Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the mission school, entered the fray, and the protest movement gained momentum. On 23
January 1915, three armed raiding parties set out from Chilembwe's 'Provident Industry
Mission' to attack European-owned estates in the Shire Highlands, killing a number of
Europeans before Chilembwe was hunted down and shot. But for black Malawians, the
movement towards self-government had begun.
Further protests were to erupt with the idea of 'federating' Nyasaland with Southern
and Northern Rhodesia. After WWII, white southern Rhodesians were keen to pursue this.
Malawi's future leader, Dr Hastings Banda, was quick to point out that colonialism
offered an unequal prison-and-warder relationship to the African, but under Rhodesian
rule it would be a return to slavery. The Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) voiced its
opposition most loudly, aided by Banda (now in London and practising as a doctor, but a
politically active spokesperson for the NAC in the UK). Despite this, British assent was
given to federation and in 1953 Nyasaland came under Rhodesian authority.
By the time Banda returned to his home country in 1958 there were 60,000 members in
the NAC. The first riot against federation took place in 1959 in Zomba; following this
there was another riot in Nkhata Bay, and shortly thereafter a state of emergency was de-
clared. Banda and 1000 of his supporters were arrested but, illustrating a sea change in
London's perspective on Nyasaland, he was shortly released. In 1962 Britain agreed to a
plan of self-government in the country, and by February 1963, Banda was sworn in as the
prime minister of Nyasaland. The country was granted full independence, and was re-
stored to its original name, Malawi, on 6 July, 1964.
Banda: Hero to Villain
After being made president of Malawi in 1966, Banda began consolidating his position,
and demanded that several ministers declare their allegiance to him. Many resigned rather
than do so and took to opposition. Banda forced them into exile and banned other political
parties. He continued to increase his power by becoming 'president for life' in 1971, and
banning the foreign press. He established Press Holdings, effectively his personal con-
glomerate, and the Agricultural Development & Marketing Corporation, to which all agri-
cultural produce was sold at fixed rates, and thus gained total economic control, accruing
an estimated fortune of some US$445 million. Miniskirts, women in trousers, long hair
for men and other such signs of Western debauchery were outlawed.
Throughout this move towards dictatorship Banda remained politically conservative,
giving political support to apartheid South Africa, which, in turn, rewarded Malawi with
aid and trade. This angered the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was furious
at Banda's refusal to ostracise the apartheid regime.
