Zanzibar. Ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) stalwart Zuber Ali Maulid has been re-elected as Speaker of the Eleventh Zanzibar House of Representatives after securing a decisive victory in an election held at the House chambers today in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Tanzania.
According to the Clerk of the House, Raya Issa Mselem, Maulid garnered 53 votes, defeating his rival Khatib Mohamed of the National League for Democracy (NLD), who received three votes. Other candidates, Naima Salum Hamad of UDP and Suleiman Ali Khamis of ADC, failed to secure any votes, while 12 ballots were declared invalid.
This marks Maulid’s second term as Speaker, having first assumed office during the 2015–2020 term.
In his acceptance speech, Speaker Maulid expressed gratitude to members of the House for their continued confidence in his leadership.
“I take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to all of you, honorable members. As always, we shall continue to work together as before. I will listen to your advice and suggestions so that we can carry out our duties effectively,” said Maulid.
The newly formed House reflects Zanzibar’s current political composition. The ruling CCM holds 56 seats, comprising 40 constituency seats and 16 special seats, while the opposition ACT-Wazalendo holds 10 constituency seats and four special seats.
The election for Deputy Speaker is scheduled to take place tomorrow, November 7, 2025, following the swearing-in of all members earlier today.
Among those sworn in was Badria Atai Masoud, the newly elected CCM representative for Kijini Constituency, who pledged to serve her constituents with dedication and inclusivity.
“I have officially taken the oath as the representative for Kijini. I want to assure my people that they can trust me to serve them all without discrimination,” said Masoud.
Simai Ali Mohammed Said, representing Tunguu under the CCM ticket, emphasized the importance of empowering women during her five-year term.
“In the next five years, I want to be more innovative, especially in supporting women. During my campaigns, I realized that when you help a woman, you help the whole family,” she noted.
Opposition members also expressed their determination to serve the people. Nassra Nassor Omar, an ACT-Wazalendo special seats representative, said their participation in the House was driven by the people’s mandate.
“We came to the House because of the people’s mandate. Our goal is to address their needs and ease the hardships they face,” she said.
Dr. Mohammed Ali Suleiman, representing Mtambwe under the ACT-Wazalendo ticket, echoed similar sentiments, stressing the need to protect the rights of Zanzibaris.
“We came to the House to defend the rights of Zanzibaris and ensure they receive what they rightfully deserve,” he stated.
With new leadership and members now in place, the Zanzibar House of Representatives embarks on a new term expected to tackle key social and economic challenges facing the islands.
In a related development, President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi has appointed Hon. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, the representative for Kiwani Constituency, as the Second Vice President of Zanzibar. He is expected to be sworn in on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
