| Zanzibar could reverse trend to have president
from Pemba Tuesday, 29 June 2010 19:29 By Hawra Shamte and Salim Said For more than 200 years US citizen could not pick a president who has roots outside the country. This might have been the result of racism or belief that a person other than ‘original’ US citizen was capable of effectively leading the powerful nation and help it to maintain its values. But after political changes globally, and strengthening of democracy, things have changed in the US. We witnessed last year a senator with his origins from east Africa, Barack Abdallah Husein Obama, becoming the first black US president. He won the race on Democrat ticket and was sworn on January 20, 2009 as US president. What has happened in US can also happen in Zanzibar this year through Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Eleven CCM members have already picked nomination forms, seeking their party appointment as presidential candidates. Since 1964 Revolution, Zanzibar, which is formed by twin islands of Unguja and Pemba, has had never elected a President from Pemba. All people who have been elected into the post are from Unguja. Things might change this year as among the much touted possible candidates are from Pemba. Moreover, Zanzibar election might record another history as among those who have picked forms to view for the post is a person with Asian origin, Mr Haroun Ali Suleiman, who currently serves as the minister for Education and Vocational Training. * * * * * The article continues, but the clip above is probably all that would interest American readers. It really is odd that so many African sources continue to "mistakenly" claim that our president is an African. If I were cynical, I'd say that a big chunk of our tax money is on the way to the publisher of the Citizen in Tanzania, and all copies of this story will mysteriously evaporate off the internet. (I back-up my web site to portable media which my friend, Dick Cheney, safeguards in an undisclosed secure location (no, not THAT one), so don't even try to make my shit disappear.) When they frog march you out of the white house in hand-cuffs, I'll be the guy at the fence, wearing the funny hat and blowing the purple vuvuzela.
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