Socio-political Situations that Influence the Emergence of Islamism in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abstract

Several Muslim associations came into prominence in Zanzibar whose missions are focused on da'wa (propagation of Islam) and improving Muslims’ welfare. Though structured as socio-religious organizations, recently some of them have been taking clear political stance as exposed in their strong standpoint of rejecting the existing political union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika. The political tension and violence that rocked Zanzibar in the recent past have been attributed to the organization of the so-called UAMSHO. Therefore, the proposed study intends to examine the socio-political situations that influence the emergence of Islamism in the country. This topic has been studied using a qualitative approach, in which oral interviews were applied, and the data collected from them were analyzed by using qualitative analysis methods, such as content, discourse, and phenomenological analyses. More so, observation techniques, written documents, and internet sources were also appropriate in collecting both primary and secondary data. The finding of this study revealed that the escalation of Islamism in Zanzibar is the consequence of numerous factors including the nature of Islam, poverty, unemployment, political struggle, influence from outside, Muslims` consciousness, and the right to freedom of expression. It is my hope that this paper provides people of Zanzibar with good perception of the existence of Islamism in the country. In addition, it gives assistance to the government in formulating the policy of the state that incorporates views and aspirations of the majority Muslims in Zanzibar. The study recommends that the people of Zanzibar should agitate for socio-political reforms while observing the rules and regulations instructed by the Holy Book of Qur’an and Sunnah.