Nation remembers hero Karume

ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR President Hussein Mwinyi accompanied by government, political and religious leaders, joined residents of Zanzibar at the ruling CCM’s Kisiwandui sub-office yesterday to mark 52nd death anniversary of Zanzibar’s first President, the late Abeid Amani Karume.

The late Karume was assassinated in 1972 at the party’s office while playing board game. Top leaders from the Union government included VicePresident Dr Phillip Mpango and Prime Minister Mr Kassim Majaliwa.

They conducted special prayer for Karume and other deceased leaders led by Mr Abdulrahman Mwinyi Dedesi while the Mufti of Tanzania Sheikh Abubakar Zubeir addressed the gathering.

“Let us keep on remembering the late Karume and others, this is the only way for us to show our love to him. Let us also cherish his legacy: maintain peace and stability, promote unity, and work hard to build the nation,” said the Mufti.

In addition to Islam, clerics from Christian and Hindu religions were also invited to lead the prayers which culminated by some leaders, some members of diplomatic corps, and members of the late Karume family to lay flowers on the graveyard of late Karume.

Also, in attendance at the Karume day prayers in Zanzibar yesterday were CCM Vice-Chairman (Mainland) Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, former Vice-President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, who also served as Zanzibar President and CCM Secretary General Dr Emanuel Nchimbi.

Others were former Zanzibar President Dr Amani Abeid Karume, Speaker of the Parliament Dr Tulia Ackson and former Zanzibar Chief Minister Mr Shamsi Vuai Nahoda, Mr Othman Masoud Othman (Zanzibar First Vice-President), and Second VicePresident Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla.

Before the commemoration climax yesterday, the leaders visited 18 graveyards of the fallen leaders who contributed to the development of Zanzibar after the 1964 revolution.

At each graveyard in both Unguja and Pemba, residents and leaders gathered to perform prayers for the deceased under the supervision of the Office of the Mufti of Zanzibar.

The heroes remembered at their respective graveyards include: former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Idris Abdulwakil, and Aboud Jumbe.

They also visited the graveyard of the former Vice-President Omar Ali Juma and former chief ministers Ramadhan Haji Faki and Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad.