The East African Arab Slave Trade began around the 9th Century in Pre-Colonial Africa as Muslim Arab and Swahili Traders began to dominate the Swahili Coast.
The History of the East African Arab Slave Trade began when Muslim Arab and Swahili Traders entered the African interior largely in Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya where they captured the local people or Zanj whom they would transport to Slave Markets on the East African Coast during the East African Arab Slave Trade.
Its been estimated that the Muslim Arab Slave Trade sold as much as 17 million people to the Middle East and North Africa via the Indian Ocean Coast in the period of the East African Arab Slave Trade circa 1500-1900.
The 17th Century saw an acceleration in the East African Arab Slave Trade when more and more Arab merchants from Oman relocated to the Island of Zanzibar as it took centre stage in the brisk Swahili Coast global Trade.
Furthermore, enterprising individual Slave Traders like the infamous Tippu Tip would greatly expand the East African Arab Slave Trade by conquering vast swathes of the African population and taking the people as slaves.
Once transported to their destination in the Middle East, the Zanj Slaves of the East African Arab Slave Trade worked on Arab Estates mainly in Agriculture under inhumane conditions.
Eventually, the Zanj victims of the East African Arab Slave Trade would find the conditions so intolerable, that the Zanj Slave rebellion broke out from 869 until 883.
Although the rebellion did not put an end to the East African Arab Slave Trade, it demonstrated the cruelty of the Arab Slave Trade in East Africa.
The End Of The East African Arab Slave Trade
The Muslim Arab Slave Trade in East Africa continued to thrive until the Haitian Slave Revolt signalled the end of Slavery throughout the world.
Following the Haitian Slave Revolt, the movement for abolition gained momentum leading to the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Things moved much slower in East Africa however, and it was only in 1873 that Zanzibar outlawed the East African Arab Slave Trade despite the resistance of the Arab merchant class.
The decree banning the Arab Trade of Slaves in East Africa was not followed or enforced however, and it was only in 1909 that Arab Slavery in East Africa formally came to an end.
Modern Day Slavery In Africa
Despite the formal abolition of Slavery, its been observed that Slavery still exists in Africa today particularly in countries like Mauritania.
Whilst the impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade cannot be denied, equal attention should also be paid to the Muslim Arab Slave Trade in East Africa.
Its been suggested that the East African Arab Slave Trade is not discussed as much as it should be due to the fact that the significant Muslim population in Africa would rather focus on the Western Transatlantic Slave Trade out of what can only be described as a sense of religious loyalty.
Nevertheless, the impact of East African Arab Slave Trade started in the 9th Century in Pre-Colonial Africa by Muslim Arab and Swahili Traders on the Swahili Coast cannot be forgotten.
