This was the fourth election to take place in Zanzibar within a period
of six years. (1957 - 1963). These frequent and dangerously provocative
elections were the colonialists' concession to the demands of the ASP who
traded in disturbances in elections to provide opportunities for murders,
rapings and lootings. This fourth elections took place shortly after the
attainment of internal self government and the defection of Babu from the
ZNP. All the 31 seats of the National Assembly were to be contested on
a universal adult franchise. Fortunately the election was conducted peacefully.
The result was a resounding victory for the ZNP/ZPPP Alliance which won
18 seats to the Afro-Shirazi's 13.
NYERERE ALLEGES
COLONIALISTS FAVOUR ZNP
In that election of "One Man One Vote" the ZNP won 18 seats and the ASP
got 13. Mwalimu Nyerere alleges the British cheated the ASP of their
right to form a government. What a preposterous accusation! The election
was for seats. It was the seats that were contested according to the geographical
constituencies as demarcated with the approval of all the parties
concerned. There could be no question of gerrymandering when all the parties
concerned sat together round the table to demarcate constituencies. No
one could exercise domination over others. The results which were unchallenged,
and they could have been challenged in court, proved that the ZNP/ZPPP
won 18 seats to the 13 seats of the ASP. Does Mwalimu want the government
should be handed over to the ASP with their 13 seats, merely because the
ASP was his creation and enjoyed Mwalimu's patronage? Mwalimu knows very
well that the system of constituency elections which was followed in Zanzibar
was exactly the same as that which was followed in his own country Tanganyika,
and that which was being practiced in the United Kingdom and so many other
countries in the world. It was not proportional representation. It
has nothing to do with the total votes cast by the party. Each individual
constituency was a unit by itself. The ZNP raised no complaint when in
1957 having scored a third of the votes came out without a single seat
of the six contested. By the token of counting total votes ZNP should have
got two seats. In the last but one election the Labour Party in Britain
scored more votes than the Conservatives, and yet it was the Conservative
party which won more seats, and therefore formed the government. Labour
did not complain that the Queen had unfairly favoured the Conservatives.
That is what happened in Zanzibar. The ASP got more total votes, but not
more seats. This means that certain areas preferred ZNP/ZPPP candidates,
and certain others preferred ASP candidates. It happened that 18 constituencies
favoured ZNP/ZPPP, and 13 constituencies favoured ASP. That is democracy.
It was an indication that the ZNP/ZPPP was more evenly spread across both
islands than the ASP whose influence was concentrated in certain specific
areas only.
What is important to bear in mind is that all the elections in Zanzibar
were carried out democratically. All the parties were satisfied with the
conduct of the elections. There was never an instance when any party or
candidate raised objections with the supervisor of election before or after
the announcement of results. The victor knew that he had won justly, and
the vanquished knew that he had been defeated justly. Everyone had the
legal right to raise complaint . Not one ASP candidate raised any complaint
with the court. Contrary was the case in our neighbouring countries, and
in particular Nyerere's own Tanganyika. After every election in that country
there would be a number of complaints and protests raised in court by dissatisfied
defeated candidates. Will Mwalimu tell us whether such incidents took place
in Zanzibar? Not once! The ZNP and ZPPP were not so engrossed with the
desire to gain power that they would resort to underhand means to get it.
Their main preoccupation was always to see that democracy functioned smoothly
and everyone had the opportunity to render service to his country.
CONFERENCE FOR FREEDOM
Shortly after the election of July 1963 the British Government invited
both sides, that is the government side (ZNP/ZPPP) and the opposition (ASP)
to go to London for a constitutional conference to discuss the granting
of independence to Zanzibar. Before the trip to London the :British Resident,
Sir George Mooring, initiated discussions between the government and opposition
to facilitate certain contentious matters. Those discussions took some
time, and they resulted in a considerable amount of agreement between the
two sides. While in London discussions took place between the parties and
everything went forward smoothly. Nothing untoward took place. This was
a very good sign. But was that what it really was in fact? The fact that
only a month after the achievement of Independence the invasion of the
country took place makes one think that the plot and preparations to invade
the country had been hatched long before. Hence that apparent
cooperative spirit shown by the usually recalcitrant and antagonistic ASP
in constitutional discussions was merely a smokes screen.
ZANZIBAR'S INDEPENDENCE
At one minute past midnight on the 10th of December 1963 the old red flag
was lowered and the new banner of Independent Zanzibar was raised. This
was a predominantly red flag with a green circle on which were two
golden yellow cloves joined together, depicting the twin islands of Unguja
and Pemba, which form indivisible Zanzibar. That ceremony took place on
the Mivinjeni grounds at Cooper's Institute.
Unlike what happened with all other colonies under the British there
was no lowering of the Union Jack in Zanzibar. That British flag had never
been raised on the grounds of the islands, because Zanzibar, technically
and by agreement, was not a British possession. It was a Protectorate..
In other words it was a state with its own flag and its own head of state,
the Sultan. The British were by constitution "Protectors". although in
practice the :British Resident exercised the power of a colonial Governor.
Zanzibar, in spite of everything, had never ceased to be a State, a Sultanate
all the time it was under British Protection.
INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS
With happiness and jubilation the people of Zanzibar welcomed the return
of the Freedom of their country after seventy years of foreign rule. They
thanked the All-Merciful God for making it possible for them to welcome
this most momentous hour in their long and t eventful history. The
capital was brilliant with multi-coloured lights and decorations
of all sorts. Events of every description demonstrated the feelings and
pleasure of the populace in celebrating the beginning of their new experience
as a free and sovereign nation. The festivities were not confined to the
capital. The island of Pemba vied with that of Unguja, both in towns and
the rural areas, in the demonstration of their jubilation.
Woe to us! The despicable stooges and agents of the envious were
already at work plotting, planning and preparing to sabotage our Freedom,
to destroy our Independence. They were following to the letter the orders
of their masters. Hardly had we time to calm down after the celebrations,
or to get our sweat dried after the long struggle for Freedom, when we
were rudely shocked to see that we were being invaded. That was the beginning
of the calamity of Zanzibar, and the destruction of every thing worthwhile.
