Tanzania: African tourist destination at a political crossroads

Tanzania had last weekend celebrated fifty years of the union between the mainland and the island of Zanzibar, a political unification in upheavals.

Tanzania had last weekend celebrated fifty years of the union between the mainland and the island of Zanzibar, a political unification in upheavals.

Rich in wildlife, geographical features, historical and diversified cultural heritage, Tanzania marked half a century anniversary of its union with the Indian Ocean Island of Zanzibar under tense political debate to decide the fate of this union.

Political campaigns are going on all over in Tanzania to decide whether the 1964 union between mainland Tanzania, the then Tanganyika and the twin island of Zanzibar, should remain under the current two-tier government system.

Fears to see Tanzania lose its tourist glory are circulating in key tourist cities of Arusha and Dar es Salaam at this time when politics is the order of the day, overshadowing economic activities ahead of
The 2015 general election set to elect a new government.

Local media in Tanzaniaโ€™s capital city of Dar es Salaam have their news content dominated by the pros and cons of the just-postponed Constitutional Assembly debate set to decide whether Tanzania should remain a united country or a separate country and maintain its colonial name of Tanganyika.

A cross-section of tourist business stakeholders fear to lose their business or see this country loses its tourism glory if the current political stalemate continues unabated. The government had focused its attention on politics and neglected other development sectors in its current annual budget allocations.

Tourism marketing and development is allocated less than US$4 million per year, just a peanut compared to park collections in leading wildlife parks.

Standing as the largest of the East African countries and one of the poorest countries in the world, Tanzania is one of Africa’s premier tourist destinations. With attractions like Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Lakes of Tanganyika, Nyasa and Victoria, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, and the islands of Pemba and Zanzibar, Tanzania remains a best safari destination in East Africa.

Political union between Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania has weathered in recent years, pushing the isles government to design its own parliament and constitution.

During last weekโ€™s 50th anniversary of the political union, Zanzibaris felt marginalized under the current two-tier government. They felt they were going to have their island absorbed in the mainland through political integration.

The Indian Ocean tourist islands of Zanzibar and Pemba gained their recognition through trading in 1832 when the Omani sultan, Seyyid Said, moved his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar, which later became a major slave-trading center and an independent sultanate.

The slave trade was abolished in 1873, and in 1890, the British declared Zanzibar a protectorate. In 1963, the islands regained independence, but in January 1964, members of the African majority overthrew the established minority Arab ruling elite.

Tourism is Zanzibar’s biggest industry. But most Zanzibaris are languishing in abject poverty with an average daily income of less than US$1 per day.

Generally, Tanzania has been spared from the internal strife which engulfed many African states. Though it remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with many of its people living below the World Bank poverty line, this country has had some success in wooing donors and investors.

Tanzania assumed its present form in 1964 after a merger between the mainland Tanganyika and the island of Zanzibar. The political union, which a section of media referred as a โ€œshotgun wedding,โ€ is currently facing criticism from several factions within political leadership and the public.

Corruption in government departments and wildlife poaching have resurfaced Tanzaniaโ€™s political set-up in recent years, putting this African tourist destination on โ€œAfricaโ€™s List of Shameโ€ list.

A new report has listed Tanzania among seven โ€œcorrupt governmentsโ€ in Africa that support elephant poaching. Other countries on the list are Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Sudan, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The report, Ivoryโ€™s Curse: The Militarization and Professionalization of Poaching in Africa, that was released last week had accused public officials in the named countries of condoning or arming criminals who kill elephants and rhinos for their tusks and horns.

The report is a joint effort by the conservation group Born Free USA and C4ADS, a non-profit organization that analyzes the drivers of conflict and insecurity.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...