Source: Tanzania Daily News
THE Civic United Front (CUF) has promised women in Zanzibar that they will prosper if it wins and forms government after the October General election.
The promise was made here over the weekend by the CUF Secretary General, Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, at a public rally held in Kitope constituency in North Unguja, where he said Zanzibaris should expect a prosperous future under his party leadership.
"We know that many of you (women) need to get married, but you cannot do so because of economic difficulties including lack of reliable employment. Our plans will change Zanzibar economically in the interest of the majority," Mr Hamad said at the rally which was delayed by heavy downpours.
There was fracas at the rally after police blocked many supporters from going to attend the meeting because CUF followers defied the ban imposed early this month restricting supporters from other districts to cross to the region where a rally was to be held.
It had been a 'tradition' that when a party has a rally in a district, people from other districts join in, but after the March 29, 2015 when several CUF supporters were injured by unidentified thugs, the police with support from some political parties decided to restrict movement.
In an effort to enforce the 'law' on Saturday, many police and Zanzibar para-military officers were deployed along the road to Kitope, and at least in one occasion, the law-enforcers were prompted to use tear gas to disperse CUF's supporters.
"Yes, we used tear gas to disperse some CUF fans because they were attempting to throw stone at police officers.
But, the rally ended well, and we ask political parties to observe conditions for having a public rally to avoid unnecessary confrontations," Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Hassan Msangi said.