Zanzibar — PRESIDENT Hussein Ali Mwinyi has reiterated to remain firm in his crusade against corrupt and indiscipline public servants, vowing to take tough measures, especially against the ones implicated in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.
"I remain serious in the fight and employees who would-be found guilty of funds' embezzlement will not be spared including to be fired from work and prosecution in Court," he pointed out, during his monthly engagement with journalists at the Zanzibar State House, yesterday.
As the reporters fielded several questions including why the unveiling of the 2021/2022 CAG report was delayed to public, Dr Mwinyi responded that it was due to the busy schedules he had had in the past three weeks, including procedure and legal requirements that it must be first submitted to the House of Representatives.
He added: "We are now ready and the Comptroller and Auditor General report is scheduled for reading on Saturday June 3, 2023 at the (Zanzibar) State House."
Since ascending to power, Dr Mwinyi introduced reading of the CAG report in the public and promised to punish or hold accountable, people who would be proved to be corrupt and unethical in managing public funds.
However, he dismissed as baseless and misleading claims that the delay to release the CAG reports this year was an attempt by the government to shelter or shield suspects implicated in the report.
He said that as a proof that he is fully committed to ending corruption in the Islands; some executives implicated in the past CAG report were removed from office and charged in court.
Regarding the development of tourism, Dr Mwinyi explained that his administration has the desire and plans to develop the sector to continue to remain as the leading contributor to Zanzibar's economy for the next three years.
Elaborating, he noted: "Tourism currently contributes about 30 per cent to the GDP and we have to invest much in tourism so that we remain at the top and we must improve our hotels and services to attract more tourists."
In the plans, he cited developing conference tourism like in the recent meeting of Tanzania Personal Secretaries Association (TAPSEA) and Tanzania Records and Archives Management Professionals Association (TRAMPA) members from Tanzania mainland who 'brought wealth to Zanzibar from May 22-27 this year in Fumba, Zanzibar.'
Dr Mwinyi also reaffirmed that the government is committed to developing ports, including the implementation of the Mangapwani Port construction project in the northern region of Unguja.
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He added: "We aim at having the biggest port in the East African region and Zanzibar Government negotiation team is still under discussion with investors."
In a related development, Dr Mwinyi asked the people to ignore the unfounded speculation and unconstructive criticism that they plan to derail the plan.
Earlier, the President explained his trip to Qatar where he attended the major international trade and investment meeting in Dohar representing the President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan saying it was fruitful.
"For example, Qatar is famous for oil and gas production and its companies have shown interest in investing more in research and oil production in Zanzibar. Our Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) and Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) executives who were in the delegation had a good discussion with investors in Qatar," he added.
