Is it possible for Great Britain to continue administering Zanzibar as a protectorate instead of giving it independence? Being so small, it seems like a plausible idea, although its debatable if it was really important enough to keep.
Is it possible for Great Britain to continue administering Zanzibar as a protectorate instead of giving it independence? Being so small, it seems like a plausible idea, although its debatable if it was really important enough to keep.
Very possible IMO. Zanzibar wanted that UK goverment sends a battalion of soldiers there because of security, but UK didn't wanted to do that. So, if UK decides to do that, there you have a protectorate.![]()
Not really surprising, they probably decided it wasn't worth the time and effort garrisoning the place since they had the British Indian Ocean Territory to use as a base in the region. They were already pulling out of Empire so taking on new responsibilities without a clear and major benefit to the UK just wasn't going to happen. I suppose if the government got cold feet about setting up the British Indian Ocean Territory or was unable to do it then you could maybe see them looking at alternatives, but personally I think they would probably try for somewhere like the Seychelles or Mauritius and get a sovereign base area like in Cyprus before Zanzibar considering the local political situation at the time.Very possible IMO. Zanzibar wanted that UK government sends a battalion of soldiers there because of security, but UK didn't wanted to do that.
I think a more likely scenario would be Zanzibar gaining independence sometime after 1963 as historically happened but with the Sultan being was wise enough to build up a small professional army under British instructors and advisors; a la Oman. In such a scenario the Arab minority would be very pro-British while the Africa majority would harbour pro-Tanganyika sentiments, at least until the island started to prosper by being the trading hub of East Africa, just as Singapore was for S.E. Asia when a true Zanzibar identity would develop.
Meanwhile Tanganyika politics would be coloured by various populist leaders demanding the return of Zanzibar and threatening to invade. (Operation: African SeaLion?)