Remain resolute to protect Union, says Mpango

ZANZIBAR: TOWARDS the 60th Anniversary of the Union, Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango has instructed the Joint Committee (JC) for dealing with Union issues to ensure the goal of protecting and defending the country’s unity is maintained.

Dr Mpango made the directive in Zanzibar on Wednesday, when he chaired the Joint Committee meeting aimed at discussing various challenges facing the Union.

“Let’s ensure we maintain the goal of protecting and defending our Union, which is very unique in the world … It is a very great thing, this meeting enables unity and our brotherhood continues to grow stronger,” Dr Mpango said.

The VP told the members of the committee to sincerely discuss the arguments brought in the sessions with the good intention of building and strengthening the Union.

“Our people are one and we have one mission and our goal is one,” he said.

The Vice-President congratulated all the leaders and experts who participated in the meeting for the efforts they made during the preparation and discussion.

“The meeting is important for the future of the nation and the Union, so we must ensure that the goal of protecting and defending the Union is maintained” he insisted.

The committee discussed four remaining unresolved issues of the Union out of 25. They include distribution of revenue from the Zanzibar shares in the East African Currency Board and the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) profit, recommendations of the Joint Finance Commission, motor vehicles registration and importation of sugar produced in Zanzibar into Mainland market.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, Zanzibar’s Second Vice-President, Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Doto Biteko, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment), Mr Suleiman Jafo as well as Minister of State, Second Vice-President’s Office, Policy, Coordination and House of Representatives, Hamza Hassan Juma.

Other participants included the Chief Secretary, Dr Moses Kusiluka, Zanzibar’s Chief Secretary (CS) Engineer Ms Zena Ahmed Said, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Union and Zanzibar governments, Permanent Secretaries, heads of institutions and various experts.

Recently, Dr Jafo said that two governments have successfully resolved 21 of the 25 challenges that were identified as causing complaints from people in both sides of the Union.

“We are all committed to ending these challenges that is why, we are meeting to resolve the problems,” Dr Jafo said in a meeting held at the International Trade Fair ground, Nyamanzi- Dimani, Unguja West B District.

He said that the leaders from both sides of the Union have been discussing the remaining four issues that cause complaints in the Union.

He explained that the process of solving challenges in the Union have been going on gradually since 2000 and until 2010, only two challenges were solved, and by 2020 five problems were addressed.

Dr Jafo commended both President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and the Zanzibar’s Dr Hussein Mwinyi for the great efforts in making sure that the remaining challenges are resolved.

“Our country’s top leaders, ministers, permanent secretaries and various experts have done a great job in finding solutions to the challenges that existed in the Union,” he said.