Zanzibar opposition agrees to serve in unity govt

DAR ES SALAAM: Zanzibar’s opposition agreed on Sunday to join the ruling party in a unity government on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous archipelago, saying it wanted to promote peace despite its criticism of a recent election. The opposition ACT-Wazalendo party had disputed the results of the October 28 elections on Zanzibar, which has a history of tense votes plagued with violence and irregularities.

“After consultations between the party leaders and members, we agreed to form the government for peace reasons and the greater interest of the nation and our party,” Ado Shaibu, the party’s secretary general said.

“It’s not that we are happy with the government positions but we are doing this to heal the nation. The elections were neither free nor credible but we need to take the country out of crisis,” he said.