The upcoming Zanzibar election has taken a sharper economic turn after opposition candidate Othman Masoud Othman pledged to introduce a minimum monthly wage of 1 million Tanzanian shillings ($380) and expand investment in education and youth employment.
Masoud, who leads ACT-Wazalendo and is the party’s presidential flagbearer, argues that Zanzibar’s economy has the capacity to sustain higher wages if leakages from corruption and mismanagement are curtailed.
“This is a wealthy and self-sufficient land that has been reduced to humiliation,” he said in recent remarks, calling for broader reforms in governance and public finance.
The proposal, which more than triples current minimum earnings in some sectors, has drawn skepticism from ruling-party officials, who say the economy cannot absorb such an increase.
But ACT-Wazalendo’s campaign team points to alleged cost overruns in state projects, such as the renovation of Amani Stadium, as evidence of fiscal waste that could otherwise finance wage growth.
Beyond wages, Masoud’s platform prioritizes youth empowerment, including plans to provide laptops to secondary students, restore Islamic and Arabic studies in the curriculum, and expand training to improve employability.
“Our young people must become active participants in development, not bystanders,” he said.
The election comes at a time when Zanzibar, which enjoys semi-autonomous status within Tanzania, faces mounting pressure to diversify its economy beyond tourism and clove exports.
While the islands benefit from steady inflows of visitors, youth unemployment remains high and public debt is rising, leaving limited fiscal space for ambitious social spending.
Investors and analysts are watching closely to see how opposition promises resonate with voters.
A decisive win for ACT-Wazalendo could reset Zanzibar’s policy trajectory, while also testing the sustainability of wage and education reforms in an economy highly dependent on external support from the mainland.