STRAIGHT TALK : Zanzibari launch Latham Island campaign

There has been a lot of talks in the print as well as the social media in recent days about a place very little known about by the majority of Tanzanians, though that particular place is within the Tanzania territory.

And, this is not the first time it is a hot discussion in public domain. But the majority of Tanzanians have had no reason or opportunity to know it because it was of no significance to them until now, when the contest has become so open and very political as well.

To my knowledge not all Tanzanians, probably those from the Mainland, who are hardly interested on what is happening about or around the place in our article today. But I am raising it today so that not only it is known but also to talk it as a fact.

It is about the Latham Island, popularly known in Zanzibar as Fungu Mbaraka, a small island of 0.3 km in length and 0.1 km in width, with an elevation of 4m only. The island cannot accommodate human life, as it has no habitation but it is home to huge amount of birds and hence it is an important breeding ground for various bird species such as masked booby, sooty tern, brown noddy and greater crested tern and it also believed to be a good nestling for tortoise.

The Latham Island is known worldwide and various people who are interested with game fishing as well as researchers have been there. It is also a calling point for fishermen from Zanzibar as well as from the coastal area of Tanzania Mainland.

Historically, the island has been under the possession of Zanzibar since 1898 when a flag was planted there and since then up to now this has been repeated every after some time. Importantly the island was mentioned to be part of Zanzibar in the Independence Constitution of The State of Zanzibar of 1963.

The Constitution of United Republic as well as that of Zanzibar have dully recognised that the area or boundaries of Zanzibar be all that part which constituted the People’s Republic of Zanzibar before the Union was conceived in 1964, which certainly included all those island to which Latham Island is also listed.

Now that Latham Island is covered in the area that there is prospects of petroleum so divided in what are known as blocks, is when the Latham Island has become a disputed area. We have heard statements from Union officials saying the Latham Island is part of Tanzania, a rhetoric very much unwelcomed.

While we recognise Zanzibar to be part of Tanzania, but it is one whole part out of two sides that make up Tanzania. And if one is one whole part it naturally follows it is an entity that is recognisable by certain features including a population, a government and an area, and that area must have boundaries.

And there lies the crux of the matter but also the epic centre of the problem. As a means to enjoy resources found, Zanzibaris cry openly that Latham Island is theirs but also what is found around it is theirs as well. And this is not accepted without conditions on the other side.

On October 19, Zanzibaris marked 118 years since a flag was hoisted and declaration made that Latham is part of Zanzibar. As is always the case, Tanzanians do engage in dialogue in a bid to end a dispute on any matter. So, it is expected that wisdom will prevail and the rightful part be granted ownership of Latham. Follow hashtag Latham Belongs to Zanzibar.