Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi on Monday appointed Othman Masoud Othman of the main opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency party (ACT-Wazalendo) as the new First Vice President.
Othman replaces Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, who died last month, and takes office with immediate effect.
The appointment followed a suggestion by President Mwinyi to reporters earlier on Monday that an important announcement was in the offing.
Zanzibar’s constitution states the president should name the successor of the First or Second Vice President within 14 days following their death.
“And following powers vested on him through Article 39(4) of the Zanzibar Constitution of 1984 and after consultations with ACT-Wazalendo, the President of Zanzibar and chairman of the Revolutionary Council Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi has appointed Mr. Othman Masoud Othman Sharif to be the First Vice President,” a statement from State House said.
ACT-Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe, who also spoke to media earlier on Monday, said they had put forward the name of Hamad’s successor to Mwinyi, who is the appointing authority.
“The candidate conforms with the party’s criteria of advocating reconciliation and unity,” Kabwe is quoted by local newspaper, The Citizen, as saying.
ACT-Wazalendo is part of the government having accepted a invitation from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party in December 2020.
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