Zanzibar President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, has urged the government and development partners to speed up implementation of projects supported by the World Bank so that citizens can benefit from them without unnecessary delays.
President Mwinyi made the call on Wednesday during a meeting with World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr Ndiamé Diop, and the bank’s Country Director for Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Firas Raad, at State House in Zanzibar.
He said the government valued its partnership with the World Bank, particularly in education, health, energy and infrastructure, but stressed that the success of such cooperation should ultimately be measured by its impact on citizens.
“The priority is to ensure that development projects are implemented efficiently and that the benefits reach our people on time,” President Mwinyi said.
President Mwinyi said Zanzibar was increasing investment in education as demand for schools, teachers and learning facilities continued to grow alongside the population.
He said the government had increased funding for the sector and was prioritising construction and rehabilitation of schools, recruitment of teachers and greater use of digital technology.
The President said technology could help improve efficiency in education delivery, including addressing some challenges linked to shortages of personnel.
The emphasis comes as Zanzibar seeks to ensure that rising enrolment does not undermine the quality of education or access to learning opportunities.
On healthcare, Dr Mwinyi said the government was seeking to build a stronger and sustainable health system rather than depending mainly on short-term interventions.
He cited improvements in health facilities, availability of medicines and medical equipment, recruitment of health professionals and expansion of health insurance coverage among the areas requiring continued attention.
He also pointed to the need for stronger health information systems to improve the management and delivery of services.
For citizens, the focus is on ensuring that investments translate into more reliable access to healthcare and reduce gaps in the availability of essential services.
President Mwinyi said economic growth and increased investment were putting additional pressure on Zanzibar’s electricity supply.
He said the government was therefore pursuing projects to expand power-generation capacity, with renewable energy among the areas receiving attention.
Zanzibar is also looking to the private sector to participate in energy projects and other strategic investments.
Dr Mwinyi identified energy, data centres and digital infrastructure as areas with significant potential for private investment.
The approach is aimed at ensuring that infrastructure development keeps pace with economic activity and the growing demand for modern services.
The President also called for stronger vocational education and training programmes that respond directly to labour-market needs.
He said young people should be equipped with practical skills that match opportunities available in the economy, particularly in tourism, one of Zanzibar’s major sources of economic activity and employment.
He urged vocational training institutions to engage more closely with employers when designing courses.
Such cooperation, he said, would help reduce the mismatch between skills acquired in training institutions and those demanded by employers.
Dr Diop said the World Bank was encouraged by Zanzibar’s development progress and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to working with the government in priority areas.
He said measures to improve social services, strengthen the investment climate and increase private-sector participation were important to Zanzibar’s development agenda.
The meeting comes as Zanzibar seeks to turn development partnerships and investment into tangible improvements in services and economic opportunities.
For ordinary citizens, the key test will be whether the projects discussed translate into better schools, more reliable healthcare, improved electricity supply, stronger digital infrastructure and skills that can lead to jobs.
President Mwinyi’s call for faster implementation puts delivery—not simply commitments—at the centre of Zanzibar’s development partnership with the World Bank.
