President Mwinyi accepts Simai’s resignation
From MASATO MASATO in Zanzibar
ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has accepted the resignation request of former Tourism and Heritage Minister Simai Mohammed Said.
According to a statement issued yesterday by Chief Secretary Engineer Zena Ahmed Said, the president has accepted Mr Said’s resignation, effective January 26, 2024.
Minister Simai announced his intention to resign from the ministerial post on Thursday night, citing an unfriendly environment that hindered his ability to fulfill his duties as an advisor to the president.
“I have made this decision, which is not easy in our culture, because I firmly believe that the primary responsibility of the president’s assistants, including ministers, is to assist him in implementing the party’s manifesto,” Mr Simai said in his emotional resignation statement that went viral on social media.
He added: “When an unfriendly environment becomes an obstacle to fulfilling that essential role for the welfare of the people, it is better to find an immediate solution, even if it means stepping aside, in order to continue the work.”
Some analysts linked Simai’s resignation to his recent press conference, where he publicly accused the Zanzibar Liquor Board (ZLB) of mismanaging the liquor industry, leading to a shortage of a crucial ingredient for the thriving tourism sector.
The tourist hub is currently experiencing a beer shortage, which industry sources attribute to reforms by the regulatory board regarding importation licensing. The ZLB has been accused of granting importation licenses to inexperienced dealers at the expense of established importers with the necessary financial resources and infrastructure.
As a result, retail beer prices in Zanzibar have risen from the normal 2,500/- to 3,000/- per local beer to 3,500/- and 4,000/- per beer. Also, there is sporadic supply, with popular brands like Safari larger completely unavailable.
Alcohol consumption is a crucial component of the tourism sector, which accounts for 27 per cent of Zanzibar’s economy, generates 80 per cent of the country’s foreign earnings, and provides 60,000 jobs.
