Below is an article published by Sabahi:

A month long celebration marking Zanzibar's 50th independence anniversary concluded at Zanzibar's Amaan Stadium Sunday [12 January 2014], with dignitaries in attendance praising the islands' progress and calling for improved security and collaboration to ensure sustainable progress in the future.

Thousands of Zanzibaris came out to the rally to watch fireworks, military parades and performances in commemoration of the January 12, 1964 overthrow of the Sultanate of Zanzibar regime. In April 1964, three months after the revolution, the newly formed Peoples Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

In his speech, Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein said tangible progress has been achieved during the last 50 years, including the provision of free health services and education, as well as improvements to public infrastructure and the islands' overall economic growth.

"Under colonial control our economy was amorphous. Now we are proud to see the islands' [gross domestic product] grow at 7% per annum, with a likelihood of attaining 7.5% growth in the coming year [2014]," said Shein.

But despite progress in various areas, Shein acknowledged Zanzibar still has to overcome a number of challenges, such as high youth unemployment, food scarcity and security.

Addressing the ongoing debate over Tanzania's union government, Shein renewed his support for the union, saying it is important for the development of the islands, and called on Zanzibaris to make recommendations to the draft constitution to make the union stronger.

"I would like to assure all the people that the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar will continue to cooperate with the government of the United Republic of Tanzania to maintain our union and strengthen it to serve the people," he said.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Comorian President Ikililou Dhoinine attended the event, delivering brief speeches on the importance of collaboration among their respective governments.

On the discovery of natural resources in east Africa, Museveni said people in the region should remain united and share their natural wealth.

"Our greatest wealth is the people," said Museveni, who chose to address the gathering in Kiswahili, calling it the language of east Africans. "We need to work together."

Need for details

Economist Mohammed Hafidh told Sabahi that while Shein's speech was positive, particularly his call for maintaining peace and stability, it lacked substantive details on how develop the economy.

"I expected to hear more from the president's speech on strategies to develop the economy. We have been moving on well, but we need to review some of our sources of revenue like taxes, and improve the environment for business and investments," said Hafidh, who is a board member of the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture and a lecturer at Zanzibar University.

Dadi Kombo Maalim, who chairs the Zanzibar Youth Forum, a local association that champions issues regarding youth, agreed with Hafidh, saying the president only spoke in general terms and missed an opportunity to communicate his plan to address important issues such as unemployment.

"Every year youth graduate [from universities and vocational schools] yet job opportunities are low. The government should concentrate on creating jobs in tourism and developing light industries," he said.

For Khadija Hassan, a vegetable trader in Zanzibar, the entire event was a waste of money.

"The cost of living has been rising and poverty is still a problem," she told Sabahi. "I wonder why politicians have spent thousands of dollars on these celebrations instead of directing the money to solve social problems. Fireworks and transportation [costs] including for military equipment just for show-off is an unnecessary expenditure."