My gratitude to the Most Merciful God who has enabled me to write this
little book in which I have tried to describe the events which took place
in our country, Zanzibar. In particular I have concentrated on what happened
to me and what happened to my fellow countrymen asa a result of what is
called the Revolution which befell our country on 12 January 1964. What
I am writing about is what I myself know. Without there is much more that
I did not know. It is my hope that there will be others who will be able
to relate what happened to them or what they saw was being done to others.
I am doing this for no reason other that relate the truth regarding
what took place in our country, so that my fellow citizens (and our Tanganyikan
brethren as well as the whole world) and especially the younger generation,
may know the facts regarding the so-called Revolution of Zanzibar. If in
the relating of my story I happen to mention names of individuals it would
be in the course of narration and illustration, not for the purpose of
ridicule, sarcasm or cynicism. My aim is to tell the truth of what really
happened. I will not hesitate to tell the truth, for that is my aim. For
too long the truth has been suppressed. and distorted. With that I take
full responsibility for what I herein write.
It is important I should request my readers to concentrate on my
story, for it consists purely of undoubted facts and only facts. I beg
them not to worry overmuch about my style of writing and about the language
used or arrangement of chapters etc. for I am no writer.
If any question arises or anything is obscure, I am the one who should
be referred to for clarification. I shall try my best to clarify any riddle
that may occur. If I fail I will not be ashamed to confess my inability
and to ask for forgiveness. Only God is perfect.
May God enable this humble effort of mine to receive a wide readership
and appreciation so that the wrongs herein described may be righted. For
the greatest good is to repent and to correct the wrongs. May Allah be
our Guide and Protector.
Aman Thani Fairooz
P.O. Box 10836
Telephone 04-850802
Dubai United Arab Emirates
January, 1995
THIS BOOK
This book is small in size but it contains a great deal of meaning. The
author himself has said he has produced this as a summary of what happend.
It is a book that is full of meat. There is little in the way of embellishment.
Anyone who reads this book without prejudice will derive a much which is
of value. He will know the truth. He will know how the Zanzibari nationalists
struggled for the liberation of their country from British colonial rule,
the struggle which started before the 1940's. He will know who initiated
and spearheaded that struggle, how the struggle was supported and
upheld by the nationalists and how it developed into a mass movement. He
will understand how the national movement met with resistance, who instigated
that resistance, and how the resistance developed and grew. He will
understand its ultimate outcome.
The reader of this book will see how the ZNP/ZPPP parties met the
challenge before them, the concerted resistance. He will in particular
understand how the ZNP/ZPPP made every effort to come to terms with their
fellow nationals of the ASP but without success because of instigation
and interference from outside the country.
The reader will see in this book the toil and sweat exerted by the
people of this country in the cause of liberation, but all those efforts,
blood and sweat, came to nothing after thirty days of freedom because of
jealousy, hatred and corruption. That freedom was lost, not in peace,
but in an unprecedented upheaval. That upheaval resulted in the total destruction
of the State of Zanzibar, the loss of thousands of lives, the dignity of
man, destruction of properties and ultimately enforcement of all the inhabitants
to live permanently in the sin of living in or on confiscated properties.
This book now enables us all to see the Truth as it really is. For
more than thirty years that Truth has been deliberately covered and hidden.
But Truth will out. We thank God Almighty for the publishing of this book,
so that our people and all humanity the tragedy that befell Zanzibar and
its people.
The reader and perhaps the one to whom the story is related may well
say: Why was this not said twenty years ago or even before that?
That is right, but everything has its time. Delaying may have its
blessings as well as its harm. The blessing here is that those who were
children when the events took place are now grown up and capable of making
up their minds and take action. Therefore they must needs know the Truth.
It is not for refuting falsehood, but to know the Truth so that it becomes
to them instruction, knowledge and education. Our children, now grown up,
should read this book, imbibe what is written therein and take the necessary
action to prevent the repetition of the evils committed and to rebuild
their country free of such atrocities. To destroy is easy, to construct
is a difficult job. It is a task that requires the joint efforts of all
of us together in unison and cooperation. It is therefore the duty of everyone
of us to stand shoulder to shoulder in one gigantic endeavour to return
Zanzibar to its former freedom and glory. First it should return to its
rightful place in the world map as an Independent Sovereign State. Secondly
to return it to is former prosperity.
This is a book that must be read by every Zanzibari and every Tanganyikan.
Abdulla Ali (Baba)
THE TRUTH
(TO REFUTE FALSEHOOD)
I HAVE chosen the name "The Truth" after hearing and reading a great deal
of falsehood being propagated (to the extent of its being taught
to our children in schools in Zanzibar!) regarding the so-called
"Revolution". of January 1964.
Before embarking on my subject I would like to confess to my readers
that I am not an expert in the art of writing. I only say what I know without
any embellishment. My language is artless and old fashioned.
Because of the deliberate fabrication and distortion of facts regarding
the "revolution" I have felt impelled to expose the truth regardless of
my being ill-qualified in the art of writing. It is imperative that I should
tell the truth so that our children and grandchildren may know and understand
what really took place in their country. Many of our children were either
too young to know or had not even been born at that time.
First of all I would request you to understand clearly that what
happened in our islands on that fateful day of 12 January 1964 was not
a Revolution at all. It is not fit to call it so by any definition of the
word. It was in truth and by all definitions an "INVASION".
A revolution must be planned, led and executed by the people of the
country, its nationals. With regard to what happened in Zanzibar the operation
was plotted, led and carried out by people from outside the country. And
it was they, and not Zanzibaris, who took the lion's share of the booty.
Zanzibaris of all racial or political persuasions have been left much the
worse.
This is seen much more clearly when we understand that the commander
in chief of the operation was one John Okello and his second-in-command
was Injin, and the third was Mfaranyaki. Which one of them had his umbilical
cord buried in Zanzibar? Was any of them a Zanzibari, by birth, descent,
naturalization or even upbringing? Okello was born and grew up in his country,
Uganda. Injin was born and grew up in his country Kenya. Mfaranyaki
was born and grew up in his country Tanganyika. All those three came to
Zanzibar as full-grown adults. They came to seek employment and to run
away from the poll-tax of their countries, it being well known that Zanzibar
was always free of poll-tax.
Consider the composition of what they like to refer to as "The Revolutionary
Council". The majority of its members were not Zanzibaris. They were aliens
and not nationals, either by birth, descent or naturalization. Consider:
John Okello, Khamis Darwesh, Seif Bakari, Said Natepe, Said Washoto, Muhamed
Mfaume, Edington Kisasi, Mauhamed Abdulla Kaujore. Disregard some others
still who came to Zanzibar as young children and grew up among us as if
they were Zanzibaris.
