Nature of independence movements

Question 1

Gold Coast –> Ghana, 1957

Answer 1

• Move to indep. was model for other Afr states
• Few white settlers, mainly govt officals/businessmen
• Afr campaigned for greater political rights through United G. Coast Convention, led by Nkrumah
• 1948 violent protests in Accra of poor socio-econ cond.
• 1949 Nkrumah formed Convention Ppl’s Party
  
  • attracted support fr rural/urban pop, formed effective mass nationalist movement
• 1950 ‘Ghandian’ style civil obedience campaign (Positive Action)
  
  • 1951 CPP won elections
  • Further CPP success in 1954/6 meant Br couldn’t deny progress towards full self-govt

Question 2

Tanganyika –> Tanzania, 1961

Answer 2

• 1954 Nyerere est Tanganyikan Afr National Union (TANU); members features prominently in legislative elections
• 1958 Nyerere first Afr elected to legislature
• Chief minister of colony 1960
• 1961 Independence!
  
  • 1964 became Tanzania (w/ Zanzibar)
• Became base for Afr nationalist movements

Question 3

Nigeria, 1960

Answer 3

• 1944 National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons formed under leadership of Azikiwe, aimed for self-govt in Nigeria
• Nigerian politics dominated by regional, tribal and religious diff
• Nationalism suffered due to North/South tensions, Christian-Muslim diff and tribal divisions contributed to lack of unity and NCNC’s failure to attract support
• 1951 elections only highlighted emergence of competing nationalisms
• 1960 independence!

Question 4

Uganda, 1962

Answer 4

• Great ethnic/tribal divisions; separation strongly hindered national unity
• Buganda, most powerful, resisted pressue to accept idea of unitary state and were initially offered regional autonomy
• Suffered lack of econ/political development
• United Uganda under Obote’s leadership and Uganda People’s Congress
• Pressure from nationalists granted independence in 1962

Question 5

Kenya, 1963

Answer 5

• 1947 strike broke out, led by dockers in Mobassa, spread to capital Nairobi
• 1950 white settlers alarmed at nationalism growth, persuaded colonial govt to ban Kenyan African National Union (KANU) led by Kenyatta
• In response, Africans, particularly Kikuyu, formed secret rebel group (Mau Mau) to fight guerilla war against Br rule.
  
  • v. brutal, required signif Br military action to defeat
  • Led to concessions by Br govt
    
    • 1963 KANU won majority in legislative council, led to independence w/ Kenyatta as leader

Question 6

Northern Rhodesia –> Zambia, 1964

Answer 6

• 1953 Br tried to federate Nyasaland, N/S Rhodesia into Central African Federation (CAF)
  
  • were econ/politically/radically diff; opposed federation
• 1958 Zambia Afr National Congress (ZANC) led by Kaunda - civil disobedience campaigns result in his arrest
• 1960 released, became leader of United National Independence Party (UNIP)

Question 7

Nyasaland –> Malawi, 1964

Answer 7

• Part of CAF
• 1958 Nyasaland African Congress (NANC) led by Banda, followed non-coop policy and resistance to federation
• 1962 left CAF, independence in 1964 as Malawi led under Banda

Question 8

Southern Rhodesia –> Zimbabwe, 1980

Answer 8

• 1962 ultra-conservative Rhodesia front elected
• 1964 Ian Smith PM
• African-led parties for black majority rule curtailed and banned!
• ZANU/ZAPU waged guerilla war to achieve independence
• 1965 Smith declared UDI in defiance to Br govt
• 1966 series of attacks by Africans on white settlers, intensified in 1972 in ‘bush war’
• Br govt under Wilson applied econ sanctions, but refused to use force!
• 1976 ZANU/ZAPU united in Patriotic Front and inc. efforts in guerilla war
• 1978 Smith agreement to est. multi-racial govt w/ equality b/w blacks/whites in ministerial council
• 1980 over 25,000 killed in struggle for independence
• 1980 elections saw Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party win, became PM of Zimbabwe