1918-1939 History of Southern Africa Malawi
since 1964






Stamps issued by the British Postal Administration for Nyasaland.



History of Nyasaland, 1939-1964



The seat of administration and residence of the British governor was Zomba, in the Shire Highlands. The CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNCIL, formed of representatives from Northern, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, functioned as an advisory and consultative body. Further there were EXECUTIVE and LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS nominated by the crown (since 1907).
The principal exports were Tobacco and tea. Since 1935, the protectorate was connected by railway with the port of Beira in Portuguese Mocambique. In a 1945 census, the population was established at 2,044,707 Africans, 2,940 Asiatics and 1,948 Europeans, the latter mostly British nationals. In 1949 (SEAYb. p.873) wages for native labour were given as follows : farm boys 12s. 6d. per month plus food, house boys 12s. 6d. to 20s., cooks 15s. to 30s., skilled artisans 20s. to 150s., clerks 25s. to 250s. Native labour was praised as "the best in Southern Africa", but at the same time "hardly sufficient to maintain local industries". Educational institutions were insufficient in number and equipment; the British administration invested little in the infrastructure, as it was keen to balance the colony's revenues and expenses.
In 1953, the British Colonial Office decided to establish the FEDERATION OF RHODESIA AND NYASALAND, with it's seat of administration in Harare (modern Zimbabwe), a measure which was described in 1949 as "desired by the European population, resented by the Asiatic and native population" (SEAYb 1949 p.873). This measure was carried through, despite the protest of the people of Nyasaland.
African political organizations were founded, most importantly the NAC (1944, Nyasaland African Congress) and the MCP (1959, Malawi Congress Party); African Provincial Councils (est. 1944-1945) the first consultative bodies to which native representatives could be elected. In 1949 the first native and the first Asian representatives were appointed to the Legislative Council, in 1959 the first native to the Executive Council.
1959 was a year of crisis, as the MCP, pressing for independence, organized non-violent resistance and the government declared state of emergency. Countrywide elections in 1961 were won by the candidates of the MCP. Dr. KAMUZU BANDA was appointed prime minister in 1963. In 1963, the federation was dissolved; in 1964, independence declared. Nyasaland became the REPUBLIC OF MALAWI.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		History of Malawi, from Africanet
Articles from Infoplease : Malawi, History of
Know your Rhodesia and know your Nyasaland, by N.S. Ferris, online edition of 1956 book
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland : The Party System in 1950-1956 and 1957-1962, in : Kenneth Janda, Political Parties : A Cross-National Survey
DOCUMENTS Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, from FOTW
Map of Malawi, from CIA World Factbook
Lists of Governors etc. from World Statesmen : Malawi by Ben Cahoon
REFERENCE South and East African Year Book and Guide, 49th edition 1949, pp.765, 867-881 [G]
Cynthia A. Crosby, Historical Dictionary of Malawi, Metuchen : Scarecrow 1980 [G]
Chapter 30 : The Rhodesias and the Central African Federation, pp.602-619; 31 : More about Rhodesia and Nyasaland, pp.620-645, in : John Gunther, Inside Africa, NY : Harper & Bros. (1953) 1955 [G]
Article : British East Africa, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1944 p.127, 1945 pp.124-125, 1946 pp.146-147, 1947 pp.149-150, 1948 pp.139-140, 1949 pp.118-120 [G]
Article Nyasaland, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1950 p.505 (on events in 1949) [G]
Article Nyasaland, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1951 pp.514-515 (on events in 1950) [G]
Article Nyasaland, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1952 p.518 (on events in 1951) [G]
Article Nyasaland, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1953 p.518 (on events in 1952) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1954 pp.612-613; Nyasaland p.524 (on events in 1953) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1955 pp.661-662 (on events in 1954) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1956 p.599 (on events in 1955) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1957 pp.660-661 (on events in 1956) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1958 pp.595-596 (on events in 1957) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1959 pp.593-594 (on events in 1958) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1960 pp.595-596 (on events in 1959) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1961 pp.603-604 (on events in 1960) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1962 pp.594-595 (on events in 1961) [G]
Article Rhodesia and Nyasaland, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1963 pp.697-699 (on events in 1962) [G]
Article Commonwealth of Nations, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1963 pp.284-286 (on events in 1962) [G]
Article Commonwealth of Nations, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1964 pp.268-269 (on events in 1963) [G]
Article : Nyasaland Protectorate, in : Statesman's Year Book 1943 pp.222-224 [G]
Article : Nyasaland, in : Americana Annual 1943 pp.561-562, 1944 p.537, 1945 p.548 [G]
Article : Nyasaland Protectorate, in : Americana Annual 1946 pp.562-563, 1947 p.514 [G]
Article : Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, in : Americana Annual 1957 pp.674-676, 1961 pp.644-646, 1962 pp.649-651, 1963 pp.576-578 [G]
Article : Rhodesia and Nyasaland, in : Americana Annual 1964 pp.572-575 [G]
Nyasaland p.126, in : Year Book and Guide to East Africa 1963 [G]



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on May 1st 2008

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