Africa-Press – Tanzania. UNITY and reconciliation are the precious treasure, which the late Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad left for Zanzibaris, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said here on Friday, imploring the islanders to embrace dialogue politics.
“Unity and solidarity among our people sum up the task that Maalim Seif left for all of us,” President Samia said at the official launch of Maalim Seif Foundation.
She challenged all politicians in the country to emulate the late Maalim Seif, who always built bridges to bring people together, instead of erecting separation walls, describing the late statesman as the real teacher not only for students in classrooms but all wananchi.
“The people of Maalim Seif’s calibre are rare; we were privileged to have him in the country and wisdom dictates us to preserve his records for the current and future generations,” Ms Samia said, crediting the former opposition icon in Zanzibar politics with peace and tranquility that currently prevails in the islands.
“We can hardly talk of peace that prevails in Zanzibar and Tanzania in general today without making reference to Maalim Seif; he was the bridge to peace, he always put national interest ahead of anything,” the President charged.
She said the late politician has left a great lesson for the current and future political leaders: “…always be ready to firmly defend what you believe in the national interest but through constructive arguments, not fights against people with opposing views.”
Whoever wants to honour Maalim Seif, President Samia argued, is obliged to peacefully, not violently dialogue with the opposing sides for the best interest of the country, socially and economically.
“Only dialogue and not fights will take us to our developmental aspirations,” the President said, adding that the current government of national unity in Zanzibar is surviving on the foundation that Maalim Seif and Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi worked for.
President Samia commended ACT-Wazalendo for the brilliant idea of establishing the foundation but warned the party against owning it.
“This is not your institution; it’s ours…it should never have any political or geographical inclination; this is the property of all Zanzibaris and we will all contribute to its prosperity,” directed President Samia, pledging support whenever needed to make the foundation a great success.
President Mwinyi described the late Maalim Seif who had been part and parcel of Zanzibar politics and leadership for over 45 years as a true reconciliatory statesman, saying his absence will hardly be replaced, be in the government or community.
“He has done a lot for this country,” Dr Mwinyi said of his first lieutenant in the eighth phase government, telling him as humble leader who never bragged or showed arrogance.
Zanzibar First Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman appreciated the presence of President Samia at the opposition party’s event, terming the attendance as a great lesson for Tanzanians.
“Your presence here is a lesson for all Tanzanians and leaders; you have demonstrated how things should be done; you are indeed celebrating the life of Maalim Seif,” said the second in the chain of command in the revolutionary government.
He eulogised the late Maalim Seif, his predecessor and former ACT-Wazalendo National Chairman, as an individual who dedicated his entire life to build the foundation of apt leadership in the country.
“He believed that in the absence of fitting leadership, wananchi can live in a resource endowed nation but still swim in abject poverty,” said Mr Masoud, adding: without proper leadership, justice wanes and without justice, peace becomes a rare commodity.”
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