Zanzibar — NON Zanzibaris and foreigners possessing Zanzibar Resident Identity Cards (Vitambulisho vya Makazi) risk prosecution and penalty, the Minister of the State, Second Vice President's Office, Mr Mohamed Aboud Mohamed, has warned.

"Concerned institutions are now investigating to establish non-Zanzibaris and non-Tanzanians holding ZanIDs.

Legal action will be taken against officials involved in issuing the IDs illegally," Mr Mohamed yesterday said when answering questions from Saleh Nassor Juma (Wawi).

Mr Juma had wanted to know whether ZanIDs will be taken into consideration when issuing National Identity Cards.

The legislators alleged that there were non-Zanzibaris and non-Tanzanians possessing ZanIDs. The minister said that all Zanzibaris with ZanIDs were entitled to get the National Identity Cards, since they were all Tanzanians.