Nyerere, Kennedy, and the Struggle for Mozambique!

Nyerere, Kennedy, and the Struggle for Mozambique!

Tanzania (then Tanganyika) sent scores of Mozambican recruits to receive military training in Algeria early 1963. The training came partly as a result of discussions between Nyerere, Eduardo Mondlane, and Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria. It was clear by May of 1963 that Tanzania would eventually allow Mozambicans to attack the Portuguese in Mozambique from their bases in Tanzania. This worried Nyerere! He wanted to avoid violence if possible.

Nyerere and Kambona advised Eduardo Mondlane early 1963 to try peaceful negotiations first before embarking on an armed struggle. In April of 1963, Mondlane remarked that he would give himself about 6 months to try finding a peaceful resolution. It was based on his discussions with Mondlane and other Mozambican leaders that Nyerere decide to try and avert the innevitable war and approach the Americans.

Nyerere met with the American Ambassador Leonhart in Tanganyika on March 17, 1963. An officer of the External Affairs was present during the meeting; Nyerere called Ambassador Leonhart to his office after the meeting and handed him a confidential letter for President Kennedy. The American Ambassador noted in his report that Nyerere wrote the letter himself, did not involve Foreign Affairs, and decided to hand over the letter when his Foreign Minister, Oscar Kambona, was away. The letter illustrates Nyerere's personal convictions, his total abhorence for racism, and determination to stand on principles; the letter was an appeal from one leader to another.

In the letter, Nyerere asks the American President, Kennedy, to intervene with Portugal in order to set Mozambique on the path to independence. Nyerere wrote: "It will be obvious that the basis of my concern over South Africa, South-West Africa, and the Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique, stems from my complete rejection of colonialism and racial discrimination."

Nyerere travelled to Washington in July of 1963 to try and convince Kennedy to do the right thing in southern Africa. As it was to be expected at the time, the US refused to do the right thing and continued to support Portugal and its colonial ambitions. It was only after all diplomatic channels had being exhausted did Nyerere give FRELIMO the go-ahead to launch attacks in Mozambique. The six months that Mondlane gave himself to pursue a diplomatic solution for Mozambique dragged for a little over a year. This decision to wait did not come just because Mondlane wanted to wait; it was partly due to Nyerere’s pressure on Mondlane to use all means possible to try and win independence for Mozambique peacefully before embarking on an armed struggle. Nyerere abhorred violence, but he was more than willing to support an armed struggle if there was no other avenue left. There would be no compromise, as far as Nyerere was concerned, when it came to the pursuit of freedom and the dignity of Africa. 

Mozambicans launched their attack on Portuguese targets in Mozambique from their bases in Tanzania September 1964. It would take 10 years for a strong and determined army of Mozambicans supported by Tanzania to defeat a modern European army fully backed by NATO. 

Tujivunie na historia yetu!
Long Live the Revolution!
Aluta Continua!

© Azaria Mbughuni