If politicians running for Zanzibar president fail once, they have a second chance – after which they’re out. That’s the choice facing all candidates in Zanzibar seeking mandate to lead the people at the top.
At least that is what is going to happen if the people’s voices carry the day before the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) on a call of duty in the Isles right now.
Participants at yesterday’s session at the Ziwani police grounds within Mjini Magharibi region made an impassioned peal before the CRC to put a cap on the number of attempts candidates could make at assuming the isles presidency – and most agreed at most twice was good enough.
Soud Salum Soud, told the CRC meeting a chaired by Commissioner Prof Mwesiga Baregu that such a limit would eliminate unnecessary tension in the prevailing democratic politics in Zanzibar.
If an aspirant twice – and twice fails -- to win the presidency, it is a sign that he or she lacks public appeal for the position and allowing them to stand yet again would increase the likelihood of unwanted political stress and ultimately undermine the democratic process.
“A presidential candidate should not be allowed to contest more than twice. Such a stand will strengthen democratic principles and help do away with boycotting presidential election results,” Soud said. He said since this is a law applied in regard to the Union presidency, the same should prevail in Zanzibar as well – and should therefore be incorporated in the Isles Constitution.
There cannot be real democracy in a situation where some political parties have ‘permanent’ candidates whom they field every election time, and always boycott election results after realizing their defeat. In another development, the Union Minister for Health, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi cited five key public issues that should be removed from the list of Union affairs to get rid of uncalled for clashes among the Isles people.
Among others, he cited the following: access to loans, research and foreign trade, improved ports, industries and a reliable database on natural resources such as oil and gas.
“I don’t see any problem if these key issues were removed from the list to Union matters … the decision would resolve any potential conflicts over the exploitation of these resources,” Dr Mwinyi said
GUARDIAN
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