AfricaPress-Tanzania: IT was a busy day on Monday (November 23, 2020) as almost all newly appointed ministers in the Zanzibar government entered their offices, for the first time after they were sworn in last Saturday at the State House where President Hussein Ali Mwinyi directed them to start work immediately, as there was no time to waste.
All those who were welcomed to their offices met the staff and promised to address challenges facing them to improve service delivery as they promised during their campaigns which saw CCM emerge the winner for all seats.
Ms Tabia Maulid Mwita, Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports after she entered the office, she used several hours to visit different departments, including public media houses, promising to address challenges, including reviewing the Newspapers, Books and Information Agents Act No 5 of 1988 and the Amendments Act No 8 of 1997.
“We need to work hard to meet the expectations of our people. Bureaucracy, corruption, laziness and financial indiscipline should have no place in the ministry,” the minister said.
Media departments under her ministry include Zanzibar Broadcasting Commission (ZBC), Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), Information Department (Maelezo) and Government Newspapers Corporation.
After being informed of the challenges facing media houses, including lack of equipment that enable live coverage of events, Ms Mwita also talked about a need for capacity building and further training of journalists and media workers to improve service delivery.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural resources and Livestock, Dr Soud Nahoda Hassan, met his staff for the first time, asking them to work hard and be efficient.
He also directed a section on issuance of permits for sand quarrying/digging and transportation business to be removed, following public outcry due corruption practices surrounding sand business in the country.
The handover of ministries was done by former ministers who wished their successors success in their new roles in building Zanzibar and the United Republic of Tanzania at large.
