Hassan Mwinyi's son, Hussein, wins Zanzibar presidency

Zanzibar's Electoral Commission on Thursday evening declared Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, son of Tanzania's second President, the new leader of the Revolutionary Government of the archipelago after he garnered 76.27 percent of the vote.

Dr Mwinyi, until now the Defence Minister of Tanzania, collected about 380,000 votes defeating veteran opposition leader Seif Sharif Hamad aka Maalim Seif of ACT-Wazalendo and other contenders from CUF and Chadema.

Dr Mwinyi, whose father Ali Hassan Mwinyi was Tanzania's second President from 1985 to 1995, had been serving in the cabinet of John Pombe Magufuli, who was also expected to win the presidential race, according to provisional results announced by the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania.

"Thank you all people of Zanzibar for choosing CCM and for electing brother Hussein Mwinyi as the President-elect of the revolutionary government of Zanzibar," CCM party wrote on Twitter on Thursday night.

His victory could now maintain a status quo for an archipelago that enjoys certain form of autonomy from the government of Tanzania, but which has witnessed violence nearly every election year.

The archipelago often sees politicians expressing desire for more autonomy. Ahead of the elections.

Chadema's presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu had promised voters to "review" the governance arrangement with Mainland to ensure the islanders get more say in resources they are allocated. 

Claims of rigging

This year, a number of opposition leaders, including Mr Hamad, were briefly detained by police for claiming there was rigging on the eve of the vote.

Hamad himself had been barred from campaigning for a week in days leading to elections for breach of electoral code.

Meanwhile, Mwinyi has called on all the other contestants to come together to build one Zanzibar because as citizens they will need each other to build a prosperous Zanzibar.

Despite being a Zanzibari, his first foray into politics was as a member of parliament for Mkuranga constituency in the mainland from 2000 to 2005. 

He then shifted to the Isles where he served as MP for Kwahani constituency from 2005 to date.

He is a qualified medical doctor and a former lecturer at the privately-run Hubert Kairuki Memorial University. 

His 2020 general election campaigns have focused on maintaining the union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika as well as ensuring further economic development for the Zanzibaris.

Additional reporting by The Citizen