Discussion and Dinner with President Mwinyi in Arusha

"Then the President turned to the issue of a Presidential candidate for the 1995 Elections. And to my complete surprise he maintained that I represented the best possible option in the interests of the country, the unity of the United Republic and in terms of general acceptability by both parts of Tanzania i.e. both the mainland and Zanzibar. More specifically the President in his own words inter alia told me the following: 'Hali ya nchi (kisiasa) sinzuri. Chuki zimezidi. Kuna wale wanaowataka wazanzibari. Kuna wale wanaochukia waislamu na kutumia upinzani kwa wazanzibari kama kisingizio. Kuna wale wanaoping muungao - wale wa bara na wale wa visiwani.

Akiendelea Rais Mwinyi aliniambia, 'sijapata kumwambia mtu yeyote haya nnayokwambia sasa. Na kwa hiyo nakwambia on a confidential basis. Mimi naamini kwamba mtu ambaye ataweza kutusaidia ni wewe. Ingawa wewe ni muislamu lakini uislamu wako si wa ushekhe kama wangu. Kwa hiyo suala la dini laiwezi kuwa ni factor dhidi yako. Wewe pia unakubalika pande zote mbili za muungano na utaweza kusaidia sana katika kukabiliana na hali ngumu inayotukabili hivi sasa."