Zanzibar – Zanzibar’s main opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, on Tuesday commemorated the 25th anniversary of the killing of dozens of civilians by security forces on January 26 and 27, 2001, following disputed elections in the semi-autonomous archipelago.
The party called for accountability for the perpetrators and urged electoral reforms to prevent future violence.
In a statement, ACT Wazalendo (Zanzibar) spokesperson Salim Bimani said it was a time to remember the victims and their families, and to reflect on the need for justice and a more democratic future.
The killings, which took place on the islands of Unguja and Pemba, followed protests against the results of the 2000 general election, which were marred by widespread allegations of fraud and irregularities.
According to a 2002 report by Human Rights Watch, at least 35 people were killed, and more than 600 were injured when Tanzanian security forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators.
A subsequent commission of inquiry appointed by then-President Benjamin Mkapa put the official death toll at 31 civilians killed by police, with 294 injured. The violence also forced some 2,000 Zanzibaris to flee to neighbouring Kenya.
The protests were originally called by the Civic United Front (CUF), which was the main opposition party at the time. ACT Wazalendo, which was formed in 2014, has since become the leading opposition force in Zanzibar.
Despite the establishment of the presidential commission of inquiry in 2002, there has been no accountability for the killings. The commission’s mandate was to establish the facts and recommend ways to prevent future violence, but not to identify or punish those responsible.
A 2001 US State Department report on human rights in Tanzania noted that no action had been taken against the security forces involved.
“The commission considers that such a statement [apologising for the damage caused], if supported by the government, will be of greater value to the victims than any consolation money,” the commission’s report stated, as quoted by The New Humanitarian in 2002.
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The commission recommended a joint declaration between the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party and the CUF to promote reconciliation, and suggested the government compensate the injured.
In its statement, ACT Wazalendo said the commemoration of the January 26 and 27 killings should serve as a reminder of the need for a political and electoral system that respects the will of the people and prevents the use of force against civilians.
The party called for a national dialogue on electoral reforms ahead of the next general election in 2025.
“Let us remember the past to build a just future,” the statement concluded.
