Zanzibar: Adventure on the high seas

To my mind Zanzibar is an improbably sibilant, onomatopoeic place – it is as it sounds; exotic, hot, lazily sweet. Mile after mile of white sandy beaches are girdled by innumerable nodding palms and implausibly blue, bath-water-warm Indian Ocean. What better location for the intimate cooing of honeymooners or idle flip-floppery of beach bums? But this archipelago – comprising Unguja, her smaller sister Pemba and numerous other skerries – certainly isn't the sole preserve of lotus-eaters. I arrived looking for adventure.

On the northernmost tip of Unguja, the island known as Zanzibar, is Nungwi village, a long-time favourite among backpackers and now offering some smarter accommodation. Ras Nungwi Beach hotel has the best location; its comfortable makuti-thatched villas are adjacent to wild bush and a long white swathe of sand.

The hotel's dive shop is run by Zanzibar Watersports. If, like me, you don't dive, a day's snorkelling on nearby Mnemba island is the next best thing. The sea snakes and stonefish, multi-coloured shoals and outlandish corals were mesmerising – and for good measure, a pod of dolphins buzzed the boat on our way back to shore.

The firm also arranges parasailing and jet-ski safaris – and deep sea fishing.

I've always connected deep sea game fishing with Hemingway – and bravura levels of testosterone. Yet it was the expectation that snagged me. What would we catch?

Skipper Abi welcomed me aboard Timimi, a stocky white fishing boat bristling with rods. Our destination was Leven Banks, an area of ocean halfway between Unguja and Pemba. I spent hours before I got a bite. Under Abi's expert supervision I reeled in a splashing 14kg wahoo, iridescent black-blue and stripy – an exhilarating induction.

But adventure in Zanzibar isn't exclusively aquatic. Getting lost in the capital, Stone Town, a World Heritage site, is a heady experience. The labyrinthine alleys are riddled with smells, tastes, shadows and whispers.

The sense of disorientation takes some getting used to, but the rewards – a wonderful fish and spice market, secret squares, Zanzibari carved-doors and some exquisite Omani architecture – are well worth seeking out.

I sought respite at Emerson Skeens' eponymous new hotel, Emerson Spice. The proprietor helped put Zanzibar on the tourist map by introducing the boutique hotel concept to the island. His latest incarnation is effortlessly stylish, with suites bedecked with Zanzibari beds, scumbled azure walls, and vast serpentine baths. It's an intoxicating mixture of Omani merchant house, grand opera and Babylonian garden.

From Emerson's rooftop restaurant, it's just about possible to make out Chumbe Island. This small dot in the ocean was for years an out-of-bounds military base – the upshot being a virtually pristine marine environment that was officially gazetted by the Zanzibari government as a conservation area in 1994. Accommodation is simple; not much more than glorified bandas or thatched huts. But it's gorgeous.

Most of the island is covered in dense tropical thicket and dominated by a Victorian lighthouse. I climbed it for a spectacular sundowner; after 131 steps the welcome breeze momentarily blew the intense fug of heat away.

By the time I'd got back to the shore, the sun had vanished, encouraging some of the island's rarer inhabitants to emerge, including endangered coconut crabs. A ranger pointed out a tiddler: the size of a blue armour-plated football, wielding claws to crack open coconuts. I was mindful of my toes.

However, I was keen to get back on the water. And it was to be no ordinary yacht for me; I'd got my eye on an ngalawa. This traditional fishing boat is the granddaddy of the hydrofoil and shouldn't be judged on looks alone. Head ranger Omari took me out for a spin, expertly putting the boat through her paces. The smallest draught sent us scudding at an exhilarating rate, creaking and lunging over swells.

I joined Omari again for an afternoon sea safari. Here I encountered a hawksbill turtle in the neon and chrome corals; he eyed me disdainfully before flapping languidly off.

Misali Island, sitting off the south west coast of Pemba, is another marine reserve, but has a strict day-trips-only regulation. It's an idyllic base for diving and snorkelling.

Luxurious accommodation can be found at Fundu Lagoon hotel immediately opposite on mainland Pemba. The creation of fashion designer Ellis Flyte, Fundu ticks all the sybaritic boxes. Thatched safari-style tents are dotted throughout the vast hotel grounds.

I'd anticipated an afternoon of snorkelling off Misali, but Filbert, Fundu's resident dive master, had other ideas. It took much cajoling, and for Filbert to talk me through every detail, but he eventually persuaded me to try a "discover scuba" course. My anxieties disolved when I saw kaleidoscopic marine life from a new perspective.

Later, Rusty, Fundu's man with the rods, asked me to join him on a fishing trip. His blinding white boat was the business. No sooner had we put out lines than a fish came arcing out of the water. A dazzling streak of gold, silver and Wedgewood-blue pounced: a dorado. The ceviche back at the hotel that evening couldn't get any fresher.

I decided to spend my last evening cruising on a traditional dhow. Mama Casa is majestic. When her single sail is hoisted and catches the breeze, she comes to life. Her simple, crude construction creaked and shifted in the roll of gentle waves and I drifted off... it seemed that, finally, my Indian Ocean adventure had got the better of me.



The Independent

Zanzibar International Register of Shipping Kufungwa...

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nchi za Nje Benard Membe, amesema kuwa ofisi za Zanzibar international register of shipping zilizopo Dubai zinafungwa, aidha meli zote za Iran zilizosajiliwa na ZMA zinafutiwa usajili wake.

Hassan Nassor Moyo- "Nipo tayali kurudisha kadi ya CCM"

Awataka Vijana kuendelea na harakati za ukombozi wa nchi ya Jamhuri ya Watu wa Zanzibar

Mzee Hassan Nassor Moyo leo amefanya mkutano na waandishi wa habari katika ukumbi wa mikutano wa Rumaisa Hotel Malindi Mjini Zanzibar, kujibu hoja mbalimbali zilizo zagaa nchini.

Katika mkutano huo ambao pia ulihudhuriwa na Vijana wa Umoja wa Kitaifa na wanafunzi wa Vyuo Vikuu Mzee Moyo alielezea kuwa msimamo wake anaouonesha sasa si kwa sababu kama Serikali imemtenga kama inavyovumishwa na baadhi ya watu.

Aliwataka vijana waendelee na harakati za ukombozi wa nchi kwani wao si wa mwanzo kuendesha harakati za ukombozi wa nchi.

''Fujo hamkuzianza nyinyi vijana vujo tulizianza sisi toka 1970'' alisema Mzee Moyo huku akishangiriwa na vijana.

Alisema vijana wana haki ya kuuhoji Muungano na wala yeye hawezi kuwazuwiya kwani wamewasomesha wao wenyewe ili kuleta maendeleo ya taifa hili.

Akijibu maswali yaliokuwa yakiulizwa na waandishi wa habari Mzee Moyo alisema yeye ni Mzaliwa wa Zanzibar na hajapata kuomba uraiya wa Zanzibar ila wapo wana CCM hawajazaliwa Zanzibar na wameomba uraiya wa Zanzibar mwaka 1963.

Katika maelezo yake ya awali Moyo alisema hawezi kuyumbishwa na CCM ati kwa kudai Mamlaka kamili ya Zanzibar na kudai Muungano wa Mkataba.

''Hawa Wana CCM wanaodai kuwa turudishe kadi za CCM ni wana CCM uchwara hakuna mwana CCM kindakindaki aliedai sisi turudishe kadi za CCM'' alisema Mzee Moyo huku akiendelea kusema kuwa Ali Ameir si muasisi wa Mapinduzi wala si Muasisi wa Muungano na hajawahi kuwa hata Memba wa Baraza la Mapinduzi''

Nao Vijana wa Umoja wa Kitaifa na Wanafunzi wa Vyuo Vikuu walimuhakikishia Mzee Hassan Nassor Moyo kuwa wapo wapamoja nae na kama atarudisha kadi ya CCM nao watarudisha kadi hizo na kumfata atakapo elekea.

Tayari Vijana wa Umoja wa Kitaifa wamekwisha towa tamko lao la indhari dhidi ya wana CCM wanaowakaripia na kuwatukana Wawakilishi pamoja na Wana CCM wanaotowa mawazo ya Muungano wa Mkataba na kuonya kuwa hali hiyo itahatarisha mchako wa Katiba Mpya.

Jamii Forums

"Kuna Harufu Chafu CCM Zanzibar" - Ameir

Mwanasiasa Mkongwe Zanzibar Ali Ameir Mohamed, amesema wakati umefika kwa viongozi wa juu wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi kuwachukulia mapema hatua za kimaadili na kinidhamu wanachama,Wawakilishi na Wabunge wa chama hicho wenye mwelekeo hasi.

Ameir ambaye ni Naibu Katibu Mkuu wa zamani wa CCM Zanzibar na Mbunge wa zamani wa Donge, alisema hayo kupitia mahojiano maalum yaliyofanyika Kijijini kwake huko Donge Mbiji Zanzibar juzi.

Alisema kuwa kuendelea kuwavumilia wanachama wa aina hiyo ni hatari kwa mustakabali wa uhai wa chama hicho akiifananisha hali hiyo ni sawa na mfiwa kufuga maiti ya ndugu yake ndani ya nyumba anayoishi.

“Chama cha siasa ni mkusanyiko wa kundi la watu wanaokubaliana kisera, kiitikadi na kimfumo hivyo anayejitokeza akipingana na masuala hayo hapaswi kubembelezwa au kuonewa muhali”,alisema Ameir ambaye pia amewahi kuwa Waziri wa Mambo ya Ndani Tanzania.

Alisema kiongozi, mwanachama, mbunge au Mwakilishi anayepingana na sera ya msingi ya chama chake analazimika kujitoa ili kuonyesha msimamo wa hisia zake.

Ameir anasema anaamini kuwa taratibu za kikanuni na kikatiba ndani ya chama chake zitafutwa ili kusafisha hewa chafu inayoonekana kutanda.

“Kila mwanachama au kiongozi ana wajibu na haki ya kutambua chimbuko la historia ya vyama vya TANU na ASP, muundo wa Muungano na harakati zilizoleta Mapinduzi mwaka 1964, asiyekubaliana na ukweli huo nadhani hatoshi kubaki na kuwa mtetezi wa sera za CCM kwa uhai wake”.Alisikika akisema

Aidha mwanasiasa huyo ambaye ni mmoja kati ya wajumbe walioshiriki kuandaa mchakato wa uundwaji wa Serikali ya Umoja wa Kitaifa Zanzibar, alieleza kuwa yeye anaamini kuwa taratibu husika kupitia vikao vya katiba vya CCM zitafuatwa.

Ameir alieleza kuwa kumejitokeza baadhi ya wanasiasa Zanzibar wanaojigamba kuwa wao ni waasisi wa TANU na ASP wakati ni wazee wa CCM na kwamba si haki yao kujiita ni wana Mapinduzi kinyume na ukweli ulivyo. Alisema waasisi wa Mapinduzi ya Zanzibar, wanafahamika kwa majina yao na kwamba anayejitokeza sasa na kudai yeye ni miongoni mwao, ni sawa na mtu anayejipaka damu ya ng’ombe aliyechinjwa na wengine.

“Wana Mapinduzi wa Zanzibar wamebaki wawili hadi sasa,wote sasa ni wazee, Ramadhani Haji Faki na Hamid Ameir Ali, anayethubutu kunyoosha kidole chake na kujiita muasisi wa Mapinduzi, anajivika kilemba cha ukoka”Alisema Ameir.

Alipinga jina la Hassan Nassor Moyo kuwa miongoni mwa waasisi wa ASP na kuwa mmoja kati ya wanamapinduzi kwamba hakuwemo katika harakati za kukiasisi chama hicho wala hakujua siku ya kufanyika Mapinduzi ya 1964 kwa mujibu wa maelezo ya wazee wenzake.

“Moyo ninamheshimu sana, ni mkubwa kiodogo kwangu kiumri ,alikuwa katika Trade Union, hakuwa mwanasiasa aliyeshiriki kukiasisi chama cha ASP,wenzake wanatueleza hata siku yaliofanyika Mapinduzi ya umma hakuijua”Alisisitiza

Akizungumzia kujitokeza kwa Mzee Moyo anayeonekana kutaka Muungano wa mkataba kinyume na sera ya CCM kinachofuata Serikali mbili chini ya Katiba.

Ameir alisema wajumbe hao kufika kwao ndani ya BLW kunatoka na chama cha siasa hivyo matamshi yao hayapingani na sera hiyo ila wanavutana na mfumo wa chama chao.

‘Mzee Moyo nijuavyo ni mwana Muungano wa kikwelikweli, asili yake upande mmoja ni Ruvuma Tanganyika na upande wa pili hapa Zanzibar, anapobeza Muungano huu unaotokana na matokeo ya Mapinduzi na Uhuru wa nchi zetu, sidhani kama anaamua kuafikiana na misimamo tuliokuwa tukipingana nayo kabla ya 1961 na 1964 ”Alisema Ameir.

Kauli hii inakuja wakati kukiwa na katika kampeni kubwa ya kutaka Zanzibar kujitenga katika Muungano wakishirikiana na Jumuiya ya Uamsho na Mihadhara, (JUMIKI) hali iliyosababisha vurugu za makanisa na baa kuchomwa moto Zanzibar.

Mwinyi Sadallah