Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR President, Hussein Ali Mwinyi has expressed measures to up efficiency of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Among others, the President highlighted budgetary mechanisms to build a new modern building for the commission and purchase new vehicles.
"We have to construct a new structure that will be in line with the status of the commission. This should be done in the coming fiscal year," Dr Mwinyi said at the State House on Saturday after receiving a five-year performance report of ZEC.
He also promised that ZEC should have new offices in all districts, with the main office in Pemba, and that allocation of the budget for construction of ZEC modern buildings is set in the 2023/24 fiscal year.
"The government will also work on the challenges faced by the commission, including welfare of its executives, especially on the issue of salary adjustment," Dr Mwinyi said, noting that he has already issued instructions to respective authorities for implementation.
During the handover of the report, some ZEC officers officially informed the President about the end of their five-year tenure, paving way for the President to appoint others for the posts as per Zanzibar Constitution of 1984.
Dr Mwinyi commended ZEC and its staff for good work, including their cooperation with various stakeholders, mainly political parties in the country and successfully announcing the results of the 2020 general election within 24 hours after voting exercise.
After handing over the report to Dr Mwinyi, the ZEC Chairperson, retired Chief Justice Hamid Mahmoud said the commission's responsibilities are enabled by the laws which formed the commission.
The ZEC chairperson mentioned some of the successes achieved during their period, including doing organisational restructuring, introducing new scheme of service, strengthening of cooperation with stakeholders and preparing a five-year strategic plan (2022 -2026).
Despite the success, the commission also explained to President Mwinyi the challenges faced within the period of five years of its performance, including voter verification conducted along with the distribution of Zanzibari resident identification cards (ZAN ID), a situation that affected the voter registration exercise.
