Rashidi Kawawa and Creation of a Young Nation
Wednesday April 4th, 1963 the Vice President of Tanganyika, Rashidi Mfaume Kawawa, got into an armored car with the Egyptian Minister of Religion, Mohammed El Bahei for a drive to another city. Kawawa was on an official visit to Egypt (then UAR). The two leaders drove to a textile factory at Mehalpa. Kawawa and El Bahei were found unconscious when officials opened the car doors in Mehalpa. It would take several hours before the two leaders were revived. The incident would shock the young nation of Tanganyika when the news broke back home. Speculations continue about exactly what happened on that drive to Mehalpa. One thing is clear: the incident almost ended the life of one of Tanzania’s most remarkable leaders.
Kawawa’s story begins in Songea, Tanzania (then Tanganyika). He was born on May 27, 1926 in Songea, Tanganyika. He was a son of a civil servant and an elephant hunter. Kawawa attended Tabora Boys, a prestigious government school. He had an opportunity to attend Makerere after Tabora Boys; but the young Kawawa decided not to pursue further education in order to allow his siblings an opportunity to get an education. Kawawa applied for a post as a Government Welfare Officer. The colonial officials thought he was too young to get the post. Instead he was hired as a clerk of the Public Works Department. Kawawa was later transferred to Social Department in 1951. It was during this period that he would become involved with films. As a Social Development officer, he operated a mobile cinema and organized a film library. Kawawa became a film star in the early 1950s; he acted in a number of Swahili films.
The colonial government prohibited civil servants from joining political parties. Kawawa could not take part in the independence struggle openly as long as he worked for the government. Many civil servants had to work clandestinely. Civil servants worked with Tanganyika African Association (TAA) secretly in the beginning of the 1950s. The one avenue opened to government workers was the Tanganyika African Government Services Association (TAGSA). Kawawa joined the organization early on as a government employee. He fought to improve the rights of government workers as one of the leaders of the association. One of the TAGSA initiatives was filling complaints with United Nations Commission when it came to Tanganyika in 1951. TAGSA complained about racial discrimination against Africans in the government services to the UN Committee. While the complaint was directed towards Government practices, it was nevertheless, an important move in bringing more attention to Tanganyika by the world organization, something that helped advance the independence struggle. Kawawa was one of the founders of Tanganyika Federation of Labor in October 1955; he became the Secretary General of TFL when it was founded and later its President.
Kawawa decided to change course in February 1956. He resigned from his position in the colonial government and became a full time trade union activist and leader of the TFL. Kawawa officially joined TANU around the same time. He actively worked to build up TANU as a powerful nationalist movement in the second half of the 1950s. His work in TANU went hand in hand with his important work as the leader of a labor union. As an official of TFL, Kawawa travelled to many countries and attended two study conferences in the UK.
The Colonial government nominated Kawawa as a member of the Legislative Council in August 1957. He later ran for the seat unopposed. Kawawa won LEGCO seat for Nachingwea in 1960.
Prime Minister Julius Nyerere resigned in January 22 and left the position for Rashidi Kawawa. Kawawa would take drastic measures during his tenure to move the country forward. As a Prime Minister, Kawawa took steps that even Mwalimu Nyerere was not ready to take at the time. Kawawa became the Prime Minister of Tanganyika from January 22 to December 8, 1962. He moved the Africanization program with lightning speed; this was a controversial, but necessary move. He oversaw the Africanization commission before becoming the Prime Minister; he would take drastic steps as the Prime Minister. One of the first things he did was to let go the British Principle Secretary, Meek, and replaced him with the experienced administrator, Dunstan Alfred Omari. Kawawa moved on to the police force and dismissed the British Commissioner of Police and replaced him with a Tanganyikan, Elangwa Shaidi. Next Kawawa turned to Africanizing important positions in the police including, Assistant Commissioner, Senior Superintendent, and officers.
Kawawa worked closely with liberation organizations fighting for independence in southern Africa in the course of 1962. Nelson Mandela escaped from South Africa secretly and reached Tanganyika on January 21, 1962. Mandela met with the new Prime Minister Kawawa several days later. Mandela was given assistance and travel documents. Kawawa also worked closely with Kenneth Kaunda and UNIP of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia). The Tanganyika government provided UNIP with significant logistical and material support in the course of 1962 and 1963, including hosting a PAFMECA (then PAFMECSA) meeting and rally in Mbeya, Tanganyika in support of the independence of Northern Rhodesia. Kawawa gave full Tanganyika support for the meeting and rally. In May of 1962, Kawawa hired a 39 year old barrister from Southern Rhodesia, Herbert Chitepo, as the Director of Public Prosecution.
The Vice President’s office in January 1963 was the most Africanized of all government offices. Mwalimu Nyerere would later admit that Kawawa took measures that he had equivocated on. Mwalimu ended the Africanization scheme on January 4, 1964, calling it a policy of “racial discrimination” implemented two years prior; the move led to profound consequences for the government on January 20, 1964 when the Tanganyika army mutinied.
1963 was a difficult year for Africa. The year started with the assassination of President Sylvanus Olympio of Togo on January 13, 1963. In Tanganyika, the newly appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defense, Oscar Kambona, was busy dismantling the old intelligence organization and working to build a new one. The appointment was said to have been a compromise with Kawawa becoming the Vice President and Kambona taking two important portfolios: Foreign Affairs and Defense. Tension between Kawawa and Kambona would later mount. Kambona eventually lost the defense portfolio and it would be brought under the supervision of Kawawa.
The safety of top government officials was a major concern in 1963. It was around this time that request was made to the Americans to get special training for Presidential security and counter intelligence. Men like Peter Bwimbo and later Wynn J. Mbwambo were sent to the US for specialized training. Concerns about the safety of leaders and the security of the nation increased when a decision was made sometime in early 1963 to allow liberation groups to establish training camps in the country. Kongwa, an old farm, was opened up for liberation groups in early 1963. Tanganyika was helping to prepare groups from southern Africa for war. The hosting of Afro Asian Conference in Moshi in February 1963 signaled the role Tanganyika was playing in the liberation struggles. Kawawa contributed to this development in the course of 1962. It is no surprise that the New York Times published a major article in February of 1963 entitled “Tanganyika Capital is Haven for African Revolutionaries.” It was under these circumstances that Kawawa boarded a plane for Cairo via Nairobi in April of 1963.
Kawawa had been a busy man by all accounts in early 1963. He was in UK in January where he met with Prime Minister Macmillan at Admiralty House. Kawawa was there with Uganda Prime Minister Milton Obote. The leaders met to put pressure on the Macmillan to speed up the process of Kenya to win independence. Tanganyika was making the case for Kenya’s early independence because they hoped independence would make room for regional cooperation between Tanganyika, Uganda, and Kenya. This cooperation, they hoped, would lead to the establishment of East African Federation. Kawawa pushed the British on their policy towards Congo during the meeting.
Tanganyika was trying to build close links with various African countries in 1963. Among those countries were Egypt and Guinea. Egypt was important for Tanganyika. President Nasser was trying to curve out his sphere of influence in Sub-Saharan Africa. He had developed close friendship with members of the ZNP in neighboring Zanzibar. Tanganyika was giving full backing to the ASP in Zanzibar. Tanganyika was also preparing for the important conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that would lead to the formation of the OAU. Gaining the support of Nasser was crucial.
Kawawa left Tanganyika on Sunday April 1, 1963 for state visits to Cairo, Egypt and Guinea. He was scheduled to stop in Nairobi, Kenya to speak with Kenya leaders before proceeding to Egypt. He left Tanganyika with a delegation of six people on board a government airplane. The men in his delegation included, Bhoke Munanka, A.B.C. Daniel, Colin Jana, M. Nasoro, Ramadhani Massoud, P. Pamba, and J. Rwegasira. This was to be an exciting trip to establish friendly relations with Egypt.
The Tanganyika delegation stopped in Nairobi, Kenya and Kawawa met with Jommo Kenyatta and members of KANU. Kawawa told reporters before leaving Kenya that he had friendly talks with Kenyatta. Among the topics discussed was the question of early independence for Kenya and the establishment of East African Federation. Kawawa arrived in Cairo on April 2, 1963. He was met at the Cairo airport by the Vice President of Egypt, El-Sayeid Zakaria Mohamed. A special gathering and dinner was organized for Tanganyika delegation that evening.
President of Abdel Nasser presented Kawawa with one of the highest medals given by the Egyptian government during the visit. He received the Grand Cordon Order of the Nile. Kawawa met with Egyptian government officials and was given a tour of various places. Kawawa and his delegation was met by a cheering crowd as he left El-Horeya Palace and headed to the Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian government opened up the red carpet for Kawawa. During the talks, leaders from the two countries discussed liberation struggle, aid, and development. However, most of the discussions centered on economic collaboration.
On Wednesday April 4th, Kawawa got in to a car with the Egyptian Minister of Religion, Mohamed El Bahei on a 75 mile ride to Mehalpa. The two leaders were driving to visit a textile factory. The windows were closed. The car was designed so that the driver could not hear conversations in the passenger seats when the window separating the driver and passengers was closed.
When the car stopped in Mehalpa, government officials opened the doors to find Kawawa and El Bahei unconscious. The two leaders were rushed to a hospital owned by the clothing factory. They were given oxygen, injections, and other medications, and admitted to the hospital. It was not until later in the evening that the two gained consciousness. The official report is that the air system malfunctioned. Reports reaching Tanganyika blamed the accident on the lack of air caused by a malfunction. The reports claimed that Kawawa and El Bahei fainted for lack of air. A diplomatic report blamed the incident on Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Whether it was lack of air or Carbon Monoxide poisoning remains a mystery. Furthermore, questions remains whether this was an accident or a deliberate attempt to harm the two leaders. Given the dangers to Tanganyika leaders posed by increasing support to liberation movements, the possibility of this being a plot to assassinate the Vice President of Tanganyika cannot be dismissed.
Kawawa and El Bahei would later fully recover. It was a close call, particularly for the Egyptian Minister who was reported to have been in worse condition. Kawawa extended his visit to Egypt and eventually left Cairo for Guinea. The incident in Egypt in 1963 illustrates dangers leaders faced during the first half of the 1960s. Kawawa was able to secure assistance from the government of Egypt in various sectors. The trip appears to have been a success; it helped improving relations between the two countries.
Kawawa returned to Tanganyika on April 22, 1963.
TBC..
© Azaria C. Mbughuni
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