Ahmed Rajab, the Zanzibar-born journalist, has died aged 79. Born in Vuga, Zanzibar, he was the son of Bi-Mhaza Kombo (from the Comoros Islands) and Ali Muhammed. He moved to the UK in 1964 and was married with three children.
After pursuing his secondary education at King George VI Secondary School in Zanzibar, he continued his studies at Westminster College in London, where he obtained his GCE and A Levels. In 1971, he earned his BA (Hons) in Philosophy from Birkbeck College, University of London. Subsequently, in 1974, he completed a University of London Postgraduate Diploma in Urbanisation in Developing Countries. His academic journey led him to the University of Sussex, where he achieved an MA in African Studies, specializing in Modern African Literature and African Political Economy in 1980. His dissertation focused on the Négritude poet David Diop.
Ahmed, an international journalist, political analyst, essayist, and columnist, worked for the BBC World Service and Index on Censorship. He was co-editor of the monthly magazine Africa Events, editor of the fortnightly bulletin on financial and political trends in Africa and the Middle East, and editor of Africa Analysis. He also worked with UNESCO and the UN OCHA. From 2006 to 2009, he was based in Dubai as Head of Newsroom (Middle East/Asia Bureau) for IRIN, the then-UN humanitarian news agency. Later, he spent another three years in Nairobi as Managing Director of Universal TV. He wrote extensively on Francophone and English-speaking African countries and was also an expert on the Middle East. Additionally, he contributed to Swahili newspapers in Africa.
An accomplished writer, Ahmed had his poems included in the anthology African New Voices. He also served as a panel judge for the 2019 Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature, the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing, and the 1999 CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards. His work, A Chilly Wind over the Indian Ocean, appears in the book Pioneers, Rebels, and a Few Villains: 150 Years of Journalism in Eastern Africa, edited by Charles Onyango-Obbo and published by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Johannesburg. He was a regular contributor to The Muslim News as well as various other global publications.
Rajab was known for his insightful analysis of Middle Eastern and African politics. He had a deep understanding of complex international political landscapes.
Erick Kabendera, a journalist and author of In the Name of the President: Memoirs of a Jailed Journalist, paid tribute to Ahmed on Twitter, stating that just weeks before his passing, Ahmed contacted him to discuss collaborating on a book about the Zanzibar Revolution. “He is one of the few people who agreed to read my book and suggest parts to revise. His death is equivalent to the burning of a library.”
Othman Masoud Othman Sharif, First Vice President of Zanzibar, remarked, “The news industry has lost a legend. The movement to fight for justice in the world has lost one of its brave fighters. May God rest the soul of the deceased in paradise.”
Yusuf Hassan, MP for Kamukunji, Kenya, expressed his sorrow: “I’m absolutely shattered by the news of the passing of Ahmed Rajab, the brilliant Zanzibar-born Pan-Africanist journalist and editor. He was a dear friend, a treasured comrade, and a mentor who generously shared his wisdom. Ahmed’s sharp wit, engaging stories, insightful commentaries, political analysis, and unwavering commitment to truth made him a true giant in the field of journalism. He was a veritable library of knowledge, his mind a vast repository of information, and his network of contacts unmatched by any journalist I know.”
Hassan Khamis of the Zanzibar Welfare Association added, “Losing a scholar of the caliber of Ahmed Rajab is like losing light in the dark. However, the light he lit through his writings will continue to illuminate the path of those who seek knowledge, justice, and truth.”
His active engagement in various capacities further highlights his commitment to meaningful causes. He served on numerous boards, including the Independent Advice Panel for Restructuring the BBC World Service in English, chaired by Michael Green in 1997. He contributed as a US-based electoral observer for the Institute for Democratic Strategies in Equatorial Guinea. He also held the position of Chair for the Pan-African Association of Writers and Journalists in London.
Ahmed Rajab is survived by his wife, Aysha, and children, Zakiya, Talal, and Taha.
Talal Rajab
