Taarikh tisa Desemba ni taarikh muhimu kabisa katika taarikh ya Zanzibar. Usiku wa siku hii, yaani 9 Desemba,1963 (kwa kikwetu); ikiwa ni mnamo saa sita na dakika moja usiku wa kuamkia taarikh 10 Desemba,1963 ndio siku Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu alijaalia nchi yetu Zanzibar kupata Uhuru wake. Taarikh hii hii 9, Desemba 1999 itakuwa ni "second quarter " ya Muafaka wa kisiasa nchini mwetu (Zanzibar), uliotiwa saini taarikh 9 Juni. 1999.

Kutokana na tukio muhimu hili, la Uhuru wa Zanzibar ninapenda kunakili hapa kutoka katika kitabu cha Sheikh Ali Muhsin Al Barwani "Conflicts and Harmony In Zanzibar" yale aliyojaaliwa kuyaandika kukhusu munasaba mkuu huu. Sheikh Ali Muhsin (pamoja na wenziwe kadhaa) ni miongoni mwa wazalendo waliokuwa mbele katika juhudi za kuleta Umoja wa Wananchi na Uhuru wa Zanzibar.

Tunamuomba Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu awajazi kheri wazee na ndugu zetu wote waliojitolea nafsi zao na uwezo wao wote ule katika kuleta Umoja wa Wananchi na Uhuru wa nchi yetu - Zanzibar. Vile vile tunamuomba Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu awape Rehema Zake wazee na ndugu zetu waliofika mbele ya Haki - Amin.
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ZANZIBAR JOINS UNO
Our first task after independence was to get our re-born country into the United Nations Organization and other international bodies. We had to see to our diplomatic representation within the very limited means at our disposal. With my Prime Minister Muhammad Shamte, and our newly appointed ambassador Maalim Hilal, I was present at the United Nations Organization headquarters in New York when we were admitted into that world body and our blood red flag with the two cloves, depicting our two islands on a green circle of peace and progress, was hoisted ceremoniously by Prime Minister Shamte. It was a proud moment. A number of worthy tributes were showered at our ancient history and civilization by some of the delegates. President Johnson received us in private audience. Indeed some of us had travelled to the United States as guests in his own Presidential jet which had brought American delegates to the celebration of our independence and that of neighbouring Kenya.

Here it is appropriate that I reproduce two of the many speeches that were delivered to welcome Zanzibar and Kenya at their admission to the UN. I have chosen the speech of the representative of Sierra Leone as an example of an African nation, and that of the representative of Japan as an example of an Asian country.

Welcoming Address of Sierra Leone's Delegate Mr. President, Sir! Mr Rudyard Kipling, the English poet said once: "East is East and West is West, and ne'er the twain shall meet". Today the two do meet in Africa. East Africa and West Africa are meeting at the United Nations. We do meet, for we all live in One World.

I wish on behalf of my delegation, my government and the people of Sierra Leone, to express our very warm and cordial congratulations to the delegations and peoples of Zanzibar and Kenya on this historic day of their admission to this World Organization, the United Nations. As a Member of the Commonwealth, Sierra Leone joins in welcoming Kenya and Zanzibar to the Commonwealth family and to the World family. My delegation wishes also to pay tribute to the administering power, the United Kingdom, for helping the people of Kenya and Zanzibar, at least, to achieve their independence in an atmosphere of friendship, co-operation and optimism. It is also gratifying to note that so soon after the formation of the Organization of African Unity, Africa can now lay claim to two more potential members of this organization. It is also a source of great gratification to say that after the historic declaration of the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples with unremitting rapidity the bastions of colonialism in Africa are allowing the inherent right before the "World wind of change" that has been set in motion over our beloved continent. My delegation welcomes the delegations of Zanzibar and Kenya to the ranks of advocates of freedom and justice and independence in the United Nations, for the elimination of racial prejudice from African scene and from the world at large.

It was a British Prime Minister who in the apartheid ridden country of South Africa, prophecied that a Wind of Change was blowing over Africa. My delegation is pleased to note that in general the United Kingdom has sensed the direction of this wind, and has steadily granted independence to the peoples in her colonies in Africa. It is the hope of my delegation that the United Kingdom will continue its good work in the process of decolonization in Africa. And we look forward to the day when Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and the High Commission Terrritories, still under British rule, will be privileged to join our ranks in this Organization.

While we commend the United Kingdom for their co-operation in the field of decolonization we cannot but deplore the attitude of some other colonial powers in Africa, particularly Portugal for their own unwillingness to accept that colonialism is an anachronism which must be speedily eliminated from the face of the earth. It is the hope of my delegation that those who still deseperately fight to keep their stranglehold on their colonies will endeavour to follow the good example of the United Kingdom so that colonialism can be eliminated from the continent of Africa. My delegation once more heartily welcomes the delegations of Zanzibar and Kenya into this Organization, and pledges them our support and peace and security, and to secure for all nations great and small, for men and women, without distinction to race, colour or creed, equality and justice under the law

Mr Chairman! In the name of Sierra Leone, of Africa, and indeed of the United Nations, I say in the Swahili word to the peoples of Zanzibar and Kenya UHURU, Freedom to all people, throughout God's wide earth. Thank you Mr President.

Welcoming Address of the Delegate of Japan Mr President On this day two new stars, Zanzibar and Kenya, have been added to the constellation of African states in our Organization. Thus the heavens above are further brightened. Thus our membership steadily grows and becomes more broadly representative of the peoples of the world. In Zanzibar progress towards self-government and independence has been accelerated during the past several years, now culminating in the country's emergence as a fully independent sovereign state, and now to our great satisfaction, a member of the United Nations.

With equal satisfaction we greet the arrival among us of Kenya, which after a long history of colonial rule has now finally come forth to join us, to join the commonwealth, thanks, as in the case of Zanzibar, to the enlightened decolonization policies of the United Kingdom in recent years.

Japan's relations with Zanzibar and Kenya have not been in the past very extensive. But as the newest members of the United Nations they have now become our brothers. As such we welcome them into the United Nations Family. On behalf of the delegations of Thailand and Japan we extend to both countries, and to their distinguished representatives now sittting for the first time in this hall, the most fraternal good wishes and also our allegiance to the efforts we are entirely confident they will make, and very successfully so, to the realization of all the noble ideals on which the United Nations stands.

We also pledge our warmest and most wholehearted support to the efforts which will have to be made to help these two new countries achieve maximum potentials of their economic, political, social and cultural development. Thank you Mr President.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shamte Addresses the United Nations (As Head of Government of the independent and sovereign State of Zanzibar Prime Minister Muhammad Shamte Hamadi delivered the following historic speech on the historic day of 16th December, 1963 to the General Assembley of the United Nations Organization in New York. He was a Mshirazi from Pemba. He headed a government which was predominantly African and predominantly Pemba. Out of the ten ministers there were only three who could be described as of Arab descent. Out of the ten ministers, six were from the island of Pemba. At that time none among us, least of all Sheikh Muhammad himself, thought in those primitive terms. I only point them out now because of the prevailing tendency that has grown among some to hold distorted chauvinistic views of Africanism, Upemba and Uunguja. Patriotism and the liberal ideals of ZNP/ZPPP have proportionately waned with the growth of chauvinism.This is a direct result of having lost our political Freedom.)

Mr President!
It is a very great honour and a very great pleasure for me to be here as Zanzibar's representative at the moment when Zanzibar's application to join the United Nations Organization has been accepted by the General Assembley.

Zanzibar's entry to this great Organization is to my mind of special significance, and this is that there is no country so small and so modest in its means that it cannot be represented here in equal terms with the great nations of the world. There are some people who consider this scheme of things to be wrong. But I consider it to be a source of strength to this Organization, and that one that will inspire Zanzibar to use its privileges with a sense of responsibility and dedication to the ideals which prompted the establishment of the United Nations.

To our many friends throughout the world who have done so much in supporting our struggle towards national liberation, to the Decolonization Committee which has contributed so much in speeding up our march to Independence, and to this august Organization of the United Nations to which we owe so much, I would like to convey my country's deep gratitude. To them we continue to look for aid and support in the upliftment of our people so that we may also be able to contribute our humble share towards the solution of the world's problems. To the distinguished delegates in the Security Council and in this General Assembly who paid tributes to the struggle and achievements of my country I would like to convey the sincere gratitude of my delegation. To all those who have sponsored our application, and to all the distinguished delegates who have unanimously voted us into membership of the United Nations, I say: Thank you.

Mr President. Political problems tend to hit the world headlines, but it is not generally known, for instance, that malaria which a few years ago used to cause as much havoc as any war, is now almost wiped out from Zanzibar, as a result of an intensive joint effort on the part of WHO, UNICEF and the Government and people of Zanzibar. It is also not known that quietly but determinantly we are trying with the aid of the ILO and FAO to do away with the curse of under-employment. There are many other ways in which individual countries and international organizations have been co-operating with us in solving our problems. We are grateful to them all.

Now that the energies of our people are unleashed by the restoration of our national pride and sovereignty we can look forward with confidence to greater and more comprehensive assistance from every quarter. Zanzibar is one of the smallest nations in terms of population and size to be accepted for membership. This in itself entails sacrifices for Zanzibar, sacrifices which are of little significance to nations of great wealth, but are of very great concern to us of slender means. These sacrifices we are very glad to make. If we are not rich in numbers, in territory, in material wealth we do not count ourselves poor in values of life which are so inestimably more important; and it is because of this that we feel we can contribute, even if only modestly, in the affairs of this Assembly.

We have a long and honourable history and civilization behind us. Like so many of the great peoples of the world our roots are sprung from many different sources, from Africa primarily, but also from Arabia, from the civilization of Asia, Persia, from India and from many others. The Europeans in their great voyages of exploration found succour and sustenance on our shores. And men of many races found rest and stability in our islands from where to organize the exploration and development of Central and Eastern Africa It is due to these roots established over centuries, the mixing of so many cultures, that make us proud of our reputation for moderation and friendliness. While in the modern world we do not intend looking back to our past, it is this tradition on which we intend to build our future.

Zanzibar is a constitutional monarchy founded on liberal and democratic traditions, governed by a Prime Minister and a Cabinet of elected Ministers, with collective responsibility and answerable to a National Assembly elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage. The Fundamental Human Rights to personal liberty and protection against discrimination are entrenched in Zanzibar's Constitution. Our overall aims are peace and progress at home and abroad. The chief object must be to help create a political atmosphere in the world in which man's real enemies of hunger, ignorance and disease can receive full attention so that resources and time are not wasted on fruitless matters of dissension. Zanzibar's general policy is one of benevolent and positive neutrality without discrimination against any country on grounds of race, creed, culture or ideology. It supports all measures of peace in the world on the basis of international co-operation.

On the achievement of its independence Zanzibar has freely elected to remain a Member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and it is fitting and pleasurable to pay tribute to the continuing harmonious relations which have obtained between Zanzibar and the United Kingdom. We believe in the Commonwealth as a large number of equal and sovereign states of many peoples and cultures who have voluntarily and democratically joined together and are dedicated to the furtherance of peace, co-operation and prosperity throughout the world.

It is the object of Zanzibar to strengthen the many ties it possesses with both Africa and the East. To this end we subscribe to the principles of the Bandung Declaration of 1955 and of the Charter of the Organization of African Unity framed at Addis Ababa this year. Zanzibar has particularly close relationship with the other territories of East Africa, and it is our intention to continue this in friendship and co-operation, whether inside or out of a form of an East African Federation. In this respect I am particularly glad that Kenya with which Zanzibar has so many close connections is being welcomed into this Assembly at the same time. At this proud moment in our history I may be permitted to quote Shakespeare and say: "We are two lions littered in one day."

Sir, In submitting the application for membership for Zanzibar I have made a solemn declaration in common with that made by other nations represented here today that on behalf of my government I have accepted the obligations contained in the Charter of the United Nations, and have undertaken to fulfil them. This solemn declaration is a very real one for me, and I pray that this indeed will be so, and that Zanzibar in future will honour it to the full. Thank you, Sir.

(It is a thousand pities that the great hopes and aspirations of Zanzibar as voiced by its Prime Minister, and the universal support and approbation those aspirations received, as demonstrated by the world's representatives in the United Nations, should, within less than one month, have been shattered into smithereens through the machination and thuggery of a few disgruntled and envious individuals backed by sinister alien forces. Can Zanzibar ever forget and forgive those who have destroyed her, physically, morally, socially, economically, politically and spiritually? From the pinnacle of complete independence and sovereignty as a Nation in the Society of Nations, with a Constitutional Head of State plus a Prime Minister, as Head of an elected Government, within a month we descended into a mere appendage of a neighbouring African country with everything below zero.)

The above three addresses are reproduced through the courtesy of Mr Abdulla Saleh Mbamba, Director of UN Information Services, Islamabad.

ZNP/ZPPP for all People
Our very restricted resources compelled us to have our diplomatic offices in New York also accredited to Washington, in London accredited to the rest of Europe, in Cairo to cover the rest of the Arab world, and in due course Indonesia. which was importing the greatest share of our clove production, to be the base for the rest of Asia.

While we made certain that the ambassador and the counsellor (his second in command) were our political nominees, being supporters of the ZNP/ZPPP alliance, we appointed the first secretaries by virtue of merit irrespective of their political affiliation. Thus the first secretary to the UN embassy happened to be Khamis Hassan Ameir, to the Cairo embassy was Ali Khamis (now speaker to the Zanzibar House of Representatives), and the would-be first secretary to Indonesia was to be Ali Hassan Mwinyi. (He later became President of Tanzania.) All three were known to us as supporters of the ASP. Professionally they had the capacity to fill the posts, and that was all that mattered to us. It was not very easy to convince everybody in our party's national executive of the fairness and wisdom of making these appointments, but I did manage at last to get unanimous support by reminding my colleagues that ours was, from the very beginning, a vanguard party working for the whole nation and not for a segment of the population.

Such and other measures began to have a telling effect on the more thinking section of the opposition, particularly the younger educated elements aspiring for higher things in the future. They were pleasantly surprised to find that the ZNP/ZPPP government was being fair and just, and that it assessed people according to merit irrespective of their political connections. There was even some talk about their joining the ruling alliance en masse. This was a threat to the semi-literate leadership of the ASP, the newly created Umma party and their common boss across the channel. The longer the government stayed in power the more popular it was bound to make itself, and the more likely the opposition would be losing support. Thus was it imperative that the rebellion had to take place as soon as possible. (unquote)

Tunamuomba Mwenyezi Mungu Mtukufu atuwezeshe kujenga Umoja na ushirikiano baina yetu ili tuweze kuirejesha Dola yetu ya Zanzibar ikiwa ni Dola Huru kamili. Irejee iwe na kila lake na chake katika ulimwengu wa kimataifa. Irejee iwe na Bendera yake, iwe na Kiti chake katika UNO na katika kila mkusanyiko wa kilimwengu. Irejee iweze kurejesha udugu wao wa asili na nduguzao Watanganyika, udugu ambao ulijengeka katika misingi ya kuheshimiana, mapenzi na kushirikiana na kusaidiana katika kila lao, la furaha na msiba. - Amin, Amin.

Wa Billah Tawfiq
Farouk
December 08, 1999