Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar’s First Vice President, Othman Masoud Othman, has blamed the international community’s indifference to events in the islands and across Tanzania for emboldening the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which he says acts with impunity because it knows it can get away with anything.
According to a press release from the office of the First Vice President of Zanzibar, released late Monday evening, Othman, a presidential candidate for Zanzibar from the opposition party ACT Wazalendo, stated that the ruling party’s conduct regarding competitive democracy has disillusioned most citizens.
He accused the international community of exacerbating the situation by continuing to embrace both the Zanzibar and Union governments despite these events.
The national chairperson of ACT Wazalendo made the remarks on August 25, 2025, at his office in Zanzibar, where he met and held discussions with a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress. The delegation aimed to understand the sentiments and perspectives of the country’s top leaders ahead of the General Election in October 2025.
“CCM feels that citizens have nothing they can do to confront that party; and that they, as the ruling party, have convinced themselves that major world powers do not care nor do they condemn their actions and their acts of plunder; and that is a great tragedy against justice and democracy,” said Othman, who is a lawyer by profession.
Othman expressed astonishment that the international community remains silent in the face of what he termed “blatant mismanagement and electoral robbery” that happens every electoral cycle. He specifically cited the two-day voting process in Zanzibar, a system he alleges creates immense anxiety and places the people of Zanzibar “on edge.”
The 2020 elections, in which the two-day voting process occurred, were marred by multiple incidents of violence and electoral misconduct, including reports of 13 fatalities, as documented in the 2021 Human Rights Watch report.
Additionally, 102 individuals were allegedly injured through beatings and attacks by security forces, while approximately 199 ACT-Wazalendo members were arrested and detained across various parts of Zanzibar.
Othman argued that the two-day voting process in Zanzibar is illogical. He pointed out that the islands have fewer than one million voters, unlike Tanzania Mainland, which holds its election in a single day despite having a voter base of millions. In his analysis, this system exists solely because the ruling CCM party has concluded it is the only method left to rig the election.
“This is akin to another form of terrorism and money laundering,” Othman stated during the meeting. “What disheartens citizens the most, however, is the apparent willingness of major nations to turn a blind eye to the conduct of our countries’ rulers.”
Zanzibar’s electoral authorities maintain that the two-day voting process exists legally and will remain unchanged. They’ve pledged to take all necessary measures to ensure the islands’ elections are conducted in a free and fair environment.
Addressing the relationship between Zanzibar and the United States, Othman praised their longstanding cooperation, which he described as “historic.” He noted that Zanzibar was the first sub-Saharan African nation to establish diplomatic relations with the United States, doing so in 1833.
“I believe we still have an opportunity to deepen and expand these relations for the benefit of both our countries and their people,” Othman stated.
For his part, Mr Philip Oke Thomas, a representative of the U.S. Congress Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that his committee, alongside the U.S. Government, would be greatly pleased to see Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole conduct the upcoming General Election based on the principles of freedom and justice.
“Visitors, particularly from the United States, are eager to experience Zanzibar’s beauty—its stunning beaches, rich history, and unique culture,” stated Thomas, according to a press release from the office of the First Vice President of Zanzibar. “But they detest coming and witnessing chaos and violence.”
