Mwinyi: Kizimkazi festival emerges development catalyst
ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has described the Kizimkazi Festival as an increasingly important catalyst for development in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole.
Dr Mwinyi said the annual event brings together communities, businesses, tourists and investors, creating opportunities for economic and social development.
He said the government would continue supporting the festival as a platform for promoting and preserving Zanzibar’s traditions, customs and culture.
“The Kizimkazi Festival is becoming a catalyst for development not only in Kizimkazi, but also across Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole,” Dr Mwinyi said.
He commended government institutions, businesses, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders for contributing to the success of the festival, while noting that local residents had actively participated and benefited from opportunities generated by the event.
Dr Mwinyi said the government would ensure the festival continued to grow while preserving infrastructure developed through initiatives associated with the event and ensuring it was put to its intended use.
South Unguja Regional Commissioner Ms Hamida Mussa Khamis said the festival had created opportunities for residents in health, education, employment, business and tourism.
She said the 10th edition had strengthened links between local communities and economic opportunities, noting that 129 businesses were formally registered to participate, while more than 200 small-scale traders benefited from increased commercial activity.
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Young people had also secured employment opportunities in tourism, while fishermen benefited from initiatives aimed at strengthening fishing activities, she said.
According to her, the festival had also strengthened unity and cooperation between people from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, making it an important platform for connecting communities, culture and development opportunities.
Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Constitution, Law, Public Service and Good Governance, Dr Haroun Ali Suleiman, said the progress recorded in Kizimkazi reflected the achievements of the Eighth-Phase Government in promoting development and expanding opportunities for residents.
The Kizimkazi Festival has increasingly combined culture, tourism, sports, investment and business, creating opportunities for local communities while attracting visitors and investors.
Leaders have called for the benefits generated by the festival to extend beyond the celebrations, ensuring that infrastructure, businesses, employment and investment opportunities translate into lasting improvements in the lives of Kizimkazi residents and the wider Zanzibar community.
