Dar es Salaam. ACT Wazalendo legislators in Zanzibar have demanded a comprehensive government explanation over what they describe as conflicting figures surrounding the cost of infrastructure projects linked to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), saying the discrepancies have created unnecessary public uncertainty.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the opposition lawmakers said the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (SMZ) must issue a single, authoritative statement clarifying the total amount allocated for AFCON-related investments and how the projects will be financed.
The legislators pointed to three different figures that have been publicly cited by senior government officials.
During the presentation of the 2026/27 Zanzibar budget to the House of Representatives in June, Finance and Planning Minister Juma Maliki Akili said the government had set aside TZS 1.69 trillion to support AFCON-related investments in sports infrastructure, transport, tourism and social services.
Days later, President Hussein Ali Mwinyi reportedly stated that the cost of AFCON infrastructure in Zanzibar was about TZS 300 billion.
The finance minister later told journalists that the correct figure was TZS 1.069 trillion, arguing that the earlier amount had been incorrectly reported.
ACT Wazalendo said the differing statements raise serious questions about the accuracy of official information and the integrity of the budgeting process.
“The public deserves a clear and consistent explanation. These are not minor differences in figures; they involve hundreds of billions of shillings and affect public trust in government budgeting,” the party said.
The debate intensified after ACT Wazalendo national chairman and First Vice President Othman Masoud Othman questioned the scale of the investment during a televised interview, expressing concern that the expenditure could be disproportionate to Zanzibar’s expected role in the tournament.
The party argued that, while Zanzibar is participating in Tanzania’s preparations for AFCON 2027, it is neither the official host country nor a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and therefore the economic assumptions behind the investment should be carefully scrutinized.
The lawmakers also questioned the long-term commercial viability of the projects, warning that some facilities could become underutilized after the tournament if no sustainable post-AFCON plan is put in place.
They cited the proposed sports city and related infrastructure, saying the government should explain how the facilities will generate economic returns through sports tourism, events, professional football and other commercial activities once the tournament ends.
“Citizens need to know not only how much will be spent, but also how the investment will pay back over time,” the legislators said.
ACT Wazalendo further noted that Zanzibar has yet to know how many AFCON matches it will host or which national teams will play on the islands, making it difficult to assess the likely economic benefits.
The party called on the government to publish a detailed breakdown of project costs, sources of financing, loan conditions and repayment arrangements.
It also asked the government to explain how construction is proceeding if some of the anticipated external financing has not yet been secured, and from which budget allocations the ongoing works are currently being funded.
The lawmakers urged SMZ to issue an official clarification as soon as possible, saying a transparent account of the figures would help restore public confidence and allow informed debate on one of Zanzibar’s largest infrastructure investment programmes in recent years.
