I'm here in Zanzibar, having extended my stay by two weeks. I was here for the film festival which should be effectively renamed to cultural festival, as the cultural festvities are much more than the film festival. Anyway, in a bid to understand the slave trade- the arabs, britiish, french and german role, I have visited all the areas related to the trade that saw my people's forceful en masse migration.

After visiting the former slave chambers and cave- where the illegal slave trade took place after it was abolished in the last quarter of the 19th century, I decided itwas time to vist the slave market. I could have visited the slave market two weeks before as I had stayed at the saint Monica's hostel which is on the site of the slave market but I did not.

Yesterday I visited the slave market and there is nothig to see. The former slave chambers now house the sleeping quaters,dining area and souveniour market run by the Anglican church. Apparently the Anglican church prides itself as the real liberator of 'Poor Africans' from the slave trade. I have no qualms with that, only that once inside the church from coner to coner on golden plaques are names of the british Marine liberators. Some eve boast to have died in the service of her Majesty.

It was shocking to me that no 'slave' name was on a golden plaque. Niether was there a mention of the atrocities in a plaque. Whereas you have a crucifix made of a tree under which DR.Livingstone died in Zambia.

Livingstone, as you may all know is a famed anti-slavery campaigner. He is quoted at the slave chambers as having said that Britain shall never be guilt free unless the trade had stopped and every African become a christian. Meaning the only way to increase the number of native christians is to free slaves and thereafter enslave them to christianity.

Indeed many of the freed slaves were handed over to missionaries for their immediate baptism. Needless to say that christianity was the root base of colonialism in Africa.

Tears: I looked back and felt the spirit of all the slaves taken away coming back to me. The spirit of defiance, their meekness as they were reduced to merchandise.

While seating  on the pew of the anglican church, standing on the slave market, I heard a black Zanzibari man- Most likely a decendant of a slave, explain the mightiness of the british soldiers. I wept!