MESAN
Encyclopedia
The Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa or MESAN) was a nationalist
quasi-religious political party that sought to affirm black humanity and advocated for the independence of Ubangi-Shari, then a French
colonial territory
. The party, which was initially intended to work as a political movement, was founded by Barthélemy Boganda
in Bangui
, Ubangi-Shari (later known as the Central African Republic
) on 28 September 1949, to connect "all the Blacks of the world" and "to promote the political, economic and social evolution of black Africa, to break down the barriers of tribalism and racism, to replace the degrading notion of colonial subordination with the more human ones of fraternity and cooperation."
The statutes of the movement were written in April 1950, and the group's branches were set up in Ubangui, Fort Lamy
and Brazzaville
. The formation of MESAN did not sit well with the French territorial administration. They set up divisions of the Rassemblement du Peuple Français
(French People's Party, also known as RPF) in Ubangi-Shari to oppose the MESAN. The movement also encountered resistance in French Equatorial Africa
from the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain
(African Democratic Rally, or RDA), a political party initially geared towards Pan-Africanism
that later became hostile towards efforts for African independence.
In the Ubangi-Shari Territorial Assembly election
in 1957, MESAN captured 347,000 out of the total 356,000 votes, cast and won every legislative seat, which led to Boganda being elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa
and vice-president of the Ubangi-Shari Government Council. Within a year, he declared the establishment of the Central African Republic and served as the country's first prime minister. MESAN continued to exist, but its role was limited. After Boganda's death in a plane crash on 29 March 1959, his cousin, David Dacko
, took control of MESAN and became the country's first president after the CAR had formally received independence
from France. Dacko threw out his political rivals, including former Prime Minister and Mouvement d'évolution démocratique de l'Afrique centrale
(MEDAC), leader Abel Goumba
, who he forced into exile in France. With all opposition parties suppressed by November 1962, Dacko declared MESAN as the official party of the state.
On 31 December 1965, General Jean-Bédel Bokassa
, a cousin of both Boganda and Dacko, seized power in the CAR through a coup d'état
. The next day, 1 January 1966, he proclaimed himself president, prime minister, and head of MESAN. Bokassa would go on to maintain the leadership position of MESAN for the next 13 years. In 1972, he appointed Elisabeth Domitien
as vice president of the party, and three years later as prime minister, a first for any woman of an African nation. At the MESAN congress on 4 December 1976, Bokassa instituted a new constitution and declared the republic
a monarchy
, to be known as the Central African Empire
. In September 1979, Bokassa was overthrown and Dacko once again became president of the CAR. On 24 November, he abolished MESAN and replaced it with the Union Démocratique Centrafricaine
, which he proclaimed as the new political party for the CAR.
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
quasi-religious political party that sought to affirm black humanity and advocated for the independence of Ubangi-Shari, then a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
colonial territory
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
. The party, which was initially intended to work as a political movement, was founded by Barthélemy Boganda
Barthélemy Boganda
Barthélemy Boganda was the leading nationalist politician of what is now the Central African Republic. Boganda was active prior to his country's independence, during the period when the area, part of French Equatorial Africa, was administered by France under the name of Oubangui-Chari...
in Bangui
Bangui
-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
, Ubangi-Shari (later known as the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
) on 28 September 1949, to connect "all the Blacks of the world" and "to promote the political, economic and social evolution of black Africa, to break down the barriers of tribalism and racism, to replace the degrading notion of colonial subordination with the more human ones of fraternity and cooperation."
The statutes of the movement were written in April 1950, and the group's branches were set up in Ubangui, Fort Lamy
N'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
and Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. The formation of MESAN did not sit well with the French territorial administration. They set up divisions of the Rassemblement du Peuple Français
Rally of the French People
The Rally of the French People was a French political party, led by Charles de Gaulle.-Foundation:...
(French People's Party, also known as RPF) in Ubangi-Shari to oppose the MESAN. The movement also encountered resistance in French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
from the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain
African Democratic Rally
The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a...
(African Democratic Rally, or RDA), a political party initially geared towards Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community". Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity...
that later became hostile towards efforts for African independence.
In the Ubangi-Shari Territorial Assembly election
Ubangi-Shari parliamentary election, 1957
Territorial Assembly elections were held in Ubangi-Shari on 31 March 1957. The first and second college system for giving separate seats to Europeans and Africans was scrapped, and all 50 seats elected by universal suffrage. The result was a victory for the Movement for the Social Evolution of...
in 1957, MESAN captured 347,000 out of the total 356,000 votes, cast and won every legislative seat, which led to Boganda being elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
and vice-president of the Ubangi-Shari Government Council. Within a year, he declared the establishment of the Central African Republic and served as the country's first prime minister. MESAN continued to exist, but its role was limited. After Boganda's death in a plane crash on 29 March 1959, his cousin, David Dacko
David Dacko
David Dacko was the first President of the Central African Republic , from August 14, 1960 to January 1, 1966, and the third president of the CAR from September 21, 1979 to September 1, 1981...
, took control of MESAN and became the country's first president after the CAR had formally received independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from France. Dacko threw out his political rivals, including former Prime Minister and Mouvement d'évolution démocratique de l'Afrique centrale
Democratic Evolution Movement of Central Africa
Democratic Evolution Movement of Central Africa was a political party in the Central African Republic led by Abel Goumba...
(MEDAC), leader Abel Goumba
Abel Goumba
Abel Nguéndé Goumba was a Central African political figure...
, who he forced into exile in France. With all opposition parties suppressed by November 1962, Dacko declared MESAN as the official party of the state.
On 31 December 1965, General Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Jean-Bédel Bokassa , a military officer, was the head of state of the Central African Republic and its successor state, the Central African Empire, from his coup d'état on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979...
, a cousin of both Boganda and Dacko, seized power in the CAR through a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. The next day, 1 January 1966, he proclaimed himself president, prime minister, and head of MESAN. Bokassa would go on to maintain the leadership position of MESAN for the next 13 years. In 1972, he appointed Elisabeth Domitien
Elisabeth Domitien
Elisabeth Domitien was prime minister of the Central African Republic from 1975 to 1976. She was the first and to date only woman to hold the position....
as vice president of the party, and three years later as prime minister, a first for any woman of an African nation. At the MESAN congress on 4 December 1976, Bokassa instituted a new constitution and declared the republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
a monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
, to be known as the Central African Empire
Central African Empire
The Central African Empire was a short-lived, self-declared autocratic monarchy that replaced the Central African Republic and was, in turn, replaced by the restoration of the republic. The empire was formed when Jean-Bédel Bokassa, President of the republic, declared himself Emperor Bokassa I on...
. In September 1979, Bokassa was overthrown and Dacko once again became president of the CAR. On 24 November, he abolished MESAN and replaced it with the Union Démocratique Centrafricaine
Central African Democratic Union
Central African Democratic Union , was a political party in the Central African Republic. UDC was installed by David Dacko in 1980 at a congress in March that year. Dacko claimed that UDC was the continuation of MESAN.-References:* O'Toole, Thomas. The Central African Republic: The Continent's...
, which he proclaimed as the new political party for the CAR.