Vice president Dr Ali Mohammed Shein and six other Chama Cha Mapinduzi heavyweights yesterday picked up nomination forms ready to vie for the Zanzibar top government seat in the General Election in October.
Those who picked the forms will pass through a party sieving process before it elects one of them as the sole candidate to contest with fellows from other political parties.
Most of the aspirants promised to strengthen national unity among the Islanders and to continue solidifying the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
They gave the promissory notes separately when each of the contestants picked nomination forms and addressed journalists.
Dr Shein, who picked his nomination form at 3pm yesterday, said he would put more efforts to see that the people of Unguja and Pemba become more united in a move to solidify national peace.
He said time had come for Zanzibaris to do away with hatred that has prevailed among the Islanders and instead, allow decorum to embrace the nation.
I shall try to ensure that Zanzibaris live and work in peace and foster unity because they are one people, said Dr Shein.
Answering the question why he decided to register in the permanent voter register in Mainland and not in Zanzibar, the VP said the act of doing so did not rob him of his constitutional right to contest for Zanzibar president.
He said he believed that the Union and Isles constitutions and the election laws gave him the opportunity to contest for the Isles presidency regardless of the fact that he had registered on the Mainland.
Other presidential aspirants on CCM ticket who picked up the nomination forms yesterday included former Isles chief minister Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal. He promised that he would take punitive measures against government officials who fail to discharge their duties well.
He said personally if elected to be the president of Zanzibar, he will ensure that himself and his family receive their medical treatment in the Isles and not outside the country as it was normally the case with some government leaders.
On national unity, he said this would depend on the people in the forthcoming referendum slated for July 31 this year.
What the wananchi will decide is what the government is going to implement, he said.
The contestants made the promises after receiving nomination forms from CCM Zanzibar publicity secretary Vuai Ali Vuai, at partys Kisiwandui headquarters here.
For his part, Ambassador Ali Karume, picking up the forms said he sought advice from retired presidents before deciding to embark on the battle for the top seat.
He said if the party would pick him to vie for the top post in Zanzibar; he would lay down the foundation for the economic development of the isles.
Isles Deputy Chief Minister and Information, Culture and Sports minister Ali Juma Shamuhuna said Zanzibar needed decent and quiet leader, capable of fighting against those violating the countrys principles of peace and good governance.
He said the Isles had made big efforts in bringing about development to the people, a thing that pushed him to seek their support so that he could implement other pending issues.
He said as a minister, he had all qualifications needed to vie for the presidency, and that the wananchi would not regret once they vote him for the highest post in the isles.
Speaking on the government of national unity, he said, the issue would be decided by the wananchi in the referendum planned for isles next month.
Its the public which will decide on the government of national unity, I highly respect the decision reached by my party in this issue, he stressed.
On his part, Hamad Bakari Mshindo, said the government of national unity was not a new phenomenon in Zanzibar as the Isles government had always allowed people of different religions and ideologies to associate since 1964.
According to Mshindo, the government of national unity had been misinterpreted by many because of lack of basic knowledge on the issue.
For his part, Tanzanias East African Cooperation deputy minister, Mohammed Aboud, said if elected he would give priority in communication infrastructure construction, improvement of social services and the strengthening of unity among Zanzibaris.
The current Isles Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, who was the first to pick the presidential forms yesterday said he was sure of winning the electoral process and become the sole party presidential candidate.
I know what I have done to the people, I know their expectations and the problems they are facing, he said.
According to the nomination schedule, Isles Education and Professional Training minister Haroun Ali Suleiman is expected to pick up his nomination papers on Wednesday, bringing the number of people who have so far come out to contest for the Zanzibar top government post on CCM ticket to eight.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN