The last Sultan of Zanzibar, Sultan Jamshid Bin Abdullah, has died in Oman
Aged 95 Jamshid passed on just as he was preparing to return to the Isles on January 9, 2025.
Sultan Jamshid who was forced to flee from Unguja following the January 1964 Revolution of Zanzibar, died at the Royal Hospital in Oman.
The Sultan was living in Sultanate of Oman after relocating from the United Kingdom to where he had fled in 1964 and lived there in exile before deciding to switch to Muscat.
The death is a bitter blow to the Zanzibaris and Historians who were looking forward to witness a momentous event as it welcomes Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah back to its shores.
This was to mark a significant historical milestone, as the former ruler of Zanzibar returns after six decades of exile in the UK and Oman, following his removal from the throne during the 1964 revolution.
The details of how this visit was arranged remain unclear, but its importance cannot be overstated. Sultan Jamshid’s planned return was to represent a remarkable gesture of reconciliation on the part of the Zanzibar government.
The late Sultan’s visit could serve as a bridge between the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary eras, fostering a sense of unity and healing in the nation.
Zanzibar was to take the opportunity of inviting the Sultan to reside in one of his former palaces as an ordinary citizen. Such a move would not only enhance Zanzibar’s global image but also boost its tourism sector, as his presence could have attract significant worldwide interest.