MWE Correspondent
Residents of Mkoani District in South Pemba Region have called on the Zanzibar House of Representatives to review laws governing sexual abuse offences, arguing that in some circumstances, boys do not receive equal legal protection compared to girls.
The residents made the call on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a public consultation meeting held in Kengeja Village between residents and a delegation of members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives led by the House’s Chief Whip, Professor Omar Fakih Hamad, under the ACT Wazalendo party.
Speaking during the meeting, Bushra Abdallah Khamis said some provisions of the law needed to be reviewed to close loopholes that could lead to abuse of the law or corruption.
She alleged that in some cases involving relationships between young people of different ages, only the boy is subjected to legal action while the girl is left without facing similar legal consequences.
Abdulatif Muhammed, a resident of Kengeja, said failure to ensure fairness between both sides could create room for the law to be abused through false reports or revenge.
Muhammed Khamis Juma called for increased education on sexual abuse laws targeting boys to help them understand their responsibilities and the consequences of violating the law.
The residents also urged members of the House of Representatives to avoid unnecessary arguments and political jabs when discussing issues affecting citizens.
Siti Suleyum Dadi, Secretary of the Islamic Association in Mkoani District, said residents expect the House to focus on development issues rather than debates that do not benefit the country.
The residents also raised concerns over electricity services in Pemba, saying unannounced power outages have resulted in damage to electrical appliances, including televisions and refrigerators.
Muhammed Khamis Suleiman said the outages have caused significant financial losses to residents and called for the removal of an electricity charging service levy, which he said residents consider unjustified.
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On land ownership, residents called for amendments to the law to ensure that landowners receive appropriate compensation when their land is acquired for development projects, even if the land has not yet been developed.
“Land that I inherited or purchased should not be excluded from compensation simply because it has not been developed when it is taken for public use,” Abdulatif Muhammed Omar said.
In the education sector, residents proposed that the recruitment of teachers be returned to the Teachers’ Service Commission rather than the current system.
Concluding the meeting, Professor Omar Fakih Hamad, who is also the Representative for Pandani Constituency in Wete District, North Pemba, said the views raised by residents would help lawmakers present their concerns during the next session of the Zanzibar House of Representatives, which is expected to begin on September 9, 2026.
“I sincerely thank the residents for providing views that serve the broader interests of Zanzibar. These issues will help us fulfil our responsibility as representatives,” Professor Fakih said.
Other members of the delegation included Dr Muhammed Ali Suleiman, Representative for Mtambwe Constituency; Seif Hamad Suleiman Ole; and Dr Nasra Nassor, a Special Seats Representative for the Urban West Region and Deputy Chairperson of the House’s women’s caucus. All are members of ACT Wazalendo.
Professor Fakih began the consultation tour on August 10, accompanied by his delegation, with plans to reach residents across all 11 districts of Zanzibar. The team is scheduled to visit Micheweni District as part of the ongoing tour.
