a ferry disappeared off the coast of Tanzania.
Most of the passengers on board the overloaded Shukuru ferry were returning from a wedding party on the mainland. The newly-married couple was also on the ship.

The ferry left Tanga, on mainland Tanzania, for the island of Pemba, in the Zanzibar archipelago on Tuesday and has not been seen since. The BBC's Ali Saleh in Zanzibar says that ferry accidents are common in the region.

He says that last year, about 50 people were killed in three such tragedies. Police say they do not know what happened as no bodies have been found. The ferry may have been swept away towards Kenya or the Comoros islands.

Fruit and vegetables

A relative of one of the passengers, Amour Nassor Omar, was quoted as saying that the ferry had capsized during a severe storm. Local facilities made it impossible to launch a search and rescue operation, police said.

"We don't have any boats to launch a rescue operation, so we can't say exactly where the boat disappeared, or if anybody survived," Pemba North police chief Ali Mbilikila said.

"Relatives of passengers on board the boat have been waiting at the Pemba port for any sign of the vessel or bodies being washed to the beach," he said.

The boat was reportedly overloaded with passengers and a cargo of potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

Cholera kills seven on Tanzanian island of Zanzibar

02.01.2003  

 Seven people have died of cholera in Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar since the disease resurfaced there two weeks ago, state-owned radio reported Thursday. A total of 174 people have so far been affected and the government in Zanzibar has banned the sale of juice, ice-cream and liquid foodstuffs at open-market stalls, Voice of Zanzibar radio reported, quoting Deputy Health Minister Zainab Shomari. 

TRA Zanzibar misses target
 

By Abduel Kenge

Despite an increase in collection of total revenue collection in October last year, TRA in Zanzibar missed its revenue target by 8.3 per cent.
The total revenue collections for isles accounted for 91.7 percent of the projected monthly level of Tsh.5.5 billion.
However, during the period under review, according to Bank of Tanzania (BoT), total revenue increased from Tsh.5 billion collected in September 2002, to Tsh.5.1billion in October 2002.
The failure to meet the target was attributed to the decline in domestic trade activities culminating into decreases in Value Added Tax (VAT) and exercise duties (local) and other tax revenues.
Income tax slightly decreased by 1 percent during the period under review to Tsh. 0.4 billion. However tax on imports increased by 18.9 percent to Tsh.1.7 billion. Revenue from non- tax sources also increased by 15 percent to Tsh.1.1 billion during the review period.
On cumulative basis, revenue collection during July-October 2002 amounted to Tsh.15.2 billion accounting for 68.5 percent of the target of Tsh.22.2 billion and accounted for 22.8 percent of the annual target of Tsh.66.5 billion.
Before the 2000 budget, with the exception of a few essential consumer goods, such as sugar, wheat flour, rice and khangas, which enjoy a differential tariff, other imported goods are charged at the same rate in both the Mainland and the Isles.
But the Karume administration change the system and all goods were taxed the same tariff as Tanzania mainland to curb smuggling and killed almost the Zanzibar route. This resulted into decreasing of goods coming to Zanzibar port as businesspersons resume the use of Dar port.
Nevertheless President Karume regime increased taxes from merely Tsh.2 billion to Tsh.3billion in 2000 to Tsh.5.1billion of October last year. Karume is the sixth president of Zanzibar revolution government.