MAKAME, Ally, A.
Description:
ABSTRACT
This research report presents a study done at Urban-West region in Zanzibar Island. The
study was conducted in eight shehias: four from Urban district namely Malind,
Mkunazini, Shangani and Mpendae and the rest from West district which included
Kiembe Samaki, Mwera, Dole and Mbuzini.
The aim of the study was to investigate critically factors influencing religious intolerance
in Zanzibar.
The objectives of the study were to identify reasons which lead people live with religious
intolerance in Zanzibar, to identify people’s perception on other people’s religions or
sects, to identify the impacts of religious intolerance in Zanzibar, and to propose pertinent
ways to revolve religious intolerance for the development of Zanzibar.
The study involved 152 respondents. The study employed qualitative research approach.
The following data collection methods were used for the study: interview, questionnaire,
focus group discussion and documentary review.
The findings of the study revealed that there are factors leading to religious intolerance in
Zanzibar such as the use of religion for political reasons, ignorance of people in religious
knowledge, lack of civil education and sociology, media persuasions, administrative and
religious leaders statements, government biasness to one religion or sect and science and
technology while other respondents explained that there is no religious intolerance in
Zanzibar but politics in which religions used to gain political influences. The other few
respondents saw that there is no religious intolerance at all in Zanzibar.