Foreign domination of the island contributed to the outbreak of the Zanzibar revolution. The black people of Zanzibar were tired of long period of foreign rule. A small Arab community generally dominated majority of the black people in all aspects of life. The British took over then handed over power to the Arabs. The revolution was there to liberate people from foreign rule.

Dictatorship

The Arab led government was very despotic, authoritarian and brutal. Political opponents were arrested and openly tortured. Their parties were outlawed as it became a crime to participate in politics.

Arbitrary laws

The Arabs made arbitrary laws, for example stopping all the opposition leaders from travelling abroad by seizing their passports. This was done to avoid them having contact with other nationalists outside Zanzibar. There was no equality in the courts of law because most judges favoured Arabs and Indians.

Forced Monarchy

Politically, the Arabs and their British advisers hatched a sweeping and dangerous plan to turn into a constitutional monarchy and an Arab state. Africans hated the monarchy of the Sultan especially when they were forced to wear a badge of His Highness the Sultan.

Rigging Elections

Rigging national elections was one of the causes. Three elections, which took place from 1961 to 1963, failed to bring any good change for Africans. In the June 1961 election, there were 23 seats to be contested for but in most cases Africa who were the majority were not allowed to participate. Blacks were automatically going to win because they were the majority. When results came they combined the 10 seats of ZNP and 3 of the ZPPP to defeat the ASP which got 10 seats. The next elections were totally rigged in favour of Arabs. The successive victories by Arab led parties since 1957 convinced people that the only solution was a coup.

Racism

Racism, which Arabs practiced, was another cause. Arabs discriminated Africans and regarded them as inferior and as descendants of the slaves. They condemned to live as uneducated peasants, casual labourers, fishermen and loose servants while Arabs handled political affairs, civil service and finance.

Anti- Arab sentiments

There were poor relations between Arabs and blacks due to differences in culture and other aspects of life. This started during the colonial period when the British used the policy of divide and rule such that each group looked at each other as an enemy.

Low education

Africans were given inadequate education. The aim was to keep them in low jobs and remain inferior in all circles of life. Even exams set for Africa were biased such that those who attempted failed terribly.

Poverty

The financial situation of the Afro Shiraz in Zanzibar had become extremely weak due to the decline of the economy especially when the price of cloves dropped. Poverty became a big problem.

Exploitation

There was unfair exploitation in Zanzibar. The Arabs dominated all the high paying economic sectors and exploited the Africans. Africans paid more taxes than Arabs. The British recruited Arabs in top civil service while blacks remained in low paying jobs.

Loss of land

Arabs evicted Africans from their fertile land rendering them landless. There was no land reform policy to enable Africans own the land. The new Arab and Asian Immigrants who were increasing the population and grabbing land from local people worsened the situation.

Social imbalance

The long awaited reform to correct the social imbalances in education employment and commerce were not forthcoming.

Police dismissal

Dismissal of Africans from police that left trained men redundant and free to be used in any force to attack and defend. These policemen new the weaknesses of the Arabs and even those who replaced them were weak.

Secret plans

The Arab post independent plans leaked to the Africans, before they could be implemented on the Africans. However were these rumours that blacks believed at that particular moment. The major plans were that one Africans of non-Zanzibar origin were to be expelled. Two, all male babies would be killed and African girls forced to marry Arabs in order to exterminate the black people. Lastly, the Arabs planned to cut off the island of Zanzibar from East Africa.

Fear of revenge

Fear that ruthless and non-democratic laws and actions would be taken against non-Arabs who did not support Arabs in elections.

Influence of Okello

He was a very determined man who was a small official in ASP party, earning a living as a causal labourer with a revolutionary mind. He had the skills to choose his commanders and incited others to rebel against Arabs.

Luxurious expenditure

The Sultan spent money lavishly on the family and trips outside the country. It is believed that 13 percent of the national revenue was spent on the sultan’s family. This was done at the expense of the local people. The revolution was seen as the only solution to this.