THE Opposition ACT-Wazalendo Chairman in Zanzibar Othman Masoud Othman said people should be given the freedom to elect leaders they want to lead including the President through the general election.

Othman said this while addressing the party's public meeting held at Menge grounds in Makunduchi constituency, Unguja South Region with top party leaders in Zanzibar.

He said the country belongs to the people and they should decide who to lead them through the democratic process without any kind of disputes to ensure that the elections are free and fair.

“This country belongs to the people of Zanzibar and they are the ones who decide who they want to lead them, whether you like it or not, it doesn't concern you, this is their country,” said Othman.

The ACT's top leader said Zanzibar still needs full authority after losing many things due to the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964, including the issue of customs duties, postal and communication services, currency, finance, and port services.

ACT-Wazalendo Vice Chairman, Ismail Jussa Ladhu said that 257 kilometres of roads being built in Zanzibar will be useless after seven years due to the use of cold mix asphalt technology, which is not suitable in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

He said the project costs $80.3million and is being implemented by two companies from Turkey, but the tarmac that is being used has caused major problems before the project, including the Kengeja/Chambani road where they’re wearing out due to using cold mix asphalt technology.

Jussa further said that the construction of those roads was to cost $80.3 million according to government reports, but after discovered that the tarmac used was unfit for the Isles’ environment the Ministry of Communications and Transport requested $79 million to use hot mix asphalt (HMA), “Something for me is a misuse of public funds, which is a double cost in the use of public funds.”

He also said that the people of Zanzibar should thank Union President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her move to get a loan worth Euro 487 million from the British Development Fund to improve road infrastructure in the Isles.

According to him, the roads have benefited the people of Zanzibar. The roads that have benefited from the loan include Mkoani/Chakechake, Pemba Airport, Kisauni/Fumba, and Tunguu/Makunduchi.

He also noted that despite the success of the project, it still continued to falter when its construction was expected to start in November last year. Still, it stalled after one leader asked for a commission but the companies assigned to implement the project refused.