TANZANIA. DEBATE ON DEATH PENALTY

October 14, 2008: problems with the proposal to end the death penalty in Zanzibar prompted a heated debate among legal experts and `wananchi`(citizens). The debate held in Pemba Island followed the revelation that more than 5,000 death convicts were still languishing in jail as their death sentences were yet to be approved by the President of Zanzibar.
During the open discussion, the coordinator who is also the person in-charge of a Legal Assistance Centre in Zanzibar, Ismaili Is-haka Sharifu, said that both the Union and Zanzibar presidents were reluctant to sign documents to allow the executions saying the implementation of the sentences should be scrapped altogether. "It is time to discuss its relevance," Sharif said. He suggested that since Tanzania indirectly discouraged the death penalty, the government should issue official statement to join the international community in opposing it.
The proposal immediately attracted the support of South Pemba Regional Crime Officer, Azizi Juma Muhamed, who said that the police, the judiciary and other crime investigation departments in the country were well equipped, and therefore hesitation in endorsing death sentences by the president had nothing to do with the authenticity of evidence presented in court. "Therefore, let this law be reviewed," he concluded.
Other participants went further to say that perhaps the death sentence was not convenient under multi-party system of leadership fearing that in case it happens in future that the president in power was in conflict with the opposition party members he might decide to issue death sentences to his opponents. (Sources: IPP Media, 16/10/2008)