Zanzibar — FIRST Vice President Othman Masoud Othman has been irked by the filthy state of the Zanzibar city streets directing respective authorities to ensure that the situation is improved.

He directed the city and other municipal councils' authorities to rid of the streets garbage, beggars, and other environmental nuisances.

Mr Othman issued the directives here when he made an impromptu visit in various areas of the city, to see preparations for the Eid al Fitr which was marked on Saturday. In Zanzibar the celebrations are marked for four days.

"Keeping our Islands, particularly streets of Zanzibar city clean and organized, will attract more visitors including tourists. It is a shame to have dirty streets with unattended garbage," said the First VP .

Mr Othman visited the famous streets of Darajani, Mlandege, Mchangani, and Mbuyuni with shopping centres. People with disabilities are also placed along the streets to beg. Purportedly unidentified group of people have been using the PWDs to beg.

Despite repeated promise by authorities including Regional Commissioner for the Urban-West Region Mr Idris Kitwana Mustafa, the state minister- Local governments Mr Masoud Mohamed and the state minister responsible for Environment and PWDs, Ms Harusi Said Suleiman to act tough on filthiness and beggars, the problems still persist.

Mr Othman, second man in Zanzibar leadership hierarchy in the Government of National Unity (GNU), expressed disappointment with the presence of mixed waste and rainwater, which affects the environment and smooth operations of businesses and other activities.

During Othman's visit to the streets, several businessmen raised various challenges they faced asking the government to address them, including a controversy over taxes demanded by the Zanzibar Revenue Authority (ZRA).