UNPO - Zanzibar: CUF has key to Zanzibar coalition government-CCM

Below is an article published by The Guardian :

The ruling CCM has hinted at the possibility of forming a coalition government in Zanzibar as a way of ending the political squabbles that emerged during the 1995 multiparty general election.

However, it reiterated its stand that implementation of the modality would be premised on the opposition Civic United Front`s willingness to return to the negotiation table.

Saleh Ramadhan Feruzi, CCM`s deputy secretary general for Zanzibar, made remarks to that effect in an exclusive interview here with The Guardian yesterday [1 October 2008].

He was commenting on progress on the implementation of a recommendation by the CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at Butiama in Mara Region in March [2008] on the possibility of Zanzibar having a coalition government.

``A coalition government is possible if the Civic United Front (CUF) agrees to resume `muafaka` (reconciliation) talks and discuss CCM`s recommendations, including the need to collect people`s views on the issue,`` said Feruzi.

The March [2008] meeting resolved that the people of Zanzibar should be asked whether they supported a coalition government before the final decision was made.

Feruzi said CCM was ready to resume negotiations, adding: ``It has not been possible for us to do so because CUF has been reluctant to return to the negotiation table.``

He said CCM had already written three letters to CUF so that the two parties could resume the talks but the opposition party was yet to reply to any.

However, CUF Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation director Ismail Jussa explained that only one letter had reached them.

``We have received only one letter, on September 27 this year [2008], asking that we resume the talks with CCM,” he said

He said CCM`s Butiama meeting interrupted the whole `muafaka` process because the issue of holding an opinion poll or a referendum on the formation of a coalition government was not among the recommendations by the two parties.

The political squabbles in Zanzibar first emerged after CUF claimed that CCM had robbed it of victory in the 1995 Isles presidential election that officially had CCM contestant Salmin Amour Juma garnering 50.2 per cent against CUF contestant Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad`s who managed 49.8 per cent.

Dr Salmin`s two-term presidency ended in 2000 and he was succeeded by Amani Abeid Karume, who also beat CUF`s Hamad in the 2000 and 2005 general elections.

CUF again fiercely contested the results locally and internationally but without success.