ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with developing a better comprehension of the secessionist sentiments in Zanzibar. To do so, it revisits the emergence of the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) and assesses the state of the union and Zanzibar's position therein. In order to understand the nature of Zanzibar's secessionism, it makes reference to and reviews both the theoretical and the empirical literature on the fields of study which help to shed light on the pertinent dynamics: regional integration theory and secession theory. On the basis of lessons from theory and empiricism, it assesses the situation vis-a-vis Zanzibar's secessionist sentiments, and presents a profile of the agitators. The chapter reflects also on a model for handling secessionist sentiments a la Zanzibar. Finally, it projects the future for Zanzibar and the state of the union of the URT. Empirical studies show that, though in recent decades the country's economic growth has accelerated, it did not translate into inclusive economic and sustainable development.
