ZANZIBAR is benefitting from revenue-sharing arrangements in foreign aid, with major strides made in strengthening the union politically, economically and socially, President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi has declared.

He was addressing the closing session of the 10th House of Representatives at Chukwani, Urban West Region of Unguja Island, as the Zanzibar legislature is set to formally conclude its mandate on August 13, ahead of general elections

Since the introduction of a structured union agenda in 2006, a total of 26 issues were raised, and 22 are already resolved, he said, highlighting that Zanzibar benefits from union-wide development projects, employment opportunities in union institutions and access to higher education loans.

Through the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), 15 projects in education, health and water sectors have received 3.1bn/-, while 50.1bn/- had been disbursed to poor households in Zanzibar under the social safety net programme by November 2024, he further noted.

He affirmed that Zanzibar cooperation with foreign countries is facilitated by Tanzania’s diplomatic missions, expressing satisfaction with the Union authorities for ensuring that Zanzibar interests are upheld.

Ensuring that the next general elections are conducted transparently and lawfully was vital as the country prepares for the 2025 general election, supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC), he said.

The public needs to maintain peace before, during and after the elections, he said, urging political leaders, civil society, religious leaders and the rest of the public to safeguard the peace “so we can continue advancing development for present and future generations."

Over the past five years, the legislature has endorsed reforms that streamlined government operations and reduced document printing costs, he said, noting that since 2020, about 44 pieces of legislation covering various sectors have been enacted or amended.

Significant progress had been made in the legal sector, with court infrastructure improvements and building new judiciary offices across the main islands, he said, citing the construction of modern court buildings at district and regional levels.

This has improved working conditions for judges and magistrates and enhanced public access to justice, he said, noting that the number of judges has increased from eight to 14, including five women.

The number of magistrates now stands at 69, while case resolution speed has improved largely due to strengthened institutions and better working environments, he stated.

Combating gender-based violence was enhanced as related cases dropped from 348 during fiscal 2023/24 to 292 for fiscal 2024/25, he said.

The Zanzibar Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Authority (ZAECA) recovered 7.65bn/- in its investigations, where 521m/- was returned to individuals and 7.13bn/- deposited with government coffers, he stated.

Efforts to enhance public finance transparency included empowering the Office of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) to publicly release annual audit reports, covering all 18 ministries and donor-funded projects, he said.

He detailed achievements in the blue economy like tourism, marine farming, seaweed cultivation, maritime trade and ports, along with oil and gas exploration.

Tourism was a major focus, given its role in generating foreign exchange and employment. Tourist arrivals rose from 394,185 in 2021 to 736,755 in 2024—an 86.9 percent growth pace

 The sector now contributes 30 percent to Zanzibar’s GDP, with cruise ship visits rising from six in 2018 to 20 in 2025, with the number of high-end hotels growing from 36 in 2023 to 79 at present, he specified.

To support marine activities, the government distributed 1,027 fishing and seaweed farming boats benefiting 32,000 people—70 percent of whom are youth, and 90 percent of seaweed farmers are women.

The government completed the Malindi modern fish landing site, which now serves 10,000 people and 350 boats daily. A second-phase sardine processing plant and a fish feed factory in Kama, Unguja Island, are also underway, he added.