AfricaPress-Tanzania: Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi yesterday concluded forming his cabinet by appointing former Union Finance and Planning minister Saada Mkuya Salum and two ACT-Wazalendo members into ministerial posts in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Ms Mkuya has been appointed the Minister of State in the First Vice President’s Office, while Mr Omar Said Shaaban becomes the minister of Trade and Industrial Development, according to a statement signed by the Revolutionary Council and Chief Secretary Zena Ahmed Said.
Another member of ACT-Wazalendo, Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, becomes the minister of Health, Social Welfare, the Elderly, Gender and Children.
“Their appointment takes effect on March 3, 2021. All appointees will take oath today at 10am,” reads the statement in part.
During the scheduled event, Dr Mwinyi will swear in the new Commissioner of the Zanzibar Revenue Board (ZRB), Mr Salum Yusuf Ali, who was appointed on February 10, this year.
December 7, 2020, President Mwinyi appointed Mr Shaaban and Mr Mazrui members of the House of Representatives through powers vested in him under Article 66 of the Constitution of Zanzibar of 1984.
Dr Mwinyi on November 19, last year formed a cabinet of 15 ministries, but appointed 13 ministers leaving two dockets (for Health, Community Development, Gender and Children and that of Trade and Industrial Development) vacant waiting for ACT Wazalendo decision to join the GNU.
The Zanzibar Constitution requires the party that wins the elections and the second that obtains 10 percent of the vote and above to form the GNU.
At that time, Dr Mwinyi said he had already written to the opposition party about the opportunity to form the GNU, however ACT Wazalendo ‘was yet to respond to the letter’.
“We are leaving the post of the First Vice President vacant as we wait for the ACT Wazalendo to respond,” said Dr Mwinyi.
The post of First Vice President was filled by Seif Sharif Hamad who died on February 17, this year.
“We also have slots for ACT Wazalendo in the cabinet and that is why I left two ministries vacant. The four elected ACT Wazalendo Members of the House of Representative have not reported so far and we are giving them time. When they are ready, they will report, take oath of allegiance and we will move on,” President Mwinyi had added then.
