Zanzibar: 10 members tasked with reviving the unity government

On Monday, September 14, Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi established a joint committee of ten members at the State House, tasked with implementing the political agreement between the ruling CCM party and ACT Wazalendo, aimed at reviving the formation of a national unity government.

The structure comprises five representatives from each party. Abdi Mahmoud Abdi, the deputy secretary-general of CCM in Zanzibar, and Omar Ali Shehe, the deputy secretary-general of ACT Wazalendo in Zanzibar, will lead the committee. Both parties have also appointed elected officials, political leaders, and legal experts to serve on the committee.

The committee’s establishment follows the agreement signed on July 9, 2026, between CCM and ACT Wazalendo. The document outlines seven areas of focus, including the formation of a national unity government, governance, continued political dialogue, and the implementation of a reconciliation program.

Discussions between the two parties began on November 9, 2025, following the general elections held on October 29. ACT Wazalendo, which finished in second place, had refused to propose names for the executive, contesting the election process and calling for institutional changes.

Since 2010, the Zanzibar Constitution has mandated the participation of the second-placed party in the executive, particularly through the role of first vice president and ministerial positions. The committee is now tasked with coordinating the political, legislative, and administrative measures outlined in the July agreement.

The joint declaration of July 9 was presented at the presidential palace in Zanzibar in the presence of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and ACT Wazalendo President Othman Masoud Othman.