Zanzibar and Uhuru

The name Uhuru is a familiar concept to reggae music lovers, associated with the Jamaican band from Kingston, Black ReggaeBut I also came across this name on a few stamps from Zanzibar. For stamp collectors, the island of Zanzibar (with the small island of Pembar or Pemba belonging to it) can be an inexhaustible source of collecting pleasure. Why? The first stamps were issued on November 10, 1895, when the island was still a so-called Protectorate of the United Kingdom. They were British India stamps with an overprint. ZanzibarBut misspelled imprints also occur, such as Zanzibar... In June 1896, another series was issued, this time from British East Africa, also with the imprint ZANZIBAR. A short war broke out on August 27, 1896, the British-Zanzibar War, over the succession of Sultan Hamad bin ThuwainiThis war has gone down in history as the shortest war ever fought, because Zanzibar capitulated after only 38 to 45 minutes! However, the consequence was that on September 20, 1896, a series of stamps was issued featuring the image of Sultan Seyyid Harub bin Thuwaini. In 1899, the sultan was succeeded by Sultan Seyyid Harub bin Mohammed bin Said, and in 1908 by Sultan Ali bin Hamoud. In 1913 by Sultan Chailifa bin Harub, who remained in power for a long time. The British called the sultan a Vizier. In 1949, a British king was depicted on a Zanzibar stamp again for the first time. This stamp was issued on January 10, 1949, to commemorate the silver wedding anniversary of King George VI. In 1961, the sultan was succeeded by Sultan Seyyid Sir Abdulla ben Chalifa. The British protectorate came to an end in late 1963, when the Sultanate of Zanzibar and Pemba was proclaimed on December 10, 1963. Four stamps were issued on December 10, 1963, to commemorate this independence, featuring an image of Sultan Seyyid Jamshid Bin Abdulla and several symbolic representations of a rising sun, a church and a mosque (symbolizing religious tolerance), and the Mangapwani Cave. A cave with two meanings, as it is a beautiful coral cave approximately 20 kilometers north of the capital. But a cave with a dark history as a prison for slaves who were traded. For even after the official abolition of slavery, this cave, which is now a tourist attraction, served as a slave cave. The stamps were valid only until mid-January 1964. The Sultanate did not last long, for in January 1964 the Sultan's rule came to an end and the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba was proclaimed following a bloody coup in which between 5.000 and 12.000 Arabs and Asians were killed. In April 1964, a treaty was concluded with Tanganyika, creating the Federal Republic of Tanzania. And Uhuru? That is the Swahili word for freedom. Freedom?