News

The Guardian paper dated 13th January 2014 reported on the address of 50th anniversary of Zanzibar Revolution by President of Zanzibar that within the period of 50 years, the Zanzibar revolutionary government has managed to implement and advance the objectives and targets of the revolution as the way to maintain the founders' ambition to improve lives of their people. The President said, "Throughout this period the government set its own plans and implemented them successfully. It is evident that the Zanzibar revolutionary government did much more than what colonialists did in their 132 years of power". He also said that founders of the revolution and the nation had dreams to revamp the country's economy for the benefit of their compatriots. "Today is the day to remember the victory of the people of Zanzibar. It is evident that the revolution ended oppression, brought equality and restored human dignity and respect to workers and peasants," he said.

Comment

The government of National Unity in Zanzibar has strived to hold a big ceremony to celebration 50 years of the 1964 revolution. According to the Habari Leo Newspaper of 22nd June 2013, the government had set aside one billion Tanzanian shillings to facilitate the celebrations. This is double the amount used last year for the same celebrations. The government claims those celebrations are an indicator of the efforts by patriotic citizens to liberate themselves. The ceremony has been earmarked for pomp and glamour as the government boasts of having succeeded in achieving development in various sectors like education, economy, health, social services, infrastructure, etc. The government shows that it has made major strides in development compared to 50 years ago.

Certainly, if you analyze the living conditions and development in the 50 years the government claims to have made major strides, this are opposite as they are worse. In certainty, there is no development from what is visible in Zanzibar and Pemba other than government bragging. A good example is the islands are faced with poor health care such that the main referral hospital of Zanzibar does not have enough medicine save for common pills like Panadol and poor facilities. This country is faced with an acute economic problem, lack of employment and harsh living conditions. A big percentage of Zanzibar citizens are poor, lack jobs and live on less than one dollar per day while the government claims it has achieved tremendous growth after 50 years. Inflation is on a daily rise and a frightening rise in energy costs such that ordinary citizens avoid using it. Electricity costs have risen by 67.87% since 1st October 2013. The Tanzania Electricty Company has recommended to raise its rates as from January 2014 by 12.74% and then by 9.17% as from January 2015. (TANESCO 23/12/2013) [www.wavuli.com/4/post/2013/12/]

As for infrastructure, Zanzibar being islands relies mostly of sea travel to link its people. However, up to date, there is no reliable ship/ferry for trips to and from Pemba and Unguja. Unfortunately, sea travel has continued to face major disasters. Zanzibar faced two major unforgettable disasters within one year due to negligence when Mv Spice Islander and Mv Skagit sank.

Such incidents indicate that sea travel between the islands is very unreliable. 50 years are enough to take a country to enviable great development heights worth as an example but it can only be under an enabling ideology. This is only through Islam under a just Khilafah "Caliphate" state which cares after its citizens more than anything else.

This state has marvelous examples in history as Khalifah Omar bin Abul-Aziz eradicated poverty under only two years of his rule to an extend no one was found to be given Zakkah in the whole state! Not forgetting the state was the size of a quarter of the world.

(إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ)

"Certainly, Allah does not change a people unless they change themselves." [ar-Ra'd: 11]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Saadat Soud