Friday July 4 2014

Looking Back: Independence Day in Malawi

On July 6 1964, Nyasaland became independent from the UK and took the name Malawi. That month in Life and Work, Dr W. H. Watson of Livingstonia looked ahead to the opportunities and risks for the new country and its churches.

NYASALAND-MALAWI

THE very change of name is significant – from a hybrid one to a purely African one.

A nation has become conscious of its existence: there is the exhilaration of a revolution, a new start, an adventure. Society is “ours”, with all its possibilities for a fuller and wider life. Plans for advance are no longer “given”, however good, but now have the enormous incentive of being based on the common will of the people.

There is a vast liberation of feelings and powers; a new enthusiasm that refuses to regard the obstacles of poverty, disease and ignorance as insuperable.

There will be many changes. When the battle against European rule is over, personal relations between African and European will quickly become easier and more natural. Old slogans will be out of date; boycott and strikes have to give way to national positive effort. Backward, customary ways may have to be reformed; national income must be increase. National “style” in institutions, in administration, even in dress, will link the old traditions with the personality of the new nation.

There will be many new problems – the building up of local government, relations with other African states, the earning of a place in a world economy and a world society of nations.

What can be said with confidence is that in the new State of Malawi the image of the “African personality” has faith in Jesus Christ as an essential part of it. Jesus Christ is at home here; there is no charge that Christianity is just the white man’s religion.

The new State of Malawi will be given the continued strong leadership of Dr. Banda*; and the people will accord him their massive loyalty. He is marked out amongst leaders of the new African nations by his long and intimate knowledge and experience of the West. It is very proper to wish him long life and service, and to pray, as the Church of the land does, that the purposes of Almighty God may be wrought through him.

The Church is in the land, and deeply rooted. Our Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian, as the leading Church of the nation, knows what  freedom is. It is years ahead in experience of it; indeed, many political leaders are loyal members and office-bearers. The Church, in all its branches, knows the immensity of its new task in the new nation. It shares fully in the nation’s exultation, yet soberly addresses itself to its work.

Sponsored by the Christian Council of Nyasaland, a Call to the Nation on the occasion of Independence has been drawn up and signed by all Churches, including the Roman Catholic, and will be published and broadcast.

On Independence Day, the 6^th of July, there will be services of praise and thanksgiving in hundreds of places.

People in Scotland, together with their brethren in the new State of Malawi, because of their own heritage fully understanding those aspirations and hopes for the new nation, will join in commending the future to Almighty God.

* From Wikipedia: Hastings Kamuzu Banda (c. March or April 1898 – 25 November 1997) was the leader of Malawi and its predecessor state, Nyasaland, from 1961 to 1994. After receiving much of his education overseas, Banda returned to his home country (then British Nyasaland) to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence. In 1963, he was formally appointed prime minister of Nyasaland and led the country to independence as Malawi a year later. Two years later, he proclaimed Malawi a republic with himself as president. He consolidated power and later declared Malawi a one-party state under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). In 1970, the MCP made him the party's President for Life. In 1971, he became President for Life of Malawi itself.

As a leader of the pro-Western bloc in Africa, he received support from the West during the Cold War. He generally supported women's rights, improved the country's infrastructure, and maintained a good educational system relative to other African countries, but he also presided over one of the most repressive regimes in Africa. His government regularly tortured and murdered political opponents. Human rights groups estimate that at least 6,000 people were killed, tortured and jailed without trial. According to at least one estimate, as many as 18,000 people were killed during his rule. He also faced scorn for maintaining full diplomatic relations with apartheid-era South Africa.

By 1993, he was facing international pressure and widespread protest. A referendum ended his one-party state, and a special assembly ended his life-term presidency and stripped him of most of his powers. Banda ran for president in the democratic elections which followed and was defeated.

He died in South Africa in 1997. His legacy remains controversial, with some hailing him as a national and African hero, while others denounce him as a tyrant and as a corrupt leader.

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