Residents of Mkoani District in Pemba have called for a review of laws governing sexual offences, arguing that some provisions may leave boys disadvantaged in certain cases.
The residents made the call on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a public consultation meeting with a delegation of Zanzibar House of Representatives members led by the House Chief Whip, Professor Omar Fakih Hamad.
The meeting, held at Kengeja village, was part of an outreach programme by members of the ACT-Wazalendo party to gather views from residents on issues affecting their communities.
Bushra Abdallah Khamis said some provisions of the law should be reviewed to close loopholes that could encourage abuse of the legal process or create opportunities for corruption.
She said there were cases involving young people of different ages where boys were subjected to legal action while girls involved in the same circumstances were not treated in the same way.
“Some sections need to be reviewed to ensure the law is applied fairly and does not create room for abuse,” she said.
Abdulatif Muhammed of Kengeja said failure to ensure equal application of the law could encourage people to make false allegations or use legal provisions to settle personal disputes.
He urged lawmakers to consider safeguards that would protect both victims and those accused of sexual offences while ensuring genuine cases were dealt with firmly.
Muhammed Khamis Juma called for greater awareness of sexual offence laws among young people, particularly boys, saying education could help them understand their rights, responsibilities and the consequences of unlawful conduct.
Residents also used the meeting to raise concerns over electricity services in Pemba, particularly unannounced power interruptions.
They said frequent outages had damaged household appliances, including televisions and refrigerators, resulting in financial losses.
Muhammed Khamis Suleiman urged authorities to address the problem and review what residents described as an unjustified electricity charging-service fee.
Land compensation was another major concern raised during the meeting, with residents calling for legal reforms to ensure landowners receive fair compensation when their land is acquired for public development projects.
Abdulatif Muhammed Omar said landowners should not lose their right to compensation simply because their plots had not been developed.
“It is not right for land that I inherited or bought to be denied compensation simply because it has not been developed when it is taken for public use,” he said.
In education, residents proposed that teacher recruitment be returned to the Teachers’ Service Commission, arguing that the arrangement would improve management of the teaching workforce.
They also urged members of the House of Representatives to focus parliamentary debates on issues affecting citizens instead of political exchanges and personal attacks.
Siti Suleyum Dadi, secretary of the Mkoani District Islamic Society, said residents expected the House to concentrate on development issues and matters directly affecting people’s welfare.
Responding to the concerns, Professor Fakih said the views presented by residents would be considered as lawmakers prepare for the next session of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.
The session is scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026.
“I sincerely thank the residents for presenting views that are in the broader interests of Zanzibar. These issues will help us fulfil our responsibilities as representatives,” he said.
Other members of the delegation included Dr Muhammed Ali Suleiman, representative for Mtambwe Constituency; Seif Hamad Suleiman Ole; and Dr Nasra Nassor, a special-seat representative for the Urban Region of Unguja and deputy chairperson of the House members’ caucus for women.
The delegation is conducting a wider outreach programme covering all 11 districts of Zanzibar to collect residents’ views on governance, development and public services.
