Mr. Othman Masoud Othman [photo: Zanzibar Yetu]
March, 1st 2021 – Zanzibar’s President Hussein Ali Mwinyi has today appointed Mr. Othman Masoud Othman to be the new First Vice President in the Isles. Mr. Othman is replacing Maalim Seif Sharrif Hamad who died on the 17th of February 2021.
The late Sharrif was laid to rest the following day in Pemba.
According to a statement from State House in the Isles, the appointment of Mr Masoud, who is a member of the opposition party ACT-Wazalendo, is in accordance with Zanzibar’s Constitution which requires the President to maintain the spirit of the Government of National Unity.
Part of the press statement read, “And following powers vested on him through Article 39(4) of the Zanzibar Constitution of 1984 and after consultations with ACT-Wazalendo, the President of Zanzibar and chairman of the Revolutionary Council Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi has appointed Mr Othman Masoud Othman Sharif to be the First Vice President.”
Speaking in an interview with local media earlier on today, ACT-Wazalendo Party Leader Mr. Zitto Kabwe said that the name of the person to succeed the late Hamad had been submitted to President Mwinyi who is the appointing authority.
He said, “The candidate conforms with the party’s criteria of advocating reconciliation and unity.”