I won't resign over Zanzibar boat accident - Mwakyembe

TRANSPORT Minister Dr Harrison Mwakyembe has maintained that he would not resign following the sinking of MV Skagit near Chumbe Island recently.

Winding up his budget estimates for 2012/2013 yesterday evening, Dr Mwakyembe said neither his ministry nor the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) share blame in registration of the ill-fated ship.

He explained that Zanzibar, through the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA), registered the ill-fated ship and that his ministry had no authority over the registration.

“My authority ends at Chumbe Island and I have no authority in Zanzibar. Sumatra has registered about 100 ships to strictness of the law but this is not the case in Zanzibar,” the minister said. The National Assembly endorsed the budget estimates yesterday evening.