Z’bar GNU process takes shape
ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has set the implementation of Isles’ power sharing agreement in motion by appointing a joint committee to oversee the next stage towards establishing the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The appointment of the ten member committee marks the first major institutional step towards implementing the agreement signed by Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and ACT Wazalendo on July 9 this year, bringing the proposed GNU closer to becoming operational.
President Mwinyi, who is also Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, constituted the committee after the two political parties submitted the names of their representatives to serve on the joint body.
According to a statement signed by Isles Chief Secretary Mansoura Mosi Kassim and issued by the Office of the Revolutionary Council on Sunday, the committee has been established to coordinate implementation of commitments contained in the July agreement.
The agreement, signed at Zanzibar State House, provides for cooperation between CCM and ACT Wazalendo on implementing a common development agenda for Zanzibar while advancing political reconciliation and stability in the Isles.
The committee will be chaired by Abdi Mahmoud Abdi, with Omar Ali Shehe serving as deputy chairperson.
Other members are Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed, Najma Murtaza Giga, Masoud Ali Mohamed, Mgeni Hassan Juma, Omar Said Shaaban, Fatma Abdulhabib Fereji, Said Ali Mbarouk and Mohamed Nur Mohamed.
President Mwinyi has also appointed Mwalim Ali Mwalim and Seif Khamis Mohamed to serve in the committee’s office, while the secretariat will comprise Hamid Saleh Mhina, Mohamed Yusuf Nuh, Ali Salim Khamis and Abdalla Mussa Hijja.
The committee is scheduled to be inaugurated today at Zanzibar State House, formally launching its work of coordinating implementation of the power-sharing agreement.
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The July 9 accord was widely seen as a landmark political agreement between the two parties, setting out a framework for cooperation on Zanzibar’s governance and development priorities.
The establishment of the joint committee provides the institutional mechanism needed to translate the agreement into practical implementation, with further steps towards establishing the GNU expected to follow as the process gathers momentum.
Zanzibar’s GNU has remained one of the Isles’ most significant political arrangements since constitutional changes introduced power-sharing to promote political stability and inclusive governance.
The latest agreement between CCM and ACT Wazalendo seeks to build on that tradition by strengthening cooperation between the two parties on matters of governance and development.
Political observers have closely followed the implementation process since the agreement was signed, with the formation of the joint committee widely viewed as a practical step towards putting its provisions into operation.
The establishment of the committee therefore provides the institutional framework needed to coordinate implementation of commitments contained in the July agreement and guide the next stages towards establishing the proposed GNU, with further implementation measures expected as the process gathers momentum.
