Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.
ACT-Wazalendo to consult members on the future of GNU
Opposition party ACT-Wazalendo said on Tuesday that it will conduct a series of meeting with its members in Zanzibar to consult them on the future of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the isles amid escalating tension with its partner in the government, the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
The party made the announcement shortly after the conclusion of its Central Committee’s Special Committee’s extraordinary meeting which was called to discuss the recent appointment of Mr Thabit Idarous Faina as the director of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC).
ACT-Wazalendo has rejected Mr Faina’s appointment and has interpreted President Hussein Mwinyi’s decision to appoint him as a sign of his less commitment to building sustainable reconciliation in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar.
At the capacity of ZEC director, Mr Faina oversaw the 2020 general election that human rights organisations said was marred by “massive irregularities,” setting off a wave of violence that affected several people in Zanzibar, some died while others have remained with permanent disabilities.
“The appointment, accompanied by other unsatisfactory developments in these past two years, cause Zanzibaris to lose hope for a working reconciliation arrangement in the country as [President Mwinyi] previously promised,” Salim Bimani, ACT-Wazalendo’s spokesperson, said on a Tuesday’s press release.
In another development, a coalition of nine opposition parties held a joint press conference in Zanzibar on Tuesday to chastise ACT-Wazalendo’s rejection of Mr Mwinyi’s choice for ZEC director, interpreting it as questioning the president’s authority.
Mr Ameir Hassan Ameir, the General Secretary of the opposition Demokrasia Makini in Zanzibar, told reporters that by rejecting the appointment, ACT-Wazalendo is the one that is sowing the seeds of hatred and division among the Zanzibari public.
“As a coalition of nine opposition parties, we strongly condemn the statement released by ACT-Wazalendo demanding President Mwinyi revoke Faina’s appointment,” Mr Ameir said during the press conference which was live broadcast on Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), Zanzibar’s state broadcaster.
“We condemn this statement because it smells selfishness and it seeks to pit Zanzibaris against their government,” added Ameir during the press conference that took place at the Zanzibar Ministry of Tourism and Heritage.
Nine arrested for possessing 34.89kg of heroin
Tanzania’s Drug Control Enforcement Authority (DCEA) on Tuesday announced that it has arrested 11 suspects for allegedly being in possession of 34.89kg of heroin and 50 biscuits made from marijuana.
Among those arrested is Simba Sports Club’s goalkeeping coach Muharami Sultan (40).
Speaking at a press conference, the Commissioner General of DCEA Gerald Kusaya named the other suspects as the owner of Cambiasso Sports Academy in Tuangoma, Kambi Zuberi seif, Said Matwiko a resident of Magole, Maulid Mzungu aka Mbonde(54) a resident of Kisemvule and John John aka Chipanda(40) a scout at Cambiasso Sports Academy
The others are Rajabu Dahabu (32) a resident of Tabata, Seleman Matola Said (24) a resident of Temeke Wailes, Hussein Pazi (24) a businessman and Ramadhani Chalamila (27) a resident of Kongowe.
Police block Zitto’s tour in Tunduru
Police in Tunduru, Ruvuma region on Tuesday blocked the tour of ACT-Wazalendo’s party leader Zitto Kabwe, citing a number of reasons, including the short notice the opposition party served the law enforcers before the said visit takes place.
Mr Kabwe’s tour in the district was expected to start on Tuesday, November 15 and concludes on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, with the party saying the tour aimed at giving support to party-building activities taking place on the ground.
But in a letter to the party that was leaked to social media on Tuesday, Tunduru’s police chief Eliakim Magambo urged the party to postpone the tour, calling a joint meeting between the police and ACT-Wazalendo on the “importance of following the laws in doing politics,” he said.
“The letter says the party leader is here for party-building activities but it does not say what activities exactly will he be doing while he’s here, at what time, what place,” Mr Magambo writes in the letter.
“The letter does not qualify for a notice on conducting political activities which require that for the activity to be conducted safely it has to be explained in detail what exactly will be taking place during a such particular activity,” the commanding police officer wrote in the letter.
But writing on social media, Mr Kabwe said that his party was not going to honour the ban and that it was going to proceed with its timetable, writing: “We are ready for anything.”
On social media, ACT-Wazaendo members shared photos of their leader attending a number of party activities, including inaugurating the party’s newly-built branches.
On one occasion, police reportedly interrupted one of the party branches’ inauguration although no report of the use of force to disperse it was reported.
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