VICE PRESIDENT Dr Philip Mpango has congratulated the joint committee of experts from the Mainland Tanzania government and its Zanzibar counterpart for their efforts in resolving the Union matters.
In his address during the closure of the joint committee meeting of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in Dodoma on Tuesday, he noted that they have succeeded in resolving four of the eight matters, which had remained pending since the session was held in August 2021.
Elaborating, he said the Committee is an important tool in promoting brotherhood, cooperation, business and economy as well as unity and cultures of the nationals of both sides of the union.
However, Dr Mpango asked them to continue discussing the remaining issues with the intention of building and strengthening the union for the benefit of both sides.
In addition, he urged the members to endure with the efforts of increasing knowledge about the Union, including reading books in order to acquire new skills on its protection.
One of the issues that were resolved in the session was the complaints of Zanzibar traders not to be taxed again, when they import goods from abroad and send them to the Mainland Tanzania.
Other issues included income and withholding taxes, increase in electricity costs from Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) to Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO)
and the loan agreement for the construction of Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (Terminal III).
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, Second Vice-President of Zanzibar Hemed Suleiman Abdullah, Acting Chief Secretary, Dr. Moses Kusiluka, Chief Secretary Engineer Zena Said, Ministers and Deputy Ministers from all sides of the Union.
Others were Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries from both sides of the union, Heads of various institutions as well as the Secretariat of the Joint Committee of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
Earlier on 23rd August last year, Ministers and Permanent Secretaries from the Union government and their Zanzibar counterpart met to discuss and reach agreement on matters that have been causing complaints among the citizens.
At a joint press conference held at the office of the Second Vice-President, Vuga Street, Stone Town, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment) Mr Suleiman Jafo and Zanzibar State Minister First Vice-President’s Office Dr Saada Mkuya said: “We are all meeting here today on 23rd August, 2021, before a field visit to Terminal III of the Zanzibar Airport and the Aam Milk factory, because the sites have been recently included in the vexes of the Union,” Mr Jafo said.
In his narration, he announcement on agreed issues later to be chaired by Dr Mpango in the presence of Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Zanzibar Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla.
In elaboartion, Mr Jafo noted that both President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi were determined to seeing the challenges and complaints in the marriage between Zanzibar and the then Tanganyika, merged to form Tanzania in 1964 were minimised.
In October 2020, Tanzania proved to the world that it could resolve its issues after writing a new chapter by resolving five Union challenges for the major purpose of strengthening the merger between Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
The first matter resolved related to Zanzibar’s participation in international and regional affairs, in which it was being argued that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation was not according the Isles government sufficient opportunity to participate in economic cooperation with international institutions.
In resolving the matter, the two governments prepared a guide for Zanzibar involvement in international and regional affairs, which has focused on the areas of national leaders’ visits, international conferences, and opportunities for higher education studies abroad, and the search for grants or loans to implement various projects from abroad.
Another issue resolved is Zanzibar’s participation in the East African Community (EAC) that would allow them to submit economic development projects for the inclusion in regional projects implemented in the community.
Here, Zanzibar government presented eight development projects for the inclusion in the regional projects implemented in EAC.
Four of the eight regional projects were prioritised for the preparation of the project documentation, architecture and cost assessment ready for funding. Implementation of Pemba airport and Mpigaduri/Maruhubi port projects that the Isles government wanted to be financed under EAC arrangement had been funded through other sources.
Landing fee at Dar es Salaam port for cargo from Zanzibar was also a contentious issue, as it was argued that it was high (11,000/-) while the fee for cargo imported from abroad was low (4,000/-).
According to the Tariff Book of Port Dues and Charges of April 2013 approved by Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA), the rates charged for cargo from Zanzibar were lower than the rates charged for imported goods into Tanzania Mainland or cargo from other countries via Dar es Salaam Port to another country.
The rates charged are as follows; shore handling is USD 7 for imported goods while for cargo from Zanzibar is USD 2, wharfage is USD 1.6 per cent of the value of freight for imported goods while for freight from Zanzibar is USD 2 CBM / tonne and stevedoring is USD 6 if the load is taken to the drop area and USD 7 if the load is taken in the yard area, while for cargo from Zanzibar it is USD 2 CBM / tonne.
On oil and natural gas exploration and extraction, there was an argument on how to share revenue from such resources when available.
After negotiations, the two governments decided to bring into play the British AUPEC consultant to provide technical advice on the distribution of the resource revenue. AUPEC Company completed the work and proposals were submitted to the governments.
Another argument that emerged surrounded the issue of oil and natural gas as voices wanted it be removed from the list of Union matters.
After discussions between the two governments of both sides, they agreed to remove the matter from the Union matters.
