Seif Shariff Hamad
Encyclopedia
Seif Sharif Hamad is a Zanzibar
i politician. He is currently the secretary-general of the opposition Civic United Front
(CUF) party and 1st ever vice president of Zanzibar.
After completing high school in December 1963, for the next nine years (1964–1972), he was prevented from pursuing University Education because he was required to fill in one of the vacancies in the civil service caused by the mass departure of British officials in 1964, after being asked to do so by the new Zanzibar Revolutionary Government. He was posted to teach in Secondary Schools, before joining University of Dar es Salaam
in 1972–1975, and graduated with B.A. (Honors) in Political Science, Public Administration and International Relations.
of Zanzibar
from 6 February 1984 to 22 January 1988. Soon after his dismissal, he was expelled from the sole legal party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi
(CCM), after disputes with party officials. From May 1989 - November, 1991 he was imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.
When Tanzania adopted a multiparty political system in 1992, Hamad along with other former CCM members founded the Civic United Front
party. The first multiparty elections took place in 1995 and Hamad was the CUF's candidate for the Presidency of Zanzibar. He was narrowly defeated by CCM candidate Salmin Amour
, winning 49.76% of the vote to Amour's 50.24%. Observers noted serious irregularities in the poll and the CUF rejected the result as rigged.
Hamad was again defeated in the 2000 elections by CCM candidate Amani Abeid Karume
. He received 32.96% of the vote to Karume's 67.04%. Observers condemned the poll citing widespread irregularities and instances of intimidation
of opposition supporters by the security forces. The Commonwealth
team described the election as a 'shambles'.
On 26 and 27 January 2001, more than forty five CUF supporters were gunned down by Tanzanian Security Forces in peaceful demonstration called to protest the imposition of Zanzibar Government against the will of the people. This led to the ruling CCM party and opposition CUF to have a dialogue that resulted in signing MUAFAKA II, a peace accord designed to ensure electoral and constitutional reforms. Most of the planned reforms were not implemented by the government, including, crucially, an agreed credible voter's register prior to the elections of October 2005.
In the 30 October 2005 election, according to official results, Hamad was again defeated by Amani Abeid Karume, winning 46.07% of the vote to Karume's 53.18%. CUF disputed the election and refused to recognise Karume as President. International observers, such as the Commonwealth, and National Democratic Institute again noted serious concerns with the fairness of the poll, and the United States boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Abeid Karume as President.
The union elections in December 2005 followed a similar pattern on Zanzibar with CUF carrying Pemba but not Unguja.
On 31 October 2010, Tanzanians vote to elect President of Tanzania and Zanzibar and Hamad runs for election,along side Dr Ali Mohamed Shein
of the ruling party CCM who was declared the winner on Monday, 1 November 2010, scooping 179,809 votes against 175,338 votes of Hamad.
Dr Shein's victory is equal to 50.1 per cent of all the 364,924 votes cast while Hamad garnered 49.1 per cent.
On May 1989 he was arrested and taken to court to face (politically motivated) trumped up charges of allegedly being found with government secret documents. From 1989–1991 he was Reprimanded in the Zanzibar Central Prison.
On April 2000 he was arrested and charged with trumped up charges of allegedly attacking members of the police and robbing them a gun. (The charges were finally dropped by the Zanzibar Magistrate’s Court in November 2003).
Hamadi will be the 1st ever Vice president of Zanzibar when Dr.Shein sworn in as a new president of Zanzibar
.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
i politician. He is currently the secretary-general of the opposition Civic United Front
Civic United Front
The Civic United Front is a liberal party in Tanzania. Although nationally-based, most of the CUF's support comes from the Zanzibar islands of Unguja and Pemba...
(CUF) party and 1st ever vice president of Zanzibar.
Early life and career
1950–1957: Hamad attended Primary School at Uondwe and Wete Boys School, in Pemba. He started his secondary education from 1958–1961, at King George VI Memorial Secondary School, in Zanzibar Town, Zanzibar. Hamad goes on to attend High school education at the same school from 1962–1963.After completing high school in December 1963, for the next nine years (1964–1972), he was prevented from pursuing University Education because he was required to fill in one of the vacancies in the civil service caused by the mass departure of British officials in 1964, after being asked to do so by the new Zanzibar Revolutionary Government. He was posted to teach in Secondary Schools, before joining University of Dar es Salaam
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam is a university in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. The university was born out of a decision taken in 1970 to split the then University of East Africa into three independent universities; Makerere University , University of Nairobi and University of Dar es...
in 1972–1975, and graduated with B.A. (Honors) in Political Science, Public Administration and International Relations.
Political career
Hamad served as Member of the Zanzibar Revolutionery Council and Zanzibar Minister of Education (1977–1980), founding member of the Zanzibar House of Representatives (1980–1989) and Member of Tanzanian Parliament (1977), Member of the Central Committee and National Executive Committee of Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) - Tanzaniania's Ruling Party (1977–1987), Head of the Economic and Planning Department of the CCM (1982–1987) and Chief MinisterHeads of government of Zanzibar
-List of the Heads of Government of Zanzibar :-Affiliations:*ZPPP-ZNP - Zanzibar and Pemba People's Party-Zanzibar Nationalist Party*ASP - Afro-Shirazi Party...
of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
from 6 February 1984 to 22 January 1988. Soon after his dismissal, he was expelled from the sole legal party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi
Chama Cha Mapinduzi
The Chama cha Mapinduzi is the ruling political party of Tanzania.- History :The party was created February 5, 1977, under the leadership of Julius Nyerere as the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union , the then ruling party in Tanganyika, and the Afro-Shirazi Party , the then ruling...
(CCM), after disputes with party officials. From May 1989 - November, 1991 he was imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.
When Tanzania adopted a multiparty political system in 1992, Hamad along with other former CCM members founded the Civic United Front
Civic United Front
The Civic United Front is a liberal party in Tanzania. Although nationally-based, most of the CUF's support comes from the Zanzibar islands of Unguja and Pemba...
party. The first multiparty elections took place in 1995 and Hamad was the CUF's candidate for the Presidency of Zanzibar. He was narrowly defeated by CCM candidate Salmin Amour
Salmin Amour
Salmin Amour is a Tanzanian politician who was President of Zanzibar from 25 October 1990 to 8 November 2000. He was elected in 1990 as the sole candidate and received 98% of the votes. In Tanzania's first multi-party elections in 1995, Amour was accused of rigging the Zanzibari Presidential...
, winning 49.76% of the vote to Amour's 50.24%. Observers noted serious irregularities in the poll and the CUF rejected the result as rigged.
Hamad was again defeated in the 2000 elections by CCM candidate Amani Abeid Karume
Amani Abeid Karume
Amani Abeid Karume is a former president of Zanzibar. He held the office from 8 November 2000 to 3 November 2010. He is the son of Zanzibar's first president, Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume and a member of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party....
. He received 32.96% of the vote to Karume's 67.04%. Observers condemned the poll citing widespread irregularities and instances of intimidation
Intimidation
Intimidation is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It's not necessary to prove that the behavior was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened.Criminal threatening is the crime of intentionally or...
of opposition supporters by the security forces. The Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
team described the election as a 'shambles'.
On 26 and 27 January 2001, more than forty five CUF supporters were gunned down by Tanzanian Security Forces in peaceful demonstration called to protest the imposition of Zanzibar Government against the will of the people. This led to the ruling CCM party and opposition CUF to have a dialogue that resulted in signing MUAFAKA II, a peace accord designed to ensure electoral and constitutional reforms. Most of the planned reforms were not implemented by the government, including, crucially, an agreed credible voter's register prior to the elections of October 2005.
In the 30 October 2005 election, according to official results, Hamad was again defeated by Amani Abeid Karume, winning 46.07% of the vote to Karume's 53.18%. CUF disputed the election and refused to recognise Karume as President. International observers, such as the Commonwealth, and National Democratic Institute again noted serious concerns with the fairness of the poll, and the United States boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Abeid Karume as President.
The union elections in December 2005 followed a similar pattern on Zanzibar with CUF carrying Pemba but not Unguja.
On 31 October 2010, Tanzanians vote to elect President of Tanzania and Zanzibar and Hamad runs for election,along side Dr Ali Mohamed Shein
Ali Mohamed Shein
Dr.Ali Mohamed Shein Currently the 7th President of Zanzibar and the first President ever from Pemba Island . The former Vice President of Tanzania is originally from the island of Pemba. Dr.Shein is a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party...
of the ruling party CCM who was declared the winner on Monday, 1 November 2010, scooping 179,809 votes against 175,338 votes of Hamad.
Dr Shein's victory is equal to 50.1 per cent of all the 364,924 votes cast while Hamad garnered 49.1 per cent.
Political victimisation
On January 1988 Unceremoniously dropped from the Revolutionary Council and dropped as the Chief Minister of Zanzibar an on May 1988 he was Expelled from the ruling CCM with six colleagues and automatically lost his parliamentary seat in the Zanzibar House of Representatives.On May 1989 he was arrested and taken to court to face (politically motivated) trumped up charges of allegedly being found with government secret documents. From 1989–1991 he was Reprimanded in the Zanzibar Central Prison.
On April 2000 he was arrested and charged with trumped up charges of allegedly attacking members of the police and robbing them a gun. (The charges were finally dropped by the Zanzibar Magistrate’s Court in November 2003).
Hamadi will be the 1st ever Vice president of Zanzibar when Dr.Shein sworn in as a new president of Zanzibar
President of Zanzibar
The President of Zanzibar is the head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, which is a semi-autonomous government within Tanzania. The current President is Ali Mohamed Shein. The President is also the chairman of the Revolutionary Council, whose members are appointed by the President, and...
.