Author: MASATO MASATO
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ALL roads lead to Mnazi Mmoja grounds in Unguja’s central business district today, where CCM Union and Zanzibar presidential candidates, Dr John Magufuli and Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, respectively are scheduled to hold a grand campaign rally.
The two candidates will be holding the joint campaign rally in their efforts to sell their party’s manifesto against the backdrop of performance displayed in the previous five years.
Dr Magufuli arrived in the Isles in his first campaign rally as the ruling party promises massive leadership transformations in the Isles.
CCM’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Humphrey Polepole, speaking to reporters at the party Kisiwandui main offices, invited all Zanzibaris to turn out in huge numbers for the glamorous meeting at Mnazi Mmoja grounds within Unguja’s central business district.
“CCM has planned huge leadership revolutions for Zanzibar; that is why we have fielded a youthful, energetic and visionary candidate,” Mr Polepole said of Zanzibar presidential aspirant, Dr Hussein Mwinyi.
The party’s publicist said while Dr Magufuli will use today’s rally to detail his plans for Zanzibar on the union perspective, Dr Mwinyi will explain his envisioned government strategies under “the future is pure pleasure,” slogan.
He boasted of landslide victory in the October 28 general elections, arguing that CCM has no serious competitor but weak opponents on the mainland, and said “We have an opponent, not a competitor in Zanzibar.”
He described the party’s campaign trail as highly successful so far, save for isolated murder incidents in Songwe and Njombe regions as well as a recent attack of CCM leaders in a mosque in Pemba Island.
Mr Polepole challenged the police force to hasten investigations and prosecution against the assailants, warning that nobody will commit “Such nasty crimes against innocent citizens and go unpunished.”
Upon arrival at Amani Abeid Karume International Airport, Dr Magufuli visited Mnazi Mmoja hospital to among other things, console the Pemba attack victims recuperating at the national facility.
Zanzibaris are expected to start gathering at the grounds as early as 7am for a series of entertainment ahead of the official resumption of the rally at 2pm.
Renowned musicians, Nasib Abdul (Diamond), Ally Kiba and Harmonise (Konde Boy) among others are expected to grace the event.
And besides the presence of the national chairman, all CCM heavyweights in Zanzibar, including Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, Second Vice-President Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi, and former Zanzibar and Union President Ali Hassan Mwinyi are expected at the meeting.
Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohammed Shein will hand over leadership to the next leader with unmatched achievements recorded during his administration.
He maintained the country’s peace and tranquility, which have helped to bolster the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 1,768bn/- in 2010 to 2,874bn/- as of 2018, with the per capita income increasing from 942,000/- to 2,323,000/- during the period.
During the period, Zanzibar has succeeded to attract serious investors, with data from Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency (ZIPA) showing that 304 projects involving 3.74 billion US dollars (over 8tri/-) were executed, creating 16,866 jobs.
Free education and health services have yielded great feats as portrayed by the number of student enrolment both at nursery, primary and secondary schools.
The number of secondary schools, for instance, increased to 284 with 130,713 students last year from 105 schools, which had 80,008 students in 2010 when Dr Shein first assumed the presidency.
The outgoing president will definitely have a lot to brag about; he leaves behind a historical legacy of paying pensions to all senior citizens in the Indian Ocean’s semiautonomous archipelago.
