E-mail from Anonymous Feb.9


DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 9) XINHUA
Zanzibar Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye today urged the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) to stop debate on the result of last year's general elections. "The country cannot be swayed and entangled into further debates on the elections while its economy dwindles to fearful proportions," Sumaye said in a speech delivered to the parliament. "The elections were over. Winners for the Union legislative and presidential elections had been sworn in," he said. The Prime Minister called for "an urgent solution to the social and economic crisis" in the country. "The problem of Zanzibar must end. The CUF must recognize the government in office and the people must stop being used for selfish ends of power hungry individuals," he said.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 9) XINHUA
Britain today urged the Zanzibar government to begin dialogues with the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) to end the political crisis in the isles. British High Commissioner to Tanzania Alan Montgomery made the plea during talks with Tanzanian Vice-President Omar Juma. Alan Montgomery said dialogue is "the only way out". "Britain does not take sides in the Zanzibar conflict but it is concerned about the growing polarisation between the Isles government and the CUF," he said. Juma said the precondition for the government to initiate the dialogue is that the opposition recognizes the government led by President Salmin Amour, saying the gesture was "essential" in search of a political solution to the Zanzibar crisis. "Otherwise no agenda can be established for the two sides to talk in an environment of peace and mutual understanding," he said. The Vice-President refuted the idea of holding another election before the year 2000, calling it "unconstitutional". "The people of Zanzibar should be left to solve their own problems without external pressures," he stressed.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 8) XINHUA
The Zanzibar House of Representatives has approved a bill on the formation of cash crops and fruits commission, reports reaching here said today. Winding up a one-day debate in the house of representative on Wednesday, Zanzibar Minister for Agriculture Adam Mwakanjuki said the government would establish the commission to supervise the cash crop production to suffice the local and export demands. The commission would operate like a parastatal and would have its chairman, executive secretary and board of directors, he said. Zanzibar Finance Minister Amina Salim Ali said Zanzibar would export more fruits and products of cash crops in its efforts to earn more money for the isles instead of depending on cloves export.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 7) XINHUA
The Zanzibari opposition Civic United Front (CUF) claimed on Tuesday that an immediate removal of President Salmin Amour from power and holding a fresh election in three months time were needed to save Zanzibr from blood-bath.
The position was stated in the wake of statements by Tanzanian President Bejamin Mkapa and ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM) national leaders that the government would not tolerate claims that President Amour was governing illegaly.
Amour was declared the winner by the Zanzibari Electoral Commission (ZEC) late last year. But CUF maintains the victory was robbed from CUF's presidential candidate Seif Shariff Hamad, Vice-Chairman of the CUF.
Hamad said that they would never recognize Amour's government even if they were subjected to threats or state coercion.
He said that the only way to avert the imminent danger of civil strife in Zanzibar is to force Amour out of power "since he did not win the elections but just stole the presidency".
Hamad said the only language Amour should understand is to form a transitional government to be led by a non-partisan Zanzibari to serve as facilitator for a democratic general election within three months.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb.5) XINHUA
Tanzanian former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi on Sunday urged all the members of the opposition Civic United Front (CUf) in the House of Representatives in Zanzibar to cooperate with the isles government. "All citizens are obliged to recognize and accept the government of Dr. Amour as it is legitimate," Mwinyi said at a rally to mark the 19th anniversary of the formation of the ruling Revolutionary Party (CCM) here. He said all Tanzanians should give the same support to the incumbent leaders in the country so as to consolidate the action of the Tanzanian and Isles governments. Mwinyi expressed his support to the stand declared by President Benjamin Mkapa that the government is prepared to use all the force of state to control the activities of those who wish to cause political chaos in Zanzibar. He said, "the union government has the ability to tighten control over political instigators in Zanzbiar." "The Zanzibar government also cannot shy away from controlling political instigators as it has coercive powers," Mwinyi added.
DAR ES SALAAM (Feb. 3) XINHUA
Tanzanian Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye said in Dodoma, Central Tanzania, on Friday that the government would not allow Zanzibar to slide into bloodshed and violent political hooliganism. The local press reported today that Sumaye told the National Assembly session in Dodoma that the present problems in the isles would end if the Civic United Front (CUF) accepted the results of the presidential elections held in Zanzibar on October 22, last year, in which Salmin Amour won. Winding up the debate on President Benjamin Mkapa's speech delivered while inaugurating Parliament on November 30, last year, Sumaye said that everything was under control and warned that the government would not hesitate to flex its muscle against any trouble maker. He said Tanzania must strive to avoid tragic mistakes done by some countries in Africa, which resulted into bloodbath due to post-electoral misunderstandings. Giving examples of Angola and Mozambique, he said, after chasing away the colonial power, the countries held elections but those who lost refused to accept the results and opted for armed violence. He said now that elections were over, CUF and the isles government should chart out ways of serving Tanzanians. "After all the next general elections are only four years away - why all this fuss?" he queried. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that the Third Phase Government was committed to fight corruption, reduce the levels of poverty and move the nation towards self-reliance. He admitted that the anti-corruption crusade was an uphill task since the evil practice had take root in the society. He, however, said that corruption could significantly be reduced if everybody joined in the war against the practice. The national Assembly passed a resolution adopting the President's speech as a guideline in the House and commended President Mkapa for a good and highly inspiring beginning.
DAR ES SALAAM (Jan. 30) XINHUA
Prime Minister of Tanzania Frederick Sumaye has urged Members of the Isles House Representatives (Parliament) to forget their differences and work together to hasten development in the country. Opening a three-day seminar on business procedures in Zanzibar Town on Monday, Sumaye said the people wanted development and not friction or polemics. He said animosity among the islanders would not help Zanzibar to further its development but may stall efforts of bringing development. The prime minister, in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister in his office, Bakari Mbonde, said the representatives should co-operate with the Zanzibar government. Sumaye stressed it was an appropriate time now for the MPs to show their patriotism and love to the country instead of widening their political ideologies. He urged the representatives to listen to ideas of other political camps. In last October general elections, Salmin Amour was re-elected the president of Zanzibar. However, the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) refused to recognize the results of the election. A report reaching here today from the town of Zanzibar said that all the 27 opposition members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, boycotted the three-day seminar.
AfricaOnline JANUARY 23, 1996.
ZANZIBAR PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE TWO BILLS NEXT MONTH

Two Bills are expected to be tabled in the next session of the Zanzibar House of representatives starting February 6. The first bill is an act to establish administrative authority in Zanzibar. The Bill also seeks to empower the Minister responsible for regional administration to enact by-laws. The second Bill is an act to establish the Zanzibar cash crops and fruits commission. The Bill aims at establishing the commission to supervise cash crop and fruit production to meet demand at home and for the export market. The Clerk of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, Khamis Juma Chande, said the session would be preceded with a three-day seminar from January 29 for all representatives. The seminar is aimed at educating the representatives of the business of the House during the multi-party system, Chande explained.
AfricaOnline JANUARY 19, 1996.
FORMER ZANZIBAR PRESIDENT SAYS FULL STORY ON ELECTIONS NOT YET OUT

The former President of Zanzibar, Aboud Jumbe has said that the full story behind the controversial elections of October last year has yet to be told. He told reporters that he was not convinced that the ruling CCM party rigged the elections.
"Who, after all, speaks the truth between CUF and CCM? I believe the whole truth on Zanzibar elections has not been revealed yet and we cannot comment on halftruths," declared Jumbe when asked to comment. On the rift between Pemba and Ugunja, he said it was reminiscent of the pre-independence multiparty elections results.
CUF REFUSES TO RECOGNISE AMOUR AS PRESIDENT

The Civic United Front (CUF) opposition in Zanzibar has refused to accept Salmin Amour as president. The opposition party's Vice-President Seif Shariff Hamad has written to the OAU Secretary General, Salim Ahmed Salim calling for the immediate dissolution of the Zanzibar government if Amour does not resign.
He says, in the letter copied to President Mkapa and foreign envoys, that CUF won the elections. He calls on the International Community and the Union government to act and push Amour aside.
Hamad says that an interim President should be appointed to run the transitional government and create an atmosphere of high integrity before the repeat of the presidential elections. The interim head should enjoy the support all sides.
AfricaOnline JANUARY 18, 1996.
CUF NOMINATED MP IS A FRAUD SAYS OPPONENT

One of the four parliamentarians nominated on the Civil United Front (CUF) ticket, Ms Elizabeth Kasembe, is alleged to have made it to the law enacting body through fraudulent means.
The allegations have been made by Ms Twalhaty Kabazana in her application filed with the High court of Tanzania seeking to nullify the nomination of Kasembe as CUF MP.
She alleges further that Kasembe erased the name of Twalhaty Kabazana to read Elizabeth Kasembe on the list of those submitted by CUF for the nomination to parliament.

1996, Features Africa Network All rights reserved Distributed by Africa Online, Inc. Back issues and news from other countries are available on the World Wide Web, at Africa Online(SM) News Stand of Tanzania
  1. E-mail from whom knows Zanzibar condition well.Oct.29.'95
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  4. E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.16.'95
  5. E-mail from Tanzanian overseas Nov.19.'95
  6. E-mail from Anonymous Nov.25
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  8. E-mail from Anonymous Dec.22
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  10. E-mail from Anonymous Jan.29,1996
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  13. Zanzibar election Diary Oct.19-27,1995
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