Kissing in Public Can Get You Arrested in Zanzibar — But Not How You Think

Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago within Tanzania, operates under its own distinct legal code — a legacy of the British colonial era. The Zanzibar Penal Code of 1934 inherited Victorian-era moral statutes from English criminal law, including broad prohibitions on 'gross indecency' and 'unnatural offences.' These provisions were retained after independence and subsequently updated in 2004 and 2018 to expand their scope, including to cover lesbianism explicitly.

Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim society — approximately 99% of the population practices Islam — and carries deeply conservative social attitudes toward public displays of affection of any kind. Kissing, hugging, or holding hands in public is widely seen as disrespectful by local communities, and tourists are routinely warned to avoid such behaviour. While heterosexual PDA is culturally taboo, the criminal law is specifically directed at same-sex conduct under the rubric of 'gross indecency' and 'unnatural offences.'

In December 2017, Tanzanian police arrested a woman after a video of her kissing another woman at a party circulated on social media, illustrating real enforcement of the law. The UK FCDO, US State Department, and Irish Department of Foreign Affairs all warn that same-sex public affection — including kissing — can result in arrest and imprisonment in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The 'all kissing is illegal' framing circulates widely on travel websites and 'weird laws' listicles, often stripped of the same-sex context. The truth is more targeted but arguably more alarming: the law is actively enforced against LGBTQ+ individuals with penalties reaching up to 14 years for 'unnatural offences' and 5 years for 'gross indecency.' Zanzibar also enforces a separate dress code regime, fining tourists $700 or more for 'inappropriate clothing.'