The Zanzibar Revolution of 1964, a watershed event in postcolonial African history, marked the subsequent overthrow of the Arab Omani-dominated Sultanate and the integration of Zanzibar and Pemba (called the spice islands) into the newly formed nation of Tanzania. The revolution happened barely a month after Zanzibar had gained its independence from British rule on 10th December 1963. This upheaval was informed and characterized by decades of racialized social fractures rooted in colonial-era hierarchies and post-independence political tensions that pitted the ruling Arab elite against the marginalized Africans.
Colonial-Era Racialization:
Arab Dominance: Since the 19th century, Arabs from Oman controlled governance, land, and commerce, while Africans were marginalized as laborers or slaves. Colonial policies (e.g., British protectorate status from 1890) reinforced Arab privilege despite abolishing slavery. After the Portuguese were expelled in 1698, Zanzibar became part of the Omani Sultanate, which revived and expanded the Indian Ocean slave trade. Zanzibar’s economy relied on cloves and coconuts, driving demand for enslaved labor. Sultan Seyyid Said (r. 1804–1856) formalized trade networks, including treaties with European powers, to consolidate Zanzibar’s dominance. Zanzibar had become the largest slave market in East Africa, with an estimated 600,000 enslaved people sold between 1830 and 1873.
Political Polarization
Afro-Shirazi Party vs. Zanzibar Nationalist Party:
ASP: Framed politics through racial justice, emphasizing Arab exploitation of Africans. Leaders like Abeid Amani Karume argued that racial inequality was irreparable without radical change. Abeid Karume (Originally from Malawi) and John Okello (form Uganda) were among its leaders, though Okello was more radical than Karume.
ZNP: Advocated cultural unity, dismissing slavery as “benign” and urging reconciliation. The party drew support from Shirazis in Pemba and urban elites and it was largely Arba/Shirazi led.
Racial Violence:
Targeted Brutality: The ASP-led uprising (January 12, 1964) focused on Arabs and South Asians, who faced massacres, arson, rape, and forced exile. Rural Unguja bore the brunt, while Stone Town’s narrow streets limited violence. Pemba saw less lethal but widespread intimidation. Casualty estimates range from hundreds to 20,000 deaths, with thousands displaced. By 1972, Arab and South Asian populations plummeted due to expulsion or flight.
Revolutionary Governance:
The ASP nationalized Arab-owned plantations and redistributed land to Africans, addressing historical inequities but deepening racial divisions. Karume’s authoritarian regime suppressed dissent, jailed critics, and enforced strict control over media.
Abeid Karume ruled Zanzibar for 8 years, from January 12, 1964, until his assassination on April 7, 1972. Famous Kenyan photojournalist Mo Amin ((1943–1996)) At only 20 years old covered the revolution in Zanzibar. His pictures of a secret Soviet military training camp got him arrested by the KGB. He was tortured for 28 days in the notorious Kilimamigu prison (source Google Arts&Culture)
featured image source: Getty Images
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