Zanzibar Revolution Day (Tanzania)
Zanzibar Revolution Day is a significant national holiday in Tanzania, commemorating the coup that took place on January 12, 1964, when John Okello led a movement to overthrow the ruling government of Zanzibar. This revolution emerged in a context of political tensions following the end of British colonial rule in 1963, which had lasted nearly 70 years. After independence, the newly formed political landscape included three main parties, leading to a coalition government that was soon marred by conflict and public unrest.
On the morning of the coup, Okello’s forces successfully seized control of key locations, including the Ziwani police barracks, leading to a rapid change in governance. The revolution resulted in the exile of the sultan and the dismantling of the ruling parties predominantly made up of Arabs, marking a significant shift in power dynamics on the island. In April 1964, the newly appointed president of Zanzibar facilitated the merger of Zanzibar with mainland Tanganyika, forming the United Republic of Tanzania. This event is often viewed as a pivotal moment that ended a long period of Arab dominance and initiated a new political era for the region. Zanzibar Revolution Day serves as a reflection of this transformative period in Tanzanian history.
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Zanzibar Revolution Day (Tanzania)
Zanzibar Revolution Day (Tanzania)
Zanzibar Revolution Day is a national holiday in the East African nation of Tanzania, celebrated in honor of the coup of January 12, 1964, led by John Okello against the ruling government of Zanzibar, an island that is now part of Tanzania but was then a separate nation. The revolution was rooted in a colonial history that officially ended in 1963 when the British left the island, which they had controlled for about 70 years. Three political parties emerged after the British departed: the Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP), the Zanzibar and Pemba Peoples Party (ZPPP), and the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP). After an election in late 1963, a coalition of the ZNP and ZPPP won a narrow victory, and the new sultan, Jamshid, became the reigning monarch in a parliamentary system modeled on that of the British. Conflict began almost immediately within the government, and there were frequent street demonstrations by supporters of each faction. It was during this time when John Okello, a political activist, saw his opportunity to take power.
At 3:00 A.M. on January 12, 1964, Okello and his 4th battalion stormed the Ziwani police barracks, overwhelming the two armed guards on duty and the remainder of the police force who slept unarmed on the top floors of the barracks. Okello's men soon gained access to the armory, and as the best-armed group on the island, it was not long before they had captured the barracks. In less than 24 hours, the government had been replaced.
The sultan was forced into exile, while Arabs, who had primarily constituted the ruling ZNP and ZPPP, were killed or thrown into jail. The ZNP and the ZPPP were also banned. In April 1964 the appointed president of Zanzibar, Sheik Abeid Amani Karume, agreed to merge Zanzibar and mainland Tanganyika into one republic, which was named the United Republic of Tanzania. This merger ensured the revolutionaries' power on the island by guaranteeing them the use of mainland forces should exiled party members return and try to regain power. The revolution is considered to have marked the end of an oppressive period of Arab rule on the island.