Zanzibar President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi yesterday announced a new cabinet lineup, expanding the number of ministries from 18 to 20.

Speaking at State House, the president said that the restructuring involves splitting existing ministries and creating new portfolios to ensure a better distribution of workload and enhanced coordination across vital sectors.

The move is meant to boost government efficiency and service delivery, partly tied to zero tolerance for complacency, the digital transition, along with commitment to political cooperation and inclusivity, he said. 

He said that appointments were guided by strict criteria, including regional balance, gender representation and equal participation between the two main islands, with analysts noting that the level of ACT-Wazalendo participation in ministerial and deputy ministerial positions remains unclear.

The new cabinet is designed to deliver rapid results, particularly in implementing the ruling party’s election manifesto, he said, cautioning the new appointees against underperformance as it is the final term of the current presidency.

"If a task is supposed to be completed in one week, let it be done in one week. My ministers must leave their offices and go to the people—solve their challenges, not just hold meetings,” he explained.

To emphasize accountability, the Government Statistical Office (GSO) will be strengthened to provide detailed performance reports on different heads of departments, ensuring those who fail to deliver are held accountable, he stated.

Highlighting the push toward modernization, President Mwinyi announced the creation of the Ministry of Communication, Information Technology and Innovation, tasked with coordinating moves taking Zanzibar into a proper digital economy.

Of the 20 ministerial positions, four portfolios remain unfilled to accommodate the ACT Wazalendo party's participation in the Government of National Unity (GNU), as mandated by the 1984 Zanzibar Constitution. 

These reserved ministries are Health, Trade and Industry, Tourism and Heritage as well as the Office of the First Vice President, with the cabinet lineup showing nine new members to inject fresh energy into the government, he said. 

Notable new appointees include Idrissa Mustafa Kitwana (President’s Office – Regional Administration, Local Governments and Special Departments of the SMZ). Others are Dr. Juma Malik Akili (Finance and Planning) and Dr. Hamad Omar Bakari (Deputy Minister for Finance), observers noted.

Several ministers have been retained, including Dr. Saada Mkuya Salum (Minister of State, President’s Office – State House), Haroun Ali Suleiman (Minister of State, President’s Office – Constitution, Legal Affairs and Good Governance), and Leila Mohamed Mussa (Education and Vocational Training).

The new cabinet members—16 ministers and 11 deputy ministers appointed so far—are scheduled to be sworn in tomorrow, Saturday, November 15 2025o while two ministers from the previous cabinet, Tabia Maulid Mwita and Ali Suleiman Mrembo, were not reappointed.

The cabinet changes are seen as a strategic reorganization combining experience with new talent, likely to be helpful in accelerating Zanzibar’s socio-economic transformation under the mantra of speed, integrity and accountability, top officials remarked.