PRESIDENT Ali Mohamed Shein has broken his silence, saying that he is the legitimate president of Zanzibar - and if there are any parties that are disputing such a fact, they may go to court.
In his tour of Pemba Island, the first official trip he has taken following the political impasse that had emerged in Zanzibar after the nullification of the general polls on October 25, last year, Dr Shein said his current leadership was ‘constitutionally legitimate’.
Zanzibar’s main opposition leader, Mr Seif Sharif Hamad, from the Civic United Front (CUF) and other opposition leaders are opposing Dr Shein’s tenure, saying it had expired since November 2, last year.
CUF leaders are also opposing the nullification of the general elections, arguing that it was a move illegally made by Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairman, Mr Jecha Salim Jecha.
They argue that Mr Hamad deserves becoming the next president after winning in the October elections. “I’m still the legitimate president in accordance to the constitution. But if there are people opposing my stay in the State House, they can seek clarification or redress from the High Court of Zanzibar,” said Dr Shein.
The president is in Pemba to inspect implementation of development projects, including the Zanzibar Urban Services Project (ZUSP) funded by Word Bank, which include the upgrading of Chakechake, Mkoani, and Wete towns.
He maintained that Mr Hamad himself as the First Second Vice-President, Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi as the Second Vice-President, members of Cabinet and the whole government were still legitimate. “For those who have decided to stay aside; it’s their own illogical decision,’’ Dr Shein enjoined. I am not forcing myself to remain in power; it is in the constitution.
The High Court is the only place to clear any doubt. There have been a lot of misleading statements about the legitimacy of my government. Just listen and ignore them as every citizen has the right to belong to any political party and freedom of speech,” he insisted.
Dr Shein reminded the people of Zanzibar, particularly CCM supporters that he is the party’s Vice-Chairman for Zanzibar and hence they should believe in what he says as registered in communiqués from party meetings.
He asked the people to fully take part in the 52nd anniversary of the revolution, promising that come next Sunday, the new government ship would carry people to and from Pemba free-of-charge to enable them go to Unguja and attend the climax of Mapinduzi Day on January 12.
Meanwhile, faith-based institutions in Zanzibar have called on leaders in the islands to speed up their bid for a peaceful decision of the political impasse, which it said was taking long and hence frustrating citizens.
“Let us not take the prevailing peace as an opportunity to delay in finding solution to the crisis. We kindly ask leaders taking part in the search for a solution to speed up the process,” a cleric, Mr Muhiddin Zubeir Muhiddin, said at a news conference in Zanzibar.
Mr Muhiddin, who is Executive Secretary of the Imams (Muslim Leaders) Association of Zanzibar (JUMAZA), noted that the people have been eagerly waiting for a solution following the nullification of the October 25, 2015 polls.
The written statement as read to reporters by Sheikh Muhiddin at Welesi here was an observation from Muslim organisations in the Isles in pushing for a quick solution to the impasse.