Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR President Hussein Mwinyi has issued a stern warning to traders who hoard essential commodities such as sugar, rice and wheat flour to create an artificial shortage and hike prices, saying they will be penalized under economic sabotage law.
He said that since Zanzibar relies heavily on importation of foods from Tanzania mainland and abroad, some dishonest traders have been capitalizing on the situation to hide essential commodities to create artificial shortages with the aim of increasing prices.
"Hoarding commodities is tantamount to economic sabotage; we will investigate to find out traders engaged in that habit. Importers have assured us that there is enough stock of sugar, wheat flour and rice in the country to take us through the Holy Month of Ramadan later this month," Dr Mwinyi said.
Traditionally, prices of commodities increase during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
Dr Mwinyi was speaking yesterday at the State House, where he said the government has taken multiple measures to control inflation in the Islands, but some causes of the price hike are beyond the government control.
"We cannot control price hikes in the global market caused by various factors, including the Ukraine/Russia war," said the president.
Dr Mwinyi also said the ongoing reforms at the seaport, airport and health sector which include outsourcing or promoting Public Private Partnership (PPP) aims at enhancing efficiency, provision of better services and improve revenue collection.
He also said that the ongoing plan to construct a multipurpose seaport at Mangapwani area in Unguja North will solve most of the current challenges at Malindi seaport.
The president used the platform to call on political parties in Zanzibar to stop misleading the public on various developmental issues carried out by the government.
He said that democracy and freedom to conduct public rallies is meant to give constructive criticism and talk about the development agenda and not to mislead people.
Dr Mwinyi said he heard leaders from ACT-Wazalendo political party talk about what they call under performance and illegal outsourcing at Malindi seaport and Zanzibar airport Terminal III.
"What they said was misleading to people. I welcome criticism with facts that aim at building the country."
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"We are building a big port in Mangapwani which will be a permanent solution and what we are doing in Malindi port is a temporary solution," Dr Mwinyi said, adding that the government will continue to plan strategically in developing other ports in Unguja and Pemba so that they can bring productivity to the people.
Talking about the Dubai based DNATA Company, contracted for ground handling at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) Terminal III; President Mwinyi said the reasons were to improve efficiency and revenue collection.
He said companies that existed before contracting DNATA have been doing the ground handling for more than 25 years, only contributing five per cent of its collection to the government, but DNATA is contributing 12 per cent with efficiency.
"In December, last year, the airport collected about 8.1bn/- which was the last quarter of the year. This shows that on average we can collect 32b/- a year, while car parking has fetched more than 100m/- in a month against only 2m/- in a year."
Dr Mwinyi argued that due to workable reforms, Zanzibar Airport is now the leading airport in Tanzania with more scheduled flights and good revenue collection.
Following the lifting of the ban on public rallies, the ACT-Wazalendo launched public rallies last Sunday in Nungwi coastal village, where the party main speakers including Mr Zito Kabwe and Mr Juma Duni Haji raised concerns over outsourcing programme at Malindi seaport and airport and also use of IMF Covid-19 relief fund directed to support youth.
