The
partition of East Africa
was the outcome
of the development
of European monopoly
capitalism. The partition was
done from 1886
to 1890’s and
it involved only
Britain and Germany.
REASONS FOR THE PARTITION OF EAST AFRICA
The partition
was influenced by
a number of
factors as follows.
i.
The
development of commercial rivalries. These rivalries involved
German East Africa Company (GEACO) and Imperial British East African Company
(IBEACO). Each company wanted to monopolize trade and commerce in East Africa,
hence the division of East Africa.
ii.
Conflict
between Anglican missionaries and Catholics in Uganda.
Anglican missionaries informed
their mother country( Britain) about
the interference of
Catholics in Uganda
and the reluctant
of Kabaka Mutesa who did
not allow them
in Uganda. Later on
after the arrival
of the Germans
under Karl Peters
in East Africa, the
Catholic missionaries preferred
Uganda to be
in the hands
of the Germans
and not the British Anglican
missionaries. Therefore they supported
the Germans under
Karl Peter to
sign a treaty
with Kabaka Mutesa. This led to
stiff conflict between Britain, France and
German hence partition
of East Africa.
iii.
Early
Belgian Empire at Congo. There
was early establishment
of Belgian Empire
by king Leopard
II from the
lower Congo to the coast
of East Africa. King
Leopard wanted to
expand his Empire
from lower Congo
to the coast
of East Africa. This
antagonized the British
and Germans who
were already in
the region hence
partition of East
Africa.
iv.
The
arrival of Karl Peters in East Africa. Karl Peters arrived
in East Africa
in the 1880’s
to sign treaties
with African local
chiefs. This jeopardized the British
interest in Africa, something which
led to the
partition of East
Africa.
v. Economic strategies of East Africa. Presence of
economic strategies like
lakes and source
of River Nile
attracted both the
Germans and the
British. This led to intensive
controversy, something which resulted
into partition of
East Africa.
vi.
Presence
of Treaties. Both
the Germans and
British had signed
different treaties with
Africans rulers in
the region up
to 1886.These treaties
resulted into contradiction
between IBEACO and
GEACO officials a
thing which resulted
to partition of
East Africa.
vii. Investment (influence) in East Africa. East
Africa had been
invested by Europeans
mainly the British
even before the
Berlin conference. e.g.
Abolition of Slave trade
in Zanzibar and
the establishment of
Mission centers. This led to the
division of East Africa after the arrival of German.
STAGES IN THE PARTITION PROCESS OF EAST AFRICA
The
partition process of East Africa
began in the
Berlin conference ( 1884 –
1885) and it was completed
with the partition
between Germany and
Britain which took
place between1886s – 1890s.
The partition between
German and Britain
was completed in
two stages of
agreement between them.
In East Africa, there was stiff
antagonism between:
(a) Germany
(b) Britain
(c) Sultan
of Zanzibar
STAGES
The
two stages in the partition of East Africa were: -
i. Anglo
– Germany agreement (1886)
ii. Anglo
– Germany agreement (1890)
ANGLO – GERAMAN AGREEMENT (1886) (DELIMITATION
TREATY)
It
was an agreement (treaty) between Germany and Britain and the Sultan of
Zanzibar the area of East Africa.
REASONS FOR HOLDING THE DELIMITATION TREATY
a) Presentation of treaty by Karl Peters. On 5th
Feb 1885, Karl Peters presents his treaty to Bismarck and President Kaiser
William I in Berlin. Then he was
granted a charter ( imperial) that
stated that “ any area
visited by him
was to come
under German colonization, hence led to formation of
GEACO. Therefore, this led to
stiff contradiction with
IBEACO who claimed
that East Africa
was its area
of influence hence,
Delimitation Treaty.
b) German recognition of Karl Peter’s
treaty. The Sultan appealed
to Sir John
Kirk ( A British Consul in
South Africa) for assistance.
This led to the Anglo – German treaty of 1886.
c) Companies interference. The
British and German companies
interfered each other
especially in commerce
and treaty making, hence Anglo – German treaty
of 1886.
RESOLUTIONS/ TERMS OF THE DELIMTATION TREATY
(1886)
The
Anglo German agreement (1886) had the following resolutions: -
a) German
and Britain recognized the
Sultan spheres of
influence which were to be Zanzibar, Pemba, Lamu, Mogadishu, Brava,
Mafia and 10 miles
of the coastal
strip.
b) Germany
and British spheres of
influences were to
be divided by
Lake Victoria.
c) The
territory of Britain was to
expand northward to
Tana River
d) The
territory of Germany was
to expand South
wards to Ruvuma
River
e) Britain
agreed to support German’s claims to establish a custom -house at Dar es
Salaam.
f)
Britain agreed to recognize Germany
possession of Witu (a small market town in the Lamu County of Kenya, East Africa. Formerly
it was the capital of the Witu Sultanate)
ANGLO – GERMAN AGREEMENT 1890 (HELGOLAND
TREATY)
Refers
to the second German agreement with the Britain over East Africa. The treaty
was signed in 1890. The treaty was
held due to
various contradictions that
arose after the
delimitation treaty. The main
contradictions were Germany possession of Witu and the 10 miles coastal strip
of the Sultan.
REASONS FOR ANGLO – GERMAN TREATY 1890
a) German
wanted to establish a protectorate in
Zanzibar and eliminate
Britain.
b) German wanted
to occupy the
island of Helgoland
in the North
sea. She wanted to
establish a naval
base.
c) A treaty between Kabaka Mwanga
and Karl Peters.
In Jan 1890, Kabaka Mwanga signed
a treaty of
protectorate with Karl
Peters that placed
Buganda in the
hands of the
Germans. By then, Britain had
already colonized Egypt, Britain did not
want the source
of River Nile to
be under other
powers. This led to Anglo – German agreement
1890.
d) Britain
wanted the Sultan
to cede to
the Germans the
10 miles coasted
strips.
TERMS/ RESOLUTIONS OF ANGLO-GERMAN AGREENMENT
OF 1890
i.
The
Sultan agreed to
cede the coastal
strips to the
Germans for the equivalent of
two hundred thousand
dollars.
ii.
German
agreed to abandon
all claims of
Witu island ( North of
Britain sphere)
iii.
Tanganyika mainland, Uhutu and
Utusi become German
sphere of influence
iv.
Zanzibar, Pemba, Kenya and
Uganda become British
sphere of influence.
IMPACTS OF ANGLO - GERMAN AGREEMENTS OF 1890
i.
Dar es
Salaam and Mombasa
become important main
ports linked by
railways
ii.
From
1890 and 1894 Zanzibar and
Uganda were under
British control
iii.
Tanganyika was
under German rule
by 1900
iv.
German
bought the coastal
strip from the
Zanzibar Sultan.
v.
These treaties culminated
colonialism in East
Africa.
AFRICAN COLONIES WITH THEIR COLONIAL MASTERS
1.
BELGIUM
(a) Congo
Free State (Belgian Congo) Now is called or known as Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC)
(b) Ruanda
(Rwanda) and Urundi (Burundi) since 1922 – 1962.
2.
FRANCE
i.
French
West Africa.
(a) Mauritanian
(b) Senegal (c) Gambia ( 1681 – 1857) (d) French Sudan ( Mali) (e) French Guinea ( Guinea) (f) Cot d’ Ivory ( Ivory coast) (g) Niger (h) French upper
Volta ( Burkina Faso) (i)French Dahomey ( Benin) (j)French Togoland( Togo)
ii.
French
Equatorial Africa
(a) Gabon
(b) French Cameroon (1922- 1960) (c) French Congo (Republic of Congo) (d)
Oubangi – Chari (Central African Republic) (e) Chad
iii.
French
North Africa
(a) French Algeria (b) French Protectorate
of Tunisia (c) French Morocco
iv.
French East
Africa
(a) Madagascar (b) Comoro (c) Re-Union Island (d)
Seychelles.
3.
GERMANY
(a)
German Kameron (Cameroon) (b) German East Africa (Ruanda, Burundi and
Tanganyika from1885 – 1919) (c) German
South - Western Africa
( 1884 – 1915) (d) German
Togoland ( Togo 1884 – 1915).
4.
PORTUGAL
(a)
Portuguese West Africa
( Anglo) (b) Portuguese East Africa ( Mozambique) (c) Portuguese Guinea ( Guinea – Bissau) (d) Cape Verde (e) Sao
Tome principle
5.
BRITAIN
(a)
Egypt, Anglo – Egyptian Sudan (Sudan) (b) British East Africa (Kenya colony, Uganda and Zanzibar Protectorate (1920) (c) Bechuanaland ( Botswana) (d)
Southern Rhodesia ( Zimbabwe) (e)
Northern Rhodesia ( Zambia) (f)
British South Africa (g) South – Western Africa ( Namibia – 1915) (h) Sierra Leone (i)British West
Africa(Nigeria and British
Gold Coast ( Ghana) (j) Cameroon
( 1922 – 1960) (k) Nyasaland ( Malawi) (l) Basutoland ( Lesotho) (m) Swaziland.
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HISTORY