Zanzibari independence is a political ambition of some political parties, advocacy groups, and individuals of Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region territory within Tanzania, to become an independent sovereign state.

Background

Sultanate of Zanzibar

British protectorate Control of Zanzibar eventually came into the hands of the British Empire; part of the political impetus for this was the 19th century movement for the abolition of the slave trade. Zanzibar was the centre of the Arab slave trade, and in 1822, the British consul in Muscat put pressure on Sultan Said to end the slave trade. Said came under increasing pressure from the British to abolish slavery, and in 1842 the British government told the Zanzibari ruler it wished to abolish the slave trade to Arabia, Oman, Persia, and the Red Sea.Chris McIntyre, Susan McIntyre (2013), "Zanzibar", Bradt Travel Guides, p.13.

In 1890, Zanzibar became a protectorate (not a colony) of the United Kingdom. This status meant it continued to be under the sovereignty of the Sultan of Zanzibar.

Zanzibar revolution and merger with Tanganyika

Demographic and cultural differences Ethnicity

Religion

Unlike mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar's population is almost entirely Muslim, with a small Christian minority containing around 22 000 Christians. Other religious groups that are represented include Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.

Languages Zanzibaris speak Swahili (Kiswahili), a Bantu language that is extensively spoken in the African Great Lakes region and indeed most of Tanzania where it is the de facto national and official language. However unlike the mainland, many local residents also speak Arabic, French and/or Italian,Chris McIntyre and Susan McIntyre, "Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia", Bradt Travel Guide, 2009, p. 36. with Arabic a recognised minority language.

Cuisine Given the multi-cultural background of the island, Zanzibari cuisine is very distinct, with a mixture of various culinary traditions, including Bantu, Arab, Portuguese, Indian, British and even Chinese cuisine.

Governance

Relationship with the mainland As a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, Zanzibar has its own government, known as the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. It is made up of the Revolutionary Council and House of Representatives. The House of Representatives has a similar composition to the National Assembly of Tanzania. Fifty members are elected directly from constituencies to serve five-year terms; 10 members are appointed by the President of Zanzibar; 15 special seats are for women members of political parties that have representation in the House of Representatives; six members serve ex officio, including all regional commissioners and the attorney general. Five of these 81 members are then elected to represent Zanzibar in the National Assembly.Composition, Parliament of Tanzania

Unguja has three administrative regions: Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North and Zanzibar Urban/West. Pemba has two: Pemba North and Pemba South.

Concerning the independence and sovereignty of Zanzibar, Tanzania Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda said on 3 July 2008 that there was "nothing like the sovereignty of Zanzibar in the Union Government unless the Constitution is changed in future". Zanzibar House of Representatives members from both the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, and the opposition party, Civic United Front, disagreed and stood firmly in recognizing Zanzibar as a fully autonomous state.

Zanzibari politics

Sport Football is the most popular sport in Zanzibar, overseen by the Zanzibar Football Association., which is separate from Zanzibar is an associate member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but not of FIFA. This means that the Zanzibar national football team is not eligible to enter national CAF competitions, such as the African Nations Cup, but Zanzibar's Football Clubs get representation at the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Champions League.

The national team participates in non-FIFA Football tournaments such as the FIFI Wild Cup, and the ELF Cup. Because Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA, their team is not eligible for the FIFA World Cup.

The Zanzibar Football Association also has a Premier League for the top clubs, which was created in 1981, again, separate from the Tanzanian Premier League.

Media The media in Zanzibar come under a different set of regulations to their counterparts in mainland Tanzania.

Causes Various reasons have been given for the on-going secessionist movement, including historical independence, socio-economic disparity, cultural differences and ethnic tensions between Arab islanders and black African mainlanders. It has also been noted that radical islamist groups support independence capitalising on the political turbulence related to electoral issues.

Organisations Pro-independence political groups

The Democratic Party is a far-right political party in mainland Tanzania, registered on 7 June 2002, calls for the dissolution of the Union Government of Tanzania and has openly campaigned for the separation of the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba from mainland Tanganyika. The DP supports the expulsion of minorities from the mainland. The Civic United Front is a Zanzibari autonomist liberal party. Although nationally based, most of the CUF's support comes from the Zanzibar islands of Unguja and Pemba. The party is a member of Liberal International and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Uamsho, an abbreviation of The Association for Islamic Mobilisation and Propagation is an Islamist separatist group legally registered in Zanzibar. Led by Farid Hadi Ahmed, Uamsho seeks independence for Zanzibar from Tanzania. Analysts have said that Uamsho has been gaining popularity following the disenchantment of supporters of Zanzibar's main opposition Civic United Front (CUF) party after its decision to form a government of national unity with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Party. There are suggestions that the Zanzibar acid attack has been linked to their supporters.

Anti-independence political groups Chama Cha Mapinduzi, translated as Party of the Revolution, is a unionist party created on February 5, 1977, under the leadership of Julius Nyerere, through the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), the ruling party in Tanganyika, and the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP), the ruling party in Zanzibar.

References

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