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Zanzibar`s Union status irks law makers
2008-07-07 09:54:29
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Some lawmakers in the Zanzibar House of Representatives have demanded an official statement from the Isle`s government on whether Zanzibar is a country or not.
They were responding to a statement made in the National Assembly last week by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda that Zanzibar was part of the United Republic of Tanzania and not a country.
Responding to legislators` queries during a customary question and answer session, the Premier said Tanzania was one country made up of two governments—the Union Government and that of Zanzibar.
The lawmakers, who were debating budget estimates of the ministry of state in the President`s Office (Good Governance) on Friday evening, demanded an explanation from Zanzibar attorney general Iddi Pandu Hassan.
Kwahani legislator Ali Suleiman said it would be better for the AG to clarify the matter, which he claimed had generated mixed feelings among Zanzibaris.
Special seats representative Zakia Omar said she was not satisfied by Pinda’s statement, taking into account the fact that Zanzibar ``is a country that has three pillars which make a functioning state.``
She added that Zanzibar had own president, flag,
national anthem, courts of law and the legislative council. ``They should come and enlighten us, how come we are now told that Zanzibar is not a country?`` she asked.
Gando representative, Said Ali Mbarouk, said if Pinda`s statement was indeed correct, then there was a need for the Zanzibar government to look into the matter very carefully so that its powers, as stipulated in the Constitution, were respected.
He blamed Zanzibari lawmakers for remaining silent when the PM was making “such a serious statement`` in the National Assembly.
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