Tanzanian Rule While Zanzibar Plays the Fool? The Invalidity of Zanzibari Unease over Tanzanian Mainland Dominance, 1964–1991

On April 26, 1964, the People’s Republic of Zanzibar merged with the Republic of Tanganyika to form the Tanzanian Union. Yet the circumstances surrounding the formation of this Union and the nature of the Union itself raise several unanswered questions. Indeed, some Zanzibaris fear that their island archipelago has been effectively “taken over” by Tanganyika through the guise of the Union government of the Tanzanian mainland. This manuscript explains how Zanzibari fears over the archipelago’s usurpation have no basis since the current and evolving nature of Zanzibar’s autonomy and legal rights have enabled the islands to become a strong player in the determination of the Tanzanian Union.