|
The decolonization process reached East Africa including Znzibar in the 1950s. Britain granted neighborimg Tanganyika independence (1961), Uganda (1962), and Kenya (1963). Zanzibar conducted elections and was granted indepencence (1963). The broad-based, predominantly African 'Afro-Shirazi Party' (ASP) won a majority of the popular vote. Britain was, however, concerned ith the ASP's radical leanings. A coalition of two parties favored by the Arabs and supported by the British, however, maintained power. Sultan Jamshid ibn Abdullah was head of state and Prime Minister Muhammad Shamte Hamadi, like the Sultan an Arab, became the leader of government. This resulted in political agitation leading to rioting as Africans and the ASP demanded to end the Arab monopoly on power. Virtually out of nowhere, a John Okello arrived in Zanzibar and entered the political scene (1963). He contacted the leaders of the Afro-Shirazi Youth League--the ASP youth organization. He began to plan to overrthrow Arab power. While a house painter, he had a charismatic personliy and remarkable political skills. He attracted determined followers. He suceded in building a small army, They were poorly armed, but deeply committed nationalists. Okello insisted on strict rules: sexual abstinence, no raw meat, and no alcohol. Okello's group managed to overthriw the Zanzibar police despite being poorly armed. They forced the Sultan into exile. Other Zanzibar Arabs were less fortnate. Okello's men conducted a reign of terror, brutally murdering and imprisoning thousands of Arab men. Okello gave strict orders to spare women, children and the elderly. Arabs and Indians fled the island in large numbers.
Navigate the Children in History Website:
[Introduction]
[Animals]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Climatology]
[Clothing]
[Disease and Health]
[Economics]
[Ethnicity]
[Geography]
[History]
[Human Nature]
[Law]
[Nationalism]
[Presidents]
[Religion]
[Royalty]
[Science]
[Social Class]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Children in History Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing national pages:
[Return to the Main Zabzibar history page]
[Return to the Main Tanzanian history page]
[Return to the Main African country history page]
[Return to the Main African page]
[Angola]
[Cape Verde Islands]
[Democratic Republic of the Congo]
[Ethiopia]
[Gabon]
[Lessotho]
[Madagascar]
[Mali]
[Nigeria]
[Senegal]
[Somalia]
[South Africa]
[Uganda]
[]