Thread by @Unseen_Archive

I've been fascinated at the Kenya Daily Nation's reporting on John Okello, the 'Field Marshall' who overthrew the Sultan's gov't in Jan. 1964.

Here's Okello & colleagues with the flag of the newly-founded People's Republic of Zanzibar, 19 Jan. 1964.

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Okello came to power when he & 200 men stormed a police station, armed with bows & arrows. After they captured the armory they gained the upper hand over the Sultan's police.

The Kenyan papers were fascinated with Okello: early reports held him to be a Kenya citizen.

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In January and Feb 1964 Okello--at the head of his heavily-armed supporters--made a series of incendiary speeches: those who opposed the revolution wld be 'cut into little pieces and thrown into the sea'.

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On 20 Feb Okello made an unannounced trip to Kenya, arriving on a commercial flight to Mombasa. Within a few days he was said to be in Uganda.

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On 28 Feb. he visited Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi; he is said also to have met with Obote. 'There is nothing mysterious about him', said Achieng Oneko.

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On 11 March he gave a press conference in Nairobi. By that time he had been banned from returning to Zanzibar--he was not even allowed to collect his personal possessions.

The Nation heralded his ouster, calling him an embarrassment to the Zanzibar government.

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Here's a (silent) video clip of Okello's press conference in Nairobi.

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By 16 March he was in Kampala, staying in a top hotel and driving a brand-new Peugeot--evidently given to him by an Ethiopian supporter.

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In the time that followed his triumphant arrival in Kampala Okello's fortunes were steadily diminished. Within a few weeks he had wrecked his Peugeot in a car crash. In October he was arrested in Tanzania.

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He spent the rest of his life in and out of prison, accused by the governments of Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania of conspiring against them.

In November 1964, for example, Hastings Banda accused him of planning to overthrow Malawi's government.

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He spent the first anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution at a small hotel in Nairobi, hoping to get a meeting with Jomo Kenyatta.

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He was imprisoned by Obote in 1967; shortly after his release he was imprisoned in Kenya & held for several years.

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John Okello had a cordial meeting with Idi Amin early in 1971. Amin guaranteed Okello's freedom of movement.

Later that year Okello was killed--apparently by Amin's men.

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John Okello was a key figure in eastern Africa's political history: a threat to the cloistered power of Nyerere, Kenyatta, Banda & Obote.

He was also a charismatic figure in religious life: the Legio Maria regarded him as the Angel Gabriel, sent to end evil in the world.