ZANZIBAR government has been urged to remove the early voting system and consolidate the election process into a single day to facilitate peaceful elections in the Indian Ocean Archipelago.

Othman Masoud Othman, chairman for ACT-Wazalendo (Zanzibar) and the Zanzibar’s First Vice President, made the call over the weekend here when addressing a public meeting at Jadida grounds in Wete constituency, Pemba North Region.

According to the Zanzibar Election Act No 1 of 2018, Defense and Security personnel and the Commission’s election officials in Zanzibar vote days before the Election Day in order to enable them to fulfil their obligations of supervision during the polling day.

“We advocate for a revision of the Election Act to address this challenge, this change is crucial for ensuring a free and fair election, we all need to turn out for election in one day,” Othman said.

Since the introduction of the multi-party system, he noted that people have faced hardships, with some losing their lives or becoming disabled due to the lack of respect for democratic principles and good governance during elections.

Regarding the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, he said that Zanzibar will continue to remain penurious because almost 41 fundamental and economic matters have been included in the Union list.

He listed some of the matters as ports, customs duties, air transport, higher education, finance and currency, foreign affairs, immigration, oil and gas, meteorology and deep-sea fishing.

ACT-Wazalendo Vice Chairman, Ismail Jussa Ladhu, said that the leaders and members of the party have learnt a lot from the late veteran politician Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad but it is unfortunate that the agreements reached before the formation of the government of national unity (GNU) in 2020 have not yet been implemented, as Zanzibar approaches the general election next year.

Ladhu expressed confidence in ACT’s prospects, promising that the party will be well-prepared for the election

He however stated that ACT'; strength will be evident in the ballot box next year, and they are committed to ensuring that every citizen’s right to register and vote is upheld.

Mansour Yusuf Himid, a party cadre, emphasized the need for addressing the party’s concerns with clear arguments for the benefit of Zanzibar’s taxpayers.

He also urged ACT supporters and members to build unity and solidarity without wavering to achieve the goals set by the late Seif Sharif Hamad.

ACT-Wazalendo leaders have begun a series of public meetings in Pemba constituencies, the party’s key strongholds, with Othman leading the efforts.