But where once there were tourists, tanks and soldiers now line the cobbled streets in the iconic district of Stone Town as the East African nation lurches towards a general election on Wednesday that could spell the end of what's left of democracy on the mainland of Tanzania.
The archipelago has been a hotbed of government opposition ever since it joined the adjacent territory of Tanganyika in 1964, creating Tanzania.
Tanzania’s strongman John Magufuli, who is running for national re-election on Wednesday, is the greatest barrier to free and fair elections that Zanzibar has ever faced, opposition leaders claim.
According to his critics, he is leading Tanzania away from one of Africa’s most inclusive and peaceful democracies towards a totalitarian state.
Opponents accuse him of shooting opposition figures, muzzling the independent press and replacing the judiciary with government stooges.
His announcement in June that Tanzania is “Covid-19 free” and a goat, pawpaw and papaya had tested positive for the virus raised eyebrows around the world.
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