THE ZANZIBAR REVOLUTION

In 1964, Zanzibar, an African-majority island, erupted in revolution. For generations, political power, wealth and land had been controlled by a small Arab elite, a structure preserved by British colonial rule - and even after so-called independence. African Zanzibaris remained landless, jobless and locked out of the system.

Frustration simmered. Then, on 12 January, it exploded. A coalition of African revolutionaries led by Ugandan John Okello overthrew the ruling class in a swift and violent uprising. By sunrise, the Sultan had fled, and the People’s Republic of Zanzibar was born under the Afro-Shirazi Party. It marked the end of centuries of Arab dominance and colonial hierarchy, ushering in land reforms, nationalisation and a bold socialist agenda.

The revolution shocked the world. Western powers feared a left-leaning state in East Africa. And so, within months, Zanzibar merged with Tanganyika to form Tanzania, a strategic union aimed at at keeping the imperialist forces at bay.

Today, Zanzibar remains semi-autonomous, and its revolution is remembered with both pride and pain. It dismantled colonial systems, but left scars that remain. Still, it stands as a powerful reminder: when African people are denied justice long enough, they will rise - as they did in Zanzibar.