Muhammad Said Abdulla (1918- 1991)
His Life Born in 1918 in Makunduchi, Eastern Zanzibar, Muhammad Said Abdulla is a writer often credited as the pioneer of Swahili popular literature. He was more successful in blending Eastern African lore with Western influences which he came into contact with while receiving his eduaction in a missionary school. He completed his secondary education […]
Abeid Amani Karume (4 August 1905 – 7 April 1972)
Abeid Karume ruled Zanzibar for 8 years, from January 12, 1964, until his assassination on April 7, 1972. He obtained the title of president as a result of a revolution which led to the deposing of Jamshid bin Abdullah, the last reigning Sultan of Zanzibar, in January 1964. Three months later, Zanzibar united with Tanganyika […]
John Okello (1937–c. 1971) and the Zanzibar revolution of 1964
John Okello was a Ugandan immigrant and self-styled revolutionary, left an indelible mark on Zanzibar’s history as the leader of the 1964 Afro-Shirazi Revolution. Born in Uganda, Okello fled his homeland at age 15, working briefly in Kenya before settling in Pemba, Zanzibar, in 1959. There, he labored as a bricklayer and union organizer, secretly […]
The Afro-Shirazi Revolution and the Emergence of a New Zanzibar
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 […]
The Swahili Coast (16th to 21st century): Changing Tides.
The period towards the end of the 15th century denotes the fall of the Swahili city states as the Portuguese period— which wasn’t a full-blown colonization effort— begun. It was a destructive time, with the sacking of places like Kilwa and Mombasa and also brought to light existing differences and power struggles between Swahili states, […]
Said Ahmed Mohamed (1947-)
Said Ahmed Mohamed (1947-Present) is a Zanzibar-born poet, playwright and novelist with 67 titles to his name. He joined Dar es salaam university for his B.A in Kiswahili and English literature where for his excellent performance went on to Karl Marx university, now Leipzig university, in Germany for further studies in 1985. He later became […]