MWE Correspondent
ACT Wazalendo National Chairman and Zanzibar’s First Vice President, Othman Masoud Othman, has urged members of the party to strengthen its structures from branch to national level, saying a strong organisation is essential to achieving its political objectives.
Othman made the remarks on September 27, 2026, while opening an ACT Wazalendo elders’ forum at Masipa Pandani in Zanzibar.
He compared a strong political organisation to a well-built means of transport, saying a vehicle that is properly prepared is more capable of reaching its intended destination.
“We must make our party strong from the branches to the national level so that it will be easier to achieve full authority for our country,” Othman said.
He said the desire among Zanzibaris for greater political authority predates the restoration of multiparty politics, arguing that various people had participated in political movements seeking greater self-determination for Zanzibar.
Othman cited ACT Wazalendo Zanzibar Deputy Chairman Ismail Jussa as an example, saying Jussa became involved in political activism at the age of 17 because of his commitment to what he described as the liberation of Zanzibar.
“Let young people fight for their country,” Othman told supporters.
He also referred to Zanzibar’s first multiparty elections in 1995, when the contest between the ruling CCM and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) was extremely close. Official results gave CCM candidate Salmin Amour 50.2 percent against 49.8 percent for CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad, while CCM won 26 elected seats in the Zanzibar House of Representatives compared with CUF’s 24. The results were disputed by CUF, and the election remains an important part of Zanzibar’s modern political history.
Othman questioned why young Zanzibaris in 2026 should not continue engaging in political reform and efforts to build institutions based on governance and equality.
He said some of the reforms sought by his party were linked to challenges citizens face when accessing basic services and official documents.
“Today, in your own country, you want a residence identification card and the Sheha denies you, or you are looking for employment and you have to be asked who your father is. This is impossible. The Government is the parent of all people and must provide equal services to all citizens,” he said.
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However, Othman said political demands should be pursued through peaceful and responsible means, rejecting the use of force as a way of obtaining political power.
“In fighting for rights, you must proceed with wisdom. We entered the Government of National Unity to build the country so that it can move on better foundations,” he said.
Othman Calls On ACT Leaders To Address Citizens’ Concerns
Othman also instructed ACT Wazalendo leaders from branch to regional level to remain closely connected to issues affecting citizens.
Among the issues he highlighted was assistance to citizens seeking Zanzibari identification cards and other documents to which they are entitled.
He said leaders participating in the Government of National Unity had reached agreements intended to address some challenges facing Zanzibaris, arguing that administrative obstacles should not prevent citizens from exercising their rights.
“I ask you, as you trusted us, to continue trusting us. We went there for the sake of the people,” Othman said.
His remarks came days after he was sworn in again as Zanzibar’s First Vice President following an agreement between CCM and ACT Wazalendo. President Hussein Ali Mwinyi said the agreement was intended to strengthen peace, unity and political stability while allowing the government to focus on development and challenges affecting citizens.
Jussa Reminds Pandani Residents Of Maalim Seif’s Political Legacy
ACT Wazalendo Zanzibar Deputy Chairman Ismail Jussa, who welcomed Othman to the event, reminded residents of Pandani about the political history of the late Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, including his earlier representation of Mtambwe constituency.
Jussa urged residents to honour and support Othman Masoud Othman and encouraged ACT Wazalendo supporters to remain committed to the party.
The appeal comes as ACT Wazalendo continues to operate within Zanzibar’s new Government of National Unity framework. Othman recently described the GNU as an arrangement intended to promote cooperation rather than political confrontation.
ACT Elders Urge Youth To Prepare For Leadership
Meanwhile, Chairman of the ACT Wazalendo elders’ forum in Masipa Pandani, Bakar Sharif, called on young people to prepare themselves to take up leadership responsibilities when the current generation of leaders eventually retires.
He said political organisations need to deliberately prepare a new generation capable of carrying forward their leadership structures and institutional principles.
“Today we have Othman after Maalim because Maalim prepared others to take over when he left,” Bakar said.
The opening ceremony was attended by ACT Wazalendo leaders and supporters, including Ismail Jussa, Zanzibar Deputy Secretary-General Omar Ali Shehe, the party’s Pemba coordinator Rashid Ali Abdallah and Wete regional chairman Juma Khamis.
The event comes at a significant moment in Zanzibar’s political landscape, following the July 2026 agreement between CCM and ACT Wazalendo that paved the way for the formation of the current Government of National Unity arrangements. President Mwinyi described the agreement as a step toward strengthening political stability, unity and development in Zanzibar.
