Alia: Welcome to ZNZist Weekly, your Zanzibar News Digest. I am Alia. Badru: And I am Badru. Thanks for tuning in as we dig into the stories shaping Zanzibar and Tanzania this week. Alia: We are opening with a major political development. President Hussein Ali Mwinyi has reappointed Othman Masoud Othman as First Vice President of Zanzibar. According to the Office of the Revolutionary Council, the appointment took effect on September eighteenth, and Global Publishers reports that Othman is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, September twenty second, at the State House in Zanzibar. Badru: This is actually a return to the role for Othman, who previously served as First Vice President in the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. He also chairs ACT Wazalendo, the party that has been in ongoing political talks with the ruling CCM. Alia: Global Publishers reports that the process leading here moved quickly. On September sixteenth, the ACT Wazalendo National Leadership Committee met in Vuga and, under its party constitution, selected a member to recommend for the post. The party announced the nomination process the following day, saying the name would be submitted to President Mwinyi. By September eighteenth he had made the appointment. Badru: This matters because it is tied to the broader reconciliation process between CCM and ACT Wazalendo following the October twenty twenty five general election. President Mwinyi had earlier, on September fourteenth, launched a Joint Negotiation Committee with members from both parties, describing it as a step toward strengthening peace, unity and political stability in Zanzibar. Alia: Othman has said his party is ready to take part in a Government of National Unity. At the committee launch, he thanked President Mwinyi for steering the reconciliation talks. Jamhuri Media also quoted Mary Chatanda, chair of the CCM women's wing, who commended Zanzibar's leaders and citizens for reaching what she called a national consensus, praising both President Mwinyi's handling of the process and ACT Wazalendo's willingness to negotiate. Badru: It is worth noting that this appointment is described as continuing the process toward completing a unity government, which would still require ACT Wazalendo ministers to be named. So while the Vice President post is now settled, the full unity government structure appears to still be taking shape. Alia: We will be watching for the swearing-in on Tuesday and what follows for the rest of the government. Badru: Definitely one to keep an eye on in the days ahead.

Alia: Next, we are looking at comments from President Hussein Ali Mwinyi about a major religious gathering in Zanzibar known as the Ijitimai.
Badru: According to Jamhuri Media, the President made these remarks on September seventeenth at State House in Zanzibar, when he met with Masheikh from Bungi in the South Unguja region. They had come to invite him to the Ijitimai, which was set to begin the following day, September eighteenth.
Alia: President Mwinyi said the gathering, and the arrival of guests from various countries, would open up economic opportunities for citizens, particularly small traders, and could help boost household income.
Badru: That is an interesting angle. A three day religious event drawing participants from inside and outside Zanzibar could create demand for food, transport, lodging and other services, so the economic ripple effect he is describing does make sense, even though no specific figures were given.
Alia: He also said his government is ready to work alongside religious leaders to make sure the event runs smoothly and meets its goals. Beyond the economic side, he pointed to the role of the Ijitimai in strengthening religious education, especially for young people, and encouraging good moral conduct within communities.
Badru: There was also a public safety message. With heavy rains expected, linked to El Niño conditions, President Mwinyi asked the Masheikh to help educate residents on taking precautions and following guidance from relevant authorities.
Alia: He additionally spoke about ongoing construction of a mosque and madrasa in the area, saying he was pleased with progress, since he sees such infrastructure as important for religious education and upbringing. Jamhuri Media reported that the government has also been improving roads and electricity supply in the vicinity to support the gathering.
Badru: As for the Ijitimai itself, it was expected to run for three days, bringing together worshippers from different areas. Planned activities include special prayers for the nation's leaders and for the country as a whole, along with prayers asking for protection from any harm linked to the heavy El Niño rains.
Alia: The report also describes it as an opportunity to strengthen unity among worshippers while continuing Islamic religious teaching.
Badru: So essentially, a religious event with the President framing it as having economic, social and safety dimensions all at once.

Alia: Let us turn to a development affecting civil society groups across Zanzibar. According to Global Publishers, a new partnership has been signed between the digital finance provider Mixx and the Zanzibar Civil Society Organizations Forum, known as ZANGOF.
Badru: The agreement, signed at a ceremony in Zanzibar, means organizations under ZANGOF will now be able to use the Mixx Business Suite to handle their financial operations digitally.
Alia: That includes paying staff salaries, distributing funds to beneficiaries, and managing other institutional transactions electronically.
Badru: Global Publishers also reports that these organizations will gain access to communication and internet services through Yas, which could help them stay connected while carrying out their work in different areas.
Alia: Speaking at the signing event, the Registrar General of Civil Society Organizations in Zanzibar, Ahmed Khalid Abdalla, said technology can help these groups improve financial management and better serve the public, since civil society organizations work directly with citizens across many regions.
Badru: The Chief Executive Officer of Mixx, Angelica Pesha, said the partnership is meant to bring digital financial services closer to these organizations and the communities they support, including women, youth, and entrepreneurs. She described financial inclusion as helping ordinary citizens manage money, make payments, and save more easily.
Alia: The agreement also opens the door for groups working with these civil society organizations to use a savings product called Kikoba cha Mixx, which allows members to save, contribute funds, trade shares, and lend to each other digitally.
Badru: This is not Mixx's first institutional partnership in Zanzibar. Global Publishers notes the company already works with several bodies, including the Department of Cooperative Development, ZARTSA, ZanBus, and ZSTC, covering areas such as farmer payments and public transport.
Alia: If this new arrangement functions as described, it could extend similar digital convenience to a wider network of civil society groups and community organizations across the isles.
Badru: For now, the reported scope is specific to ZANGOF-affiliated organizations, and it remains to be seen how quickly member groups adopt these digital tools in practice.
Alia: Either way, it reflects a broader push toward digitizing financial management for institutions that serve everyday Zanzibaris.

Alia: Turning to internal party matters in Zanzibar, Jamhuri Media reported earlier in the week that Omar Ali Shehe, the Deputy Secretary General of ACT Wazalendo Zanzibar, had begun a four day visit to Pemba island.
Badru: According to the report, the trip is meant to strengthen party activities and improve how the party functions at the regional and district levels. That is a fairly routine internal exercise, but the timing and the language used around it are worth paying attention to.
Alia: The visit opened in Micheweni region, where Shehe met with the Regional Leadership Committee along with leaders from the four constituencies that make up Micheweni district. That meeting took place at the Tumbe constituency office.
Badru: During that session, local leaders presented updates on party activities in their areas, and they also raised various operational challenges they are facing on the ground. So this is partly a listening exercise from the top leadership down to constituency level.
Alia: Jamhuri Media quotes Shehe as saying the visit is part of ongoing efforts to build and strengthen the party, and he specifically noted that this was happening during a period when the party was still waiting for implementation of agreements reached by senior leaders of the political parties.
Badru: That comment reflects the position at the time of this earlier report. Later in the week came the vice presidential appointment we discussed at the start. The visit itself focused on party organization; this account did not set out an implementation timetable for the wider agreements.
Alia: What is clear from the reporting is that this visit is meant to give senior party leadership a chance to hear directly from constituency leaders, discuss how to resolve the issues they raise, offer clarification on outstanding questions, and create better conditions for those leaders to carry out their duties.
Badru: After finishing engagements in Micheweni, the visit was expected to move to Wete region the following day, where Shehe was due to meet with party leaders and members there.
Alia: Jamhuri Media said the full visit was scheduled to run four days across ACT Wazalendo's party regions in Pemba, framed as part of efforts to strengthen unity, improve performance, and prepare for whatever comes next politically.
Badru: So the visit provides a view of party organization on Pemba alongside the broader negotiations. It shows what leaders said they were working on locally, while the later appointment marks a separate step in the wider political process.

Alia: Let's turn to football news. According to Habari Leo, Tanzania's under 20 national team, known as the Ngorongoro Heroes, was set to continue its AFCON qualifying campaign against Ethiopia in a CECAFA regional match at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Badru: The report noted the team already opened its campaign with a three nil win over Rwanda, putting them in a strong position as they look to secure a place at the under 20 AFCON finals.
Alia: TFF's Communications Officer, Clifford Ndimbo, was quoted urging Tanzanians to turn out in large numbers to support the team as it fights for that qualification ticket.
Badru: Habari Leo also detailed preparations across several other national teams. The futsal national team is currently in camp ahead of the AFCON 2026 tournament in Morocco, with the squad expected to travel there on October first to play a number of friendly matches before the competition begins.
Alia: On beach soccer, Tanzania is preparing to face Mozambique in AFCON qualifiers. The first leg is expected in Dar es Salaam on October eleventh, with the return fixture set for Maputo between October sixteenth and eighteenth. The report says Tanzania is hoping to return to the finals after several previous appearances in that competition.
Badru: For the under seventeen World Cup, set to begin November nineteenth in Qatar, the Serengeti Boys are training in camp in Dar es Salaam. TFF is also planning to send that squad to England for an overseas camp, where they are expected to play four friendly matches starting September twenty eighth, though the exact travel date will be announced once preparations are finalized.
Alia: The women's national team is preparing for Olympic qualifiers against Botswana, with the first match away on October ninth and the return leg on October thirteenth.
Badru: And the men's under 23 team was expected to enter camp on the day of the report for two AFCON under 23 qualifying matches against Kenya. The first leg is set for September twenty eighth at Nyayo Stadium in Kenya at three in the afternoon, with the return match on October tenth at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam at four in the afternoon.
Alia: Habari Leo added that once in camp, the players are expected to train at Gymkhana Stadium as they build toward those fixtures.
Badru: Taken together, this shows Tanzanian football is entering a busy qualifying period across several age groups and disciplines, with implications for the country's standing in regional and continental competitions if these campaigns succeed.

Alia: At an investment forum in Dar es Salaam, officials set out Tanzania’s investment figures and priorities for reform. Badru: According to Habari Leo, Tanzania has attracted one point seven billion US dollars in investment over the past five years. That figure was announced on September sixteenth by Deputy Minister of State in the President's Office for Planning and Investment, Doctor Pius Chaya. Alia: He was speaking at the launch of an Investment Forum in Dar es Salaam, organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development together with the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority. Badru: The forum brought together participants from more than sixty countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia, focused on discussing policy, structural and governance frameworks around investment. Alia: Doctor Chaya said Tanzania continues to receive investors because it is seen as a safe country with predictable policies and an enabling environment. He linked this to the National Development Vision twenty fifty, which he said aims for major changes in investment structures, laws and oversight. Badru: He also framed the goal in terms of jobs, saying the country has many unemployed young people, and that productive investment is meant to significantly reduce that problem while strengthening ties with other nations. Alia: From the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Vice President Nathalie Bernasconi said African countries have moved beyond copying investment rules from elsewhere and are now shaping frameworks suited to their own environment, though she noted the challenge of aligning new rules with existing investment treaties and dispute mechanisms. Badru: The Institute's Sustainable Investment Director, Suzy Nikièma, said the forum aims to let policymakers and investment stakeholders compare experiences and challenges across regions. She stressed that investment should not be judged only by the volume of capital entering a country, but by whether it adds value locally, creates jobs and improves people's lives. Alia: For Zanzibar, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Investment, Hamis Shibu, said the gathering offers a chance for both the mainland and the isles to learn from each other and refine investment laws and policies to keep attracting capital. Badru: He added that there remains significant room to grow investment through international forums that bring together government, investors and stakeholders, calling such dialogue essential for identifying obstacles and shaping solutions that keep Tanzania attractive for beneficial investment.

Alia: Tanzania's national railway operator TRC and the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute have launched a new partnership aimed at bringing heart health services directly to train passengers. According to Global Publishers, the collaboration means free cardiac screening will be offered on Standard Gauge Railway trains running between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma from September twenty-first through twenty-seventh.
Badru: The timing lines up with Heart Health Week, which leads into World Heart Day on September twenty-ninth. Speaking to journalists at the SGR station in Dar es Salaam on September eighteenth, JKCI Director Doctor Peter Kissenge said medical specialists would travel aboard the trains offering screening, counseling and health education to passengers who need it.
Alia: The tests on offer include Echo scans, ECGs, and checks for blood sugar and blood fat levels. Doctor Kissenge noted that these same tests can cost more than five hundred thousand shillings when done at a hospital, so offering them free to SGR passengers during this campaign is meant to encourage more people to get checked regularly and catch heart disease and other non-communicable illnesses early.
Badru: TRC Director General Engineer Masanja Machibya framed the initiative as the start of a broader effort to link transport services with healthcare. He said TRC is preparing a project for specialized medical carriages fitted with modern equipment and beds, intended to transport critically ill patients and those referred for treatment more quickly and safely to Muhimbili National Hospital.
Alia: Machibya specifically pointed to patients from Dodoma and Morogoro, saying these medical carriages should cut down the time it takes to move seriously ill patients compared to traveling by road. According to the report, implementation of that project is expected to begin within the next six months.
Badru: It is worth being clear about what has actually happened so far. The free screening drive has been announced for September twenty-first through twenty-seventh. The dedicated medical train carriages remain a plan still in preparation, not something currently running.
Alia: If it goes ahead as described, though, it could mark a meaningful shift in how Tanzania handles medical referrals from regional areas to Muhimbili National Hospital.
Badru: For now, TRC and JKCI are urging anyone traveling by SGR during the campaign to take advantage of the free heart checks and professional advice while it lasts, since early detection is the whole point of the campaign.

Alia: For our lighter story this week on ZNZist Weekly, some real money is flowing back to communities living near Tanzania's wildlife areas.
Badru: According to Habari Leo, the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority, known as TAWA, handed over about two point four seven billion shillings to tourism revenue beneficiaries for July twenty twenty six.
Alia: The handover took place at TAWA's headquarters in Morogoro, and the authority's acting Conservation Commissioner, Mlage Kabange, broke down exactly where the funds went.
Badru: He said one point seven four billion shillings went to eleven Wildlife Management Areas, while three hundred fifty four point nine four million shillings was shared among eighteen villages, and three hundred seventy nine point two million shillings reached twenty one district councils.
Alia: Kabange explained this money comes from tourism income that gets returned to communities specifically to strengthen conservation and fund development projects.
Badru: He also noted that across the entire twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six financial year, total payouts to tourism beneficiaries reached twelve point one seven billion shillings, a separate reporting period from the July payment.
Alia: Beyond the cash, TAWA also handed over twenty seven drones intended to help control dangerous and destructive wildlife.
Badru: Twenty of those came through the Tanzania Wildlife Protection Fund, two from Bushman Safari Trackers Limited, and five directly from TAWA itself.
Alia: On top of that, TAWA says it has added six hundred sixty one new rangers and enabled one hundred eighty seven village rangers to join wildlife control efforts, alongside better equipment and technology.
Badru: Kabange framed all of this as an attempt to make sure communities feel direct benefits from conservation, encourage more public participation, ease conflicts between people and wildlife, and support local economic activity.
Alia: TAWA has also launched a dedicated hotline, called TAWA and Jamii, reachable at zero eight hundred seven five zero four four zero, meant to make it easier for citizens to report issues or raise concerns directly with the authority.
Badru: It is a reminder that Tanzania's tourism revenues are meant to circulate well beyond hotels and safari operators, reaching villages and district councils that live alongside the wildlife drawing in those visitors.
Alia: That wraps up this edition of ZNZist Weekly Zanzibar News Digest.
Badru: Thanks for listening, and we will be back next week with more news from Zanzibar and Tanzania.
Alia: Until then, take care.