Struggle for Independence in  East Africa

understand the reasons for the rise of nationalism in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. know the various approaches used by the people of East Africa to demand their independence from colonialists. appreciate the steps taken in the struggle for East African state’s independence.

compare the Ugandan struggle for independence with that of the other East African states

Keywords

boycotts depriving independence nationalism personalities political parties

struggle 

Overview

This chapter focuses on how, when, and why the East Africans struggled for their independence from the Europeans. 

Teacher Preparation: Take time to go through the chapter and understand it.

Hint: Possible teaching methods include: Storytelling, brainstorming, field trips, guided discovery, discussion, Question and Answer, vee-mapping, etc.

Learning materials: Video clips, charts, newspaper cut-outs, documentaries, field trips, library sources

Skills: Interactivity, communication, writing, planning, organization, photographic interpretation, analysis, critical thinking, categorizing, and recognition.

As much as possible, the teacher should ensure that the learner understands the chapter by using the above hints. Ensure that you have the following materials: newspaper prints and photographs.

Teacher Instruction: Creatively introduce the learners to the struggle for independence in East Africa. Task the learners to interpret the diagram on the cover page. See whether they can relate it to the chapter to be studied.

Introduction

The word colonialism is common in our previous chapters, and you are aware of the process of how East African countries were colonized. But do you know how these countries regained their independence? In this chapter, the learner will understand the causes and results of independence struggles in East Africa. After the end of

World War II, East African history changed. It became an era of the struggle for both political and economic liberation from the colonialists.

The struggle for independence spread across the entire African continent. After Ghana gained independence in 1957, other countries were inspired to struggle for their independence.

Imagine, that you are about 20 years old and living with a guardian or family members who are very strict and harsh. They stop you from visiting friends; restrict you from playing your favorite games, deny you your favorite meals, and give you a lot of housework without any appreciation.

How would you feel? What plans would you come up with to change such a situation? How would you achieve the plans you have developed? What would you do to set yourself free?  This is the experience the East African states went through during the colonial era.

By the 1950s, there were organized nationalist parties that demanded political independence in almost every colony of East Africa. By 1960, a wave of struggles for independence was sweeping across Africa. East African states could not be left free.

Uganda and Kenya were under British rule, and Tanzania was under German rule until 1919 when it was taken over by Britain. The demand for independence was a result of increased nationalism due to colonial oppression, exploitation, and over-taxation that became common after 1920.

The struggle for self-rule would not start as early as possible due to many limiting factors. It became possible only after 1945 with the end of World War II which enlightened many people about the need for self-rule. It ignited the underlying causes for nationalism that existed in East Africa. Figure 4.1 below shows nationalists in Kenya demonstrating independence.

The demand for independence was characterised by:

1. The demand for the control of the centre of the country and the legislative council
2. Mobilizing mass support through expression of popular demands by the leaders.
3. Using central power and mass support to unite the people of the country into a single nation with economic justice not based on race, religion, or political belief but citizenship.

The Rise of Nationalism in East Africa

In East Africa, the desire for independence was expressed through protests, boycotts, strikes, and armed resistance against British colonial rule. It was an expression by the different communities under leaders, like Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanganyika, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, and Dr Apollo Milton Obote of

Uganda, who wanted to be free and to determine their destiny. This was because they had been subjected to more than fifty years of colonial rule.

Independence was not something that was achieved overnight. Uganda, for example, gained its independence from the British on 9th October 1962, after approximately 68 years. It was not just about getting rid of Figure 4.2. Mwalimu

Julius Nyerere of foreign domination, it was also about choices, decisions, and taking responsibility for creating the future for the citizens of the East African countries.

Allow learners to visit the library or computer laboratory to attempt the activity. Necessary guidance should be provided to the learners to enable them get relevant information. Converse with the learners to assess their understanding of the concept of the rise of nationalism in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Exercise

4.1(a):  Understanding the rise of nationalism in Uganda, Kenya, and  Tanzania  

Use ICT or the library to research to find out  the following: The meaning of the term nationalism

Background of the rise of nationalism in Uganda and Kenya. Present your findings to the class using Microsoft PowerPoint.

Likely answers

1) Reasons for the rise of Nationalism; 

• The outbreak of first and second World War
• The role played by the press
• Role played by elites
• Economic exploitation
• Colonial policies of taxation and forced labour among others
• Racial segregation
• Rise of nationalism in other parts of the world

2) Background to the rise of nationalism in East Africa.

• The Second World War was one of the factors that aroused nationalism in East Africa.
• Nationalism in East Africa was also encouraged by the activities of the Negroes in America. (Pan-Africanism).
• Urbanization and the development of transport and communication in East Africa also stimulated the rise of nationalism.
• Nationalism was stimulated by Western formal education. The East Africans who attended high levels of formal education were exposed to new ideas about good government and the relationships between societies.

The rise of nationalism was also caused by the oppressive colonial economic and political policies in East Africa. • Racism: the rise and development of

• nationalism in East Africa was also encouraged by discriminatory practices between whites, Asians, and Africans. In Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, these different races occupied unequal positions in the social structure.
• The Independence of Ghana in 1957 led to the growth of East African nationalism. After Ghana had gained its Independence in 1957, the leader (Nkwame Nkrumah) stated that the independence of Ghana was useless if the rest of Africa was still under colonial rule.  So, he gave material and moral support to countries like Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania towards their independence.

Activity 4.1(b): Methods used by Africans to fight for independence   (Time: 40minutes)

1. Identify the causes for the rise of nationalism in East Africa.
2. Explain the following methods used by Africans to fight for their independence. Show examples where these methods were applied:
3. Protests
4. Armed resistance. Share your ideas with the rest of the class.

Likely answers

1) causes for the rise of nationalism

• Racial segregation
• Rise of UNO • Rise of elites

2) Explaining the methods;

• Protests. These were demonstrations by the Africans against colonial rule.

• Armed Resistance. These were rebellions where Africans armed themselves with weapons, such as arrows, bows, and spears to say no to colonial rule.
• These methods were used in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

4.2 Approaches Used by the People of East Africa to Demand for

Independence

During colonial rule in East Africa, societies reacted differently: whereas some collaborated, others resisted. It is important to note that their major aim in resisting or collaborating was to preserve their African culture and gain independence.

Societies that collaborated included Buganda and Busoga (under Semei Kakungulu) while those that resisted included Bunyoro in Uganda, Kikuyu in Kenya, and the Hehe in Tanganyika.

African resistance to colonial rule refers to African societies or individuals who refused to cooperate with the colonialists during the imposition of colonial rule. In most cases, such societies reacted through the workers’ unions, and later formed political parties. They took up arms to fight the colonialists with the aim of achieving  independence. But they were defeated and colonized for many years.

Evils of colonialism made the people of East Africa hate the colonial masters. It was the desire for independence, self-determination, and common hatred for all evils associated with colonial rule that led to the struggle for independence in East Africa.

Role of political parties

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, new mass-based political parties were formed in almost every East African state. These parties were not restricted to the educated elite but all the masses in East Africa. The political parties needed mass support that could end discrimination in East Africa. In East Africa, nationalism was characterized by the formation of political parties.

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Democratic Party (DP) in Uganda, Kenya African National Union (KANU) and Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) in Kenya, and Tanganyika’s African National Union (TANU) in Tanzania. The formation of political parties mobilized the people to demand for independence. The Mau Mau uprising of 1952-1956 in Kenya encouraged nationalism in East Africa. The courage of the Kikuyu and