Zanzibar First Vice President Othman Masoud joins 2025 presidential race, challenges incumbent Hussein Mwinyi

Othman Masoud Othman, the First Vice President of Zanzibar, has officially entered the race for Zanzibar’s presidency ahead of the 2025 General Election, after collecting his nomination forms on April 13.

Othman, who is set to challenge the incumbent President, Hussein Mwinyi, who has already been endorsed by the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) for a second term, picked up his nomination forms at ACT-Wazalendo’s headquarters in Vuga, Zanzibar.

This marks a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the highly anticipated election scheduled for October 2025.

During the form collection, Othman was handed the documents, along with a copy of the Zanzibar Constitution and the party's internal regulations, by the Secretary of the party’s Election Committee, Mhene Said Rashid. The handover took place in the presence of several senior party officials.

“I hand over to you these forms, the Constitution, and the party rules to guide you in completing them. The deadline for returning the forms is April 17, 2025, at 4 pm. Please take note,” Mhene said during the brief ceremony.

Speaking shortly after receiving the forms, Othman expressed his excitement about this new chapter, stating that it was an important step for both the party and the country.

“Today I came to collect the forms because it is an important part of our internal party process. An election is a journey, and before we enter the national arena, we must fulfil our internal procedures,” Othman said.

He commended the organising committee for its efficiency in managing the nomination process, especially for candidates vying for councillor and representative positions across the various regions of Zanzibar.

“I sincerely thank you all for your support and cooperation in this process,” he added.

However, Othman made it clear that the day was solely about collecting the necessary documents. He stated that official campaign statements and media engagements would follow once he returns the completed forms on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

“I appreciate the leaders and members who accompanied me today. Your support is vital as I seek this national leadership role,” he said.

Meanwhile, ACT-Wazalendo’s Deputy Secretary General for Zanzibar, Omar Ali Shekha, affirmed that the party’s commitment to democracy allowed all eligible members to contest for any of the positions announced, including the presidency.

“Every qualified party member who meets the requirements is free to contest for any position within the party,” Omar said.

According to Mhene, the nomination process for parliamentary, representative, and councillor candidates, which began on April 1 and ended on April 10, has progressed smoothly. He said the window for presidential aspirants runs from April 12 to April 17, 2025.

He also noted that the strong response across all levels shows heightened political engagement and strong competition within the party.

Other Topics To Read

• Tanzania
• Zanzibar
• chadema
• Hussein Mwinyi
• Othman Masoud Othman
• Zanzibar First Vice President Othman Masoud joins 2025 presidential race
• challenges incumbent Hussein Mwinyi

Nomination fees have been set at Sh1 million for presidential aspirants, Sh100,000 for parliamentary and representative candidates and Sh30,000 for councillor hopefuls.

In addition to fielding a presidential candidate for Zanzibar, ACT-Wazalendo intends to contest all electoral positions across the country, from the presidency to local government. However, Omar reiterated that the party’s key agenda for constitutional reforms on the Mainland remains a priority.

“Yes, we signed the election regulations, but that does not mean we agreed with everything in them. We followed procedure, and further steps will be taken to challenge any unfair provisions. We're not boycotting the process—we're engaging fully, including legal options if necessary,” Omar said as quoted by The Citizen.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unveiled the election guidelines on Saturday, April 12, with 18 political parties endorsing the regulations. However, the main opposition party, Chadema, declined to sign and now faces a five-year exclusion from participating in elections, according to INEC.

Mhene also highlighted an encouraging increase in the number of female aspirants, though he did not disclose specific figures, citing the ongoing nature of the internal selection process.

Once all nomination forms are returned, ACT-Wazalendo will move forward with internal opinion polls and nomination meetings, with final candidates expected to be confirmed by July 2025.