Alia: Welcome to ZNZist Weekly, your Zanzibar News Digest. I'm Alia.
Badru: And I'm Badru. Thanks for joining us for this edition.
Alia: We're leading today with sad news from the highest level of Tanzanian public life. Hafidh Ameir Hassan, the husband of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has died at the age of 71.
Badru: According to Tanzania's Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi, Hafidh passed away around eight in the morning on Monday, September 7th, at Emilio Mzena Memorial Hospital in Zanzibar, where he'd been receiving treatment for a heart condition.
Alia: His funeral followed the same day, in the afternoon, in Kizimkazi, his home area in South Unguja. Reports from AllAfrica describe the prayer being led by Zanzibar's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Saleh Omar Kaabi.
Badru: Attendance was striking. Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the Vice President, the Prime Minister, former President Jakaya Kikwete, and former Zanzibar presidents Amani Karume and Ali Mohammed Shein were all there, alongside Kenyan representatives sent by President Ruto.
Alia: Before politics touched his life, Hafidh trained as a teacher and later worked as an agricultural officer and lecturer at Kizimbani Agricultural College, according to The Citizen. Colleagues remembered him as a specialist in coconut crops who stayed largely out of the public eye even after his wife became Tanzania's first female president in 2021.
Badru: He married Samia in 1978, and the couple had four children, including Wanu Hafidh Ameir, who now serves in the Zanzibar House of Representatives. His becoming First Gentleman was itself historic, the first time a man held that unofficial title in Tanzania.
Alia: Condolences poured in from across the region. Kenya's President Ruto, Rwanda's Paul Kagame, Burundi's Évariste Ndayishimiye, Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed, Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema, and Somalia's Hassan Sheikh Mohamud all sent messages, as did the African Union Commission chair.
Badru: In Zanzibar, President Mwinyi called it a huge loss for the family, and political parties across the spectrum, from the ruling CCM to CUF and ACT-Wazalendo, offered their sympathies too.
Alia: Afterward, President Samia thanked citizens and leaders for their prayers and solidarity through Ikulu's communications office, saying she and her family had been deeply moved by the outpouring of support.
Badru: A quiet public life, but clearly one that touched many people across Tanzania and beyond.

Alia: Let's turn to something a bit different this week, on ZNZist Weekly. Tehran Times has published a deep dive into the centuries-old links between Persia and Zanzibar, and Badru, it's a fascinating one.
Badru: It really is. The report frames the Indian Ocean not as a barrier between Iran and East Africa, but as a corridor. Monsoon winds carried sailors, merchants and migrants between the Persian Gulf, Arabia, the Swahili coast and India for centuries.
Alia: And that's the backdrop for the Shirazi tradition, the long-held story that people migrated from the Iranian city of Shiraz to places like Zanzibar, Kilwa and Mombasa. But according to the report, historians now caution against reading this as one big migration.
Badru: Right. Tanzanian historian Abdul Sheriff, who was born in Zanzibar and later taught at the University of Dar es Salaam, has argued instead that dhow trade created long-term residence and intermarriage, because sailors often had to wait out the seasons before winds allowed them home. Over time, those trading networks became genuine communities.
Alia: The Kilwa Chronicle preserves the story of Ali ibn al-Hasan, said to be from a Shirazi ruling family. But the report notes historian Neville Chittick questioned a direct Shiraz-to-Kilwa migration, suggesting settlers may have come from the Banadir coast of Somalia instead.
Badru: Other evidence points the other way, though. Archaeologist Stéphane Pradines found signs of Persian influence at Sanje ya Kati near Kilwa between roughly the tenth and twelfth centuries, while stressing that Shirazi shouldn't automatically mean people specifically from that one city.
Alia: And a 2023 genetic study cited in the report found admixture between African and Persian-associated populations beginning around the year 1000, which researchers said was consistent with the Kilwa Chronicle's accounts.
Badru: So the overall picture, as the report lays it out, is interaction rather than replacement. Coastal communities weren't passive recipients of Persian culture, they actively shaped what became Swahili civilisation, through trade, architecture and language.
Alia: Zanzibar carries physical traces of this too. The report points to the twelfth-century Kufic inscription at Kizimkazi, and cultural survivals like Nairuzi, a local form of Nowruz, and the Mwaka Kogwa festival still celebrated in Makunduchi.
Badru: A reminder that Zanzibar's identity has always been shaped by the ocean around it, not despite it.

Alia: Next, some travel trade news that says a lot about how Zanzibar is being marketed to the world right now. The industry outlet ttgmedia.com has detailed the opening of Iberostar Selection Zanzibar, a new five-star resort set for an autumn debut.
Badru: Worth flagging up front, this piece runs under ttgmedia's sponsored features section, so it reads more like a promotional showcase than independent reporting. Still, the details are specific enough to be worth understanding.
Alia: According to the report, the resort sits on Muyuni Beach on the island's northeast coast, looking out toward Mnemba Island, which is known as a hotspot for marine life. The site says the location is close to one of the world's most famous coral reefs, and that Stone Town, the UNESCO World Heritage site, is about thirty three miles away.
Badru: The property itself is large. ttgmedia reports three hundred fifty eight rooms and suites, six outdoor pools including sea facing infinity pools, a children's water park called Aquafun, and an oceanfront Presidential Suite with its own private pool. There's also an adults only area branded Star Prestige.
Alia: On dining, the report lists a main buffet called Karibu alongside five specialty restaurants covering Indian, Italian, Japanese, beachside and grill concepts, plus additional bars and a cafe.
Badru: For activity, ttgmedia mentions a spa, gym, yoga, tennis and padel courts, and a dive centre with direct access to the Mnemba reef. There's also a kids' programme called Star Camp, described as blending Swahili language basics and local craft activities with pool time.
Alia: Beyond the resort grounds, the report points visitors toward the spice market, clove and cinnamon plantations, and Jozani Forest, home to Zanzibar's endemic red colobus monkeys.
Badru: It's worth remembering none of this comes from independent verification. It's a hotel group's own promotional material, including a competition ttgmedia mentions where travel agents can enter a quiz for a chance to win a five night stay.
Alia: Still, as a data point it fits the wider pattern we've been tracking this week, more international hospitality investment landing on the island, and Zanzibar continuing to position itself as a premium tourism destination.
Badru: Whether that translates into broader economic benefit beyond the resort gates is something we'd want to see reported independently, rather than through a hotel's own marketing copy.

Alia: Zanzibar has a new air link to the world this week, as EgyptAir launched direct flights between Cairo and the islands, according to Daily News.
Badru: The inaugural flight touched down at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, where Zanzibar's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Dr Khalid Salum Mohammed, received it personally.
Alia: Dr Mohammed said the route follows lengthy discussions between Zanzibar and EgyptAir, and he framed it as restoring closeness between the people of Zanzibar, Egypt, and Tanzania more broadly.
Badru: He pointed to existing cooperation in trade, investment, education, and health as the backdrop for this new connection, and tied the route into President Mwinyi's broader push to strengthen Zanzibar's links with destinations across and beyond Africa.
Alia: The numbers Dr Mohammed shared do suggest real momentum at the airport. He said around 33 international airlines now serve the facility, with more than 90 airlines using it overall.
Badru: Passenger traffic has grown sharply too, from about 840,000 travelers in 2020 to nearly 2.6 million now, according to the minister, who said Zanzibar is on track to handle three million passengers a year.
Alia: The appeal of the Cairo route, he explained, is its reach. Because Cairo functions as a major regional hub, passengers connecting through it could reach destinations across the world, which he said would help Zanzibar draw in more tourists while also carrying travelers onward from the islands.
Badru: Officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage added further detail. Permanent Secretary Dr Aboud Suleiman Jumbe said the new route would connect Zanzibar, via Cairo, to more than fourteen European Union countries, along with markets in North America, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe.
Alia: If those connections hold up as described, this could meaningfully widen the pool of markets Zanzibar can draw tourism, trade, and investment from, though the practical scale of that benefit will depend on how flight frequency and pricing develop over time.
Badru: Dr Mohammed also said discussions are continuing with EgyptAir about the possibility of establishing a Zanzibar-based airline that could serve destinations within the region and beyond. That remains a discussion at this stage rather than a confirmed plan.
Alia: Still, for a destination working to grow its blue economy and tourism sector, adding a well-connected international carrier is the kind of infrastructure step officials are treating as significant.
Badru: Worth watching, then, is whether passenger numbers on this new route match the ambitions laid out this week.

Alia: Let's turn to Zanzibar's preparations for the coming El Niño rains, as reported by Daily News.
Badru: Right, the forecast covers October through December this year, and authorities say they're not waiting until the rains actually start.
Alia: According to Daily News, Second Vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, who chairs the Zanzibar Disaster Management Committee, led a working meeting last week to review readiness plans.
Badru: That meeting happened at the Zanzibar Electoral Commission offices in Maisara, and it brought together weather experts along with officials from the Zanzibar Disaster Management Commission.
Alia: Abdulla's message, as Daily News reports it, was that while government agencies are preparing to respond to any disasters the rains might cause, ordinary citizens also carry responsibility for taking precautions.
Badru: He directed committee members to make sure both government institutions and private organizations understand just how serious the potential impact could be, so damage to people and property can be minimized.
Alia: He also wants every ministry and institution to start educating their own staff and surrounding communities about El Niño risks.
Badru: And notably, he directed the ministry responsible for information, arts, culture and sports to ensure media outlets, both public and private, provide the public with enough information about what's coming.
Alia: Religious leaders and madrasa teachers were also urged to use their platforms for early warnings, especially reaching people in high-risk areas.
Badru: Abdulla suggested residents in vulnerable locations should identify safer places and move there before the rains actually begin. Daily News reports the heavy rainfall period could last as long as three months.
Alia: On the science side, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority's Zanzibar Zone Director General, Masoud Makame Faki, along with Zanzibar Disaster Management Commission Director Makame Khatibu Makame, explained that these rains are linked to rising sea temperatures.
Badru: They said sea temperatures are expected to climb by around three point six degrees Celsius, which is contributing to the anticipated heavy rainfall.
Alia: So if that scale of warming holds, it would help explain why officials are treating this as a multi-month risk rather than just a few heavy storms.
Badru: It's worth remembering this is still a forecast period, not something that has arrived yet, but the scale of coordination being described, from meteorologists down to madrasa teachers, suggests officials are treating the risk seriously.
Alia: We'll be watching how these preparations develop as October approaches.

Alia: Let's turn to Zanzibar's political calendar, where President Hussein Ali Mwinyi has been reflecting on last year's general election. According to Jamhuri Media, the president spoke on September 8th at the State House in Zanzibar, while receiving the official report on the 2025 Zanzibar General Election from the chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, Judge George Joseph Kazi.
Badru: The headline message from President Mwinyi was that peace and stability during that election stand out as a genuine achievement for the commission and for Zanzibar more broadly. He praised the commission for overseeing the process calmly, according to the outlet's reporting.
Alia: He didn't stop at praise, though. Mwinyi reportedly said the government and the commission need to keep working together to iron out challenges that came up during the election, so those same problems don't resurface in future votes. That's a notable acknowledgement that things weren't entirely without friction, even as the overall outcome was described as peaceful.
Badru: There were also some concrete figures shared. Voter registration climbed from five hundred sixty six thousand, three hundred fifty two registered voters in 2020 to seven hundred seventeen thousand, five hundred fifty seven in 2025. Jamhuri Media reports that's a rise of about twenty six point seven percent.
Alia: And for the first time, the government reportedly financed the entire election process itself, covering it at one hundred percent. That's a meaningful shift if accurate, since it could reduce reliance on outside funding for future Zanzibar elections.
Badru: On the commission's side, Judge Kazi pointed to a few operational wins too. He highlighted the continued use of the Tactile Ballot Folder, which allows voters with visual impairments to cast their ballots without needing assistance.
Alia: He also mentioned the completion of a modern One Stop Center building, along with six new District Election Office buildings, according to the report.
Badru: President Mwinyi closed by thanking the commission for its work and urging its leaders and staff to keep carrying out their duties with integrity and professionalism, with the government saying it will continue collaborating with the commission to strengthen conditions ahead of future elections.
Alia: Worth watching whether that collaboration translates into visible reforms before Zanzibar next goes to the polls.

Alia: Turning to this month's tourism figures. Zanzibar has just posted a record month for tourism.
Badru: According to The Citizen, citing figures from the Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar welcomed one hundred twenty four thousand, four hundred eighty one international visitors in August. That's an eighteen percent jump from the same month last year, and about fifteen and a half percent higher than July.
Alia: Which means the islands have now logged over six hundred thirty three thousand international arrivals in just the first eight months of this year.
Badru: Europe remained the backbone of that growth, making up over fifty eight percent of August's visitors. Italy led the pack with more than seventeen thousand arrivals, actually more than double what Italy sent in July alone, followed by Britain, Germany and France.
Alia: But it's not just the usual European crowd. Kenya was the top African source market, with arrivals up more than seventy five percent year on year. And Russia's numbers are the real headline there, up nearly four hundred percent compared to last August.
Badru: India and China also posted double digit growth. Meanwhile, the report notes American visitor numbers actually fell by twenty nine percent, even as Australian arrivals jumped over eighty percent. So the mix of who's coming to Zanzibar is clearly shifting.
Alia: Air travel is still doing the heavy lifting, accounting for ninety two percent of all arrivals, with the rest coming through the seaport by ferry or, in small numbers, by cruise ship.
Badru: Almost all of these visitors, ninety nine point eight percent, were holidaymakers, staying an average of seven and a half nights.
Alia: And with demand this strong, accommodation is clearly under pressure too. The Citizen reports occupancy across Zanzibar's bed stock hit nearly ninety three percent in August.
Badru: Which suggests that if this pace continues, air connectivity and hotel capacity will matter just as much as marketing when it comes to keeping the momentum going.
Alia: Those figures are a reminder of just how central tourism has become to Zanzibar's economy.

Alia: Let's close things out with some good economic news from the north coast of Unguja. According to Jamhuri Media, President Hussein Ali Mwinyi was in Pwani Mchangani on the sixth of September to officially launch two new properties, Anaya Hotels and Resorts Zanzibar and Kappa Senses Zanzibar.
Badru: And the numbers here are notable. Jamhuri Media reports the combined investment in these two hotels tops fifty two million US dollars. President Mwinyi described that as a sign of growing investor confidence in Zanzibar's economic direction.
Alia: He also connected it to a bigger milestone, saying Zanzibar is now receiving more than one hundred thousand tourists a month, which he framed as encouraging progress toward the government's goal of one million visitors a year.
Badru: On jobs, the report says these two projects have already created three hundred seventy one positions, including opportunities for people living near the developments. That's the kind of local benefit officials are keen to highlight alongside the headline investment figures.
Alia: There's also a supply chain angle. According to Jamhuri Media, the hotels are expected to become a market for Zanzibari produce, including agricultural and fishing products, which the president said should open up further business and income opportunities for residents.
Badru: He also praised the investors for setting aside space within the properties for local traders and craft artisans to display and sell goods directly to tourists, another way of linking the tourism sector to everyday livelihoods.
Alia: Mwinyi pointed to rising air traffic at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport as further evidence of Zanzibar's growing pull for both visitors and investors, and he pledged continued government investment in infrastructure, from roads and airports to electricity, water and communications.
Badru: Zanzibar's Minister for Labour and Investment, Sharif Ali Sharif, added that his ministry, working with the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority, will keep refining the investment environment while making sure residents actually benefit from these projects.
Alia: Worth remembering, these are the president's own framing and figures as reported by Jamhuri Media, so it's a government account of progress rather than independent economic analysis, but the investment totals and job numbers cited are concrete claims tied to this specific launch.
Badru: That's it for this edition of ZNZist Weekly.
Alia: Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you next time with more from Zanzibar and Tanzania.