Quarantine debates in Zanzibar conjure memories of colonial racial segregation · Global Voices
Prison Island off the coast of Unguja, Zanzibar, established in 1899 as an East African colonial quarantine station to prevent the spread of the bubonic plague. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission.
When the first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 8 in Zanzibar, East Africa, the government closed schools and banned unnecessary public gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Authorities encouraged social distancing and 14-day quarantines among people who may have been exposed but did not order a full lockdown. In a show of due diligence, Second Vice President <PERSON> self-quarantined for 21 days upon his return from a diplomatic visit to Cuba. Several doctors also reportedly self-quarantined.
Yet, some members of the political opposition have questioned whether these measures are enough.
On Twitter, debates about the government's response to COVID-19 began to conjure up memories of colonial quarantining measures on the islands — which were often based on racial segregation. Zanzibar came under Omani rule in 1698, although the sultan’s power was seriously undermined when the British declared a protectorate over the isles in 1890.
On April 25, <PERSON>, an Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT) opposition party politician in Zanzibar’s House of Representatives, sparked a Twitter discussion about colonial quarantining measures after he condemned the government’s lackluster response to COVID-19.
Citing the British colonial administration’s successful efforts to curb the spread of the Spanish Flu in 1918 through an enforced quarantine, <PERSON> questioned why the government had not learned from its own history and enacted more forceful quarantining measures:
Historia inatuonesha mwaka 1918 #Zanzibar ilidhibiti Spanish flu kwa kuweka #karantini ya nguvu. 892
Imepita miaka 100 sasa imekuja #Corona lakini bahati mbaya sana imeikuta #Zanzibar ina watawala vibaraka, wasiojiamini na wasio na uwezo. Wanaambiwa wafanye maamuzi magumu WAMEUFYATA! pic.twitter.com/EslNGiLIbk
— <PERSON> <PERSON> April 25, 2020
History has shown us that in 1918, Zanzibar controlled the Spanish Flu through forceful quarantining. Now, 100 years later, the coronavirus has arrived, and it has unfortunately found Zanzibar with puppet leaders who lack self-confidence and are incapable. They are being told to make important decisions, but they are too afraid to speak.
<PERSON>, one of <PERSON>’s more than 79,000 Twitter followers, criticized <PERSON> for lauding an era when their ancestors were under Omani rule and relegated to the supposed African quarter of Zanzibar Town called Ng’ambo.
Sultan <PERSON> anaruhusu watalii kipindi hicho wakati huo si wazee wetu walikuwa wananyanyaswa tu na Sultan au ndo hujui tuseme km muda huo tulikuwa tunanyonywa na bwana ktk ardhi yetu na kutuuza huko ng'ambo
— <PERSON> (@mokashe38) April 25, 2020
During that time, the sultan only allowed Europeans in that part of the city, not our ancestors. Our ancestors were being abused by the sultan. Or aren’t you aware that during that time, we were being oppressed and sold by masters on our own land in Ng’ambo?
<PERSON>’s tweet reflects a common understanding of history put forth by Tanzania’s ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Party of the Revolution), or CCM, that Zanzibaris of African descent were in effect slaves to the sultan before the Zanzibar Revolution of 1964.
<PERSON>’s politicized tweet also alludes to British colonial attempts to separate the supposed European and African quarters of Zanzibar Town.
British colonial administrators in Zanzibar saw non-Europeans as vectors of disease and sought to ensure European health and wellbeing through racial segregation, according to <PERSON> in the book, “Urban Design, Chaos, and Colonial Power in Zanzibar. 424