Unguja. A suggestion by the deputy secretary general of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Zanzibar, Dr Mohamed Said Dimwa, as regards the extension of President Hussein Mwinyi’s term to seven years was met with widespread condemnation from across the political divide on Monday June 24.
The Zanzibar State House quickly denounced the statement, and it was also condemned by both former leaders from CCM and opposition members.
Speaking as he officiated the closing of the UVCCM district executive council meeting held at the district office in Kiembesamaki Dimani, Zanzibar, over the weekend, Dr Dimwa said the Secretariat Members of the Special Committee of the CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) had endorsed a proposal to extend Dr Mwinyi’s term to seven years from the current five-year term.
According to Dr Dimwa, the decision to extend President Mwinyi’s tenure stems from satisfaction with his effective implementation of the CCM Manifesto for 2020–2025.
He claimed that President Mwinyi has achieved over 100 percent of the set targets within just three years and several months since taking office.
In an interesting turn of events, the Zanzibar State House issued a statement yesterday, castigating Dr Dimwa’s remarks.
Through the statement, which was signed by the director of Communications at the Zanzibar State House and Government Spokesperson, Mr Charles Hilary, Dr Dimwa’s did not portray Dr Mwinyi’s standpoint.
“Recently, there have been opinions suggesting that the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, should have his term extended to seven years instead of the five years stipulated in the Zanzibar Constitution,” the statement said.
“These opinions have gone further to suggest that next year’s general election to elect the President of Zanzibar should not take place. This is neither beneficial nor advantageous to our country and CCM, the party that adheres to democratic principles,” the statement reads in part.
Additionally, the statement emphasised that President Mwinyi is a staunch advocate for upholding the Constitution and the laws of the country.
“We wish to emphasise that these views are neither those of the President nor of the CCM in Zanzibar,” the statement further reads in part.
“In this context, President Mwinyi will continue to respect the established procedures for electing the President every five years. Furthermore, he has urged all those with differing opinions to close this debate,” the statement explained.
Earlier in the day, the opposition party ACT Wazalendo criticised the proposal for term extension, labelling it a sign of panic due to governance failures.
Addressing a rally in Magogoni Kwa Mwarabu, party cadre Mansoor Yusuf Himid emphasised that the true examination of CCM’s achievements in the past three years should be left to the electorate.
Supporting these sentiments, the party’s vice chairman in Zanzibar, Ismail Jussa Ladhu, criticised the term-extension talks, saying they undermine democratic principles.
Former CCM Secretary General, Pius Msekwa, said the term extension suggestion saddened and dismayed him because it undermines the country’s constitution.
Msekwa stressed that the Constitution should not be taken lightly in accordance with the wishes and desires of certain people. It must be respected.
“The national constitution should not be toyed with as certain groups wish. It is something to be respected until there arises a genuine need to amend it through proper procedures,” he said.
He mentioned that attempts to extend presidential term limits in Zanzibar had occurred during Salmin Amour’s leadership but were thwarted in internal CCM meetings.
Msekwa, who also served as the Speaker of Parliament, expressed disappointment that such statements continue to surface despite similar attempts being frustrated in the past.
“It saddens me to see that there are still demands to play with the Constitution instead of respecting it,” he explained.
Nevertheless, he expressed his belief that those with such perspectives would reflect on history and find ways to rectify their stance.
According to CCM Secretary for Ideology, Publicity and Training, Amos Makalla, the party has no plan to extend President Mwinyi’s term to seven years.
He clarified that the budget for financing all elections has already been planned, and that elections will proceed as scheduled.
In a round of interviews he made on radio and television stations yesterday morning, Mr Makalla emphasised that what Dr Dimwa said was just an idea and not a decision.
“In brief, I can say that this matter does not exist,” he told Clouds Radio.
CCM’s decisions are made in proper, constitutional meetings, and the outcomes of these meetings are communicated accordingly.
He explained that decisions within the party are made by the Secretariat led by the Secretary General, the Central Committee led by the National Chairman, and the Special Committee of CCM Zanzibar led by the Zanzibar Vice Chairman.
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
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