Union “more important than ever” - President

Zanzibari President Dr Salmin Amour on Wednesday said the union with Tanzania was “more important now than it was 36 years ago”, Tanzanian radio reported. The president who was addressing the nation to mark the 36th anniversary of the union, said the union represented “a model that should be emulated by African countries in order to protect the interests of citizens”. He said the two governments of Tanzania and Zanzibar had agreed to work on the proposals made by the Judge Robert Kisanga Commission - which sought public views on the constitutions - to improve the union even further taking into account the views aired by citizens. He said his government would continue to respect the socialist policy of community villages and self-reliance. Amour also granted an amnesty to King Jamshin bin Khalif Ali who was overthrown in the 1964 Zanzibar revolution. He said Jamshin was free to return to Zanzibar as a private citizen, but not as king.