The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Ray Naluyaga
24 November 2009
Zanzibar — The Civic United Front (CUF) has warmly received the speech by Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume on the recent political developments in the Isles.
Its national chairman, Professor Ibrahim Lipumba, said in a statement yesterday that they hoped the speech was given in the spirit of building the nation.
Speaking from abroad, Prof Lipumba commented: "My party and I have been heartened by the decision by CCM members in Unguja to organise the rally which was addressed by their deputy national chairman."
He said they have also been elated by President Karume's speech which has shed more light on the intention by the Zanzibar leaders to build their nation afresh.
"The intention to build the nation has been our policy since the party was founded, and we once again support and promise cooperation to reach the target after the meeting of President Karume and the CUF secretary general, Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad," said Prof Lipumba.
Meanwhile, CUF leaders in Zanzibar also positively received the speech by President Karume.
Speaking to The Citizen in yesterday, the party's director of foreign affairs, Mr Ismail Jussa, said he was pleased with the speech which has shed light on the need to consolidate unity among Zanzibaris.
"The speech confirmed what Maalim Seif said in his two public rallies held in Unguja and Pemba. But, most importantly, he did not mock Mr Hamad as it used to be the case in the past. Instead he congratulated him for his courage to announce his new stance," he said.
Early this month, Mr Hamad announced in two public rallies held in Unguja and Pemba that the party had decided to recognise Mr Karume as the legitimate President of Zanzibar.
Mr Jussa continued to say that another very important thing the president said in his speech was the fact that the people of Zanzibar should expect more things to come as the outcome of the newly-found political platform in the Isles.
He said by that statement he believes that President Karume will further continue to open doors to much bigger things during the ongoing process.
Commenting on President Karume's remark that any decision concerning the future of Zanzibar will be made by the people implied CCM's stance on the referendum which led Muafaka III to a stall, Mr Jussa said:
"I think we have no reason to worry; what the President said is that any major decisions involving the future of Zanzibar will be made by the citizens themselves, and there is no harm in letting the people decide on their destiny."
He said even CUF has a policy which stresses on letting the people make decisions on important and sensitive issues.
"The President emphasised that there is nothing which cannot be discussed," he noted.
For his part, the party's communications director, Mr Salum Bimani, said he received the speech with both his hands.
He noted that the President laid emphasis on the fact that when the matter is taken to the people for decision making it will be accepted if it is for their interest.
He congratulated CCM supporters for receiving well the decision to uphold and maintain peace as well as establish an understanding between CUF and CCM in Zanzibar.
He said the spirit that was displayed by CCM supporters at the rally was a good indication that they were ready to support all good things that would be brought before them for decision.
He expressed his hope that Maalim Seif and President Karume would meet again in the near future to proceed with what they have started.
"The fact that the President acknowledged that sustainable peace has been found in the isles is a clear indication that there will be a progressive dialogue between the two parties with the intention of ensuring that many good things will come from Zanzibar.
Mr Simai Mahamed Said, who was a CCM candidate for the Mji Mkongwe Parliamentary seat in the last General Election, congratulated President Karume for the political maturity he displayed by congratulating Mr Hamad at a CCM public rally.
"Political divisions in Zanzibar led to some people not being keen listeners of what the President has been saying all along," he said.
He also supported President Karume's remarks that any decision on how Zanzibar should be ruled must seek the consent of the people.
He said as a democratic state it would only be fair if the participation of the people was taken into account when such major decisions are made.
He said the President noted in his speech that Zanzibar has now found sustainable peace and anyone who will come with a different statement will be a traitor to the unity, peace and prosperity of the people of Zanzibar.
In Dar es Salaam, the vice chairman of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) on the Mainland, Mr Pius Msekwa, yesterday said the current political developments in Zanzibar were a signal that 2010 General Elections will be free and fair without any violence.
Mr Msekwa was talking to the Cuban ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Ernesto Diaz, during the signing of a five-year political agreement between the Communist Party of Cuba and CCM.
Mr Msekwa said many elections held in Zanzibar previously were characterised by violence, but his party was confident that next year's General Election will be different.
"After these new developments we are witnessing now, such problems will be history in the country's elections," said Mr Msekwa.
He said it was not a secret that what the two leaders in Zanzibar have done has turned the political scene to be more democratic than before.
He said: "We as CCM on the mainland commend and support those initiatives."
Additional reporting by Vicent Mnyanyika, Dar
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