Thamar Dillon Thomas Banda
Encyclopedia
Thamar Dillon Thomas Banda ("TDT") was a politician in Nyasaland
in the years prior to independence.
He was President-General of the Nyasaland African Congress
(NAC) from 1957 to 1958, and founded the Congress Liberation Party in 1959.
born in Nkhata Bay
on the shores of Lake Nyasa. He had spent many years abroad in Southern Rhodesia
before returning to Nyasaland.
The Nyasaland African Congress was organized by James Frederick Sangala
and Levi Zililo Mumba
, and inaugurated in October 1944 with Mumba as President.
Sangala, Mumba and their associates had a vision of the NAC becoming "the mouthpiece of the Africans", cooperating with the government and other colonial bodies "in any matters necessary to speed up the progress of Nyasaland".
By the mid-1950s, African leaders in European colonies throughout Africa were encouraged by the example of Ghana
's independence to take a more aggressive stand in seeking independence.
Sangala, now President of the Congress, and TDT Banda were arrested by the colonial authorities and tried for sedition in May 1956.
The charges related to a "seditious publication" handed by Banda to the editor of the Nyasaland Times. The charge was the subject of a question in the British House of Commons
.
A delegation of women traveled by bus to the High Court in Zomba led by Rose Chibambo
, the Treasurer of the NAC and later the organizer of the Malawi Congress Party
Women's League after 1958.
The women were arrested after demonstrating, chanting:
Sangala was not an accomplished public speaker, while TDT was in his element at rallies.
In January 1957, activists persuaded the veteran Sangala to step down and replaced him by the younger TDT.
in 1953, an unpopular measure with Congress leaders, and had allocated two seats in the federal parliament for African MPs from Nyasaland. Sangala had accepted the decision of two Congress members to take these seats against opposition from members of the Congress who opposed participation in such an unrepresentative body.
In 1957, TDT Banda called on the Congress to ask the two MPs to withdraw. When they refused, in July 1957 they were expelled from the party.
In September-October 1957, Congress leaders met government representative to discuss constitutional changes. Observers at this meetings said that TDT did not perform well. He lacked "intellectual clarity and depth" and was often confused. Shortly after, the government withdrew recognition of Congress as the official representatives of Africans.
TDT Banda endorsed a strike by the Transport and Allied Workers Union.
He was the first to mobilize youth to spread awareness of the NAC as "Kwacha builders".
TDT Banda attended the celebrations in Ghana in March 1957, where he met Dr. Hastings Banda
(not a relative) and asked him to return to Nyasaland to lead the nationalist movement.
In July 1958, Hastings Banda did return. TDT had been forced to resign on charges of misappropriating funds, and Hastings Banda was elected President of the NAC in his place.
TDT had failed to satisfy either the radicals or the conservative old guard in his party.
Later Hastings Banda was arrested and the NAC banned.
However, with the release of Hastings Banda from prison in April 1960 and the resurgence of the NAC's successor, the Malawi Congress Party, TDT Banda and other members of the old guard of the Congress faded into oblivion and were rarely heard of again.
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
in the years prior to independence.
He was President-General of the Nyasaland African Congress
Nyasaland African Congress
The Nyasaland African Congress was an organization that evolved into a political party in Nyasaland during the colonial period. The NAC was suppressed in 1959, but was succeeded in 1960 by the Malawi Congress Party, which went to on decisively win the first universal suffrage elections in 1961,...
(NAC) from 1957 to 1958, and founded the Congress Liberation Party in 1959.
Background
TDT Banda was a TongaTonga people
The Tonga are an ethnic group living in northern Malawi. A related ethnic group also called the Tonga are found in Zambia and Zimbabwe, with some in Mozambique.-History:...
born in Nkhata Bay
Nkhata Bay
Nkhata Bay or just Nkhata is the capital of the Nkhata Bay District in Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi , east of Mzuzu, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. The population of Nkhata Bay is estimated to be 14,722 as of 2008. Nkhata Bay is from Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city, and ...
on the shores of Lake Nyasa. He had spent many years abroad in Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
before returning to Nyasaland.
The Nyasaland African Congress was organized by James Frederick Sangala
James Frederick Sangala
James Frederick Sangala was a founding member of the Nyasaland African Congress during the period of British colonial rule.Sangala was given the nickname "Pyagusi", which means "one who perseveres"....
and Levi Zililo Mumba
Levi Zililo Mumba
Levi Zililo Mumba was a leading local politician and the first President of the Nyasaland African Congress during the period of British colonial rule in Nyasaland, which became the independent state of Malawi in 1964....
, and inaugurated in October 1944 with Mumba as President.
Sangala, Mumba and their associates had a vision of the NAC becoming "the mouthpiece of the Africans", cooperating with the government and other colonial bodies "in any matters necessary to speed up the progress of Nyasaland".
By the mid-1950s, African leaders in European colonies throughout Africa were encouraged by the example of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
's independence to take a more aggressive stand in seeking independence.
NAC Secretary-General
TDT Banda was elected Secretary-General of the Congress on 30 March 1956.Sangala, now President of the Congress, and TDT Banda were arrested by the colonial authorities and tried for sedition in May 1956.
The charges related to a "seditious publication" handed by Banda to the editor of the Nyasaland Times. The charge was the subject of a question in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
A delegation of women traveled by bus to the High Court in Zomba led by Rose Chibambo
Rose Chibambo
Rose Lomathinda Chibambo was a prominent politician in the British Protectorate of Nyasaland in the years leading up to independence as the state of Malawi in 1964, and immediately after...
, the Treasurer of the NAC and later the organizer of the Malawi Congress Party
Malawi Congress Party
The Malawi Congress Party is a political party in Malawi.It was the successor to the Nyasaland African Congress , which was banned in 1959.The MCP was founded by Hastings Banda and other NAC leaders in 1960....
Women's League after 1958.
The women were arrested after demonstrating, chanting:
-
- "War! War! War today!
We are going to have war.
We don't want, we don't want, we don't want federation.
We want freedom today!"
- "War! War! War today!
Sangala was not an accomplished public speaker, while TDT was in his element at rallies.
In January 1957, activists persuaded the veteran Sangala to step down and replaced him by the younger TDT.
NAC President
The colonial authorities had created the Federation of Rhodesia and NyasalandFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
in 1953, an unpopular measure with Congress leaders, and had allocated two seats in the federal parliament for African MPs from Nyasaland. Sangala had accepted the decision of two Congress members to take these seats against opposition from members of the Congress who opposed participation in such an unrepresentative body.
In 1957, TDT Banda called on the Congress to ask the two MPs to withdraw. When they refused, in July 1957 they were expelled from the party.
In September-October 1957, Congress leaders met government representative to discuss constitutional changes. Observers at this meetings said that TDT did not perform well. He lacked "intellectual clarity and depth" and was often confused. Shortly after, the government withdrew recognition of Congress as the official representatives of Africans.
TDT Banda endorsed a strike by the Transport and Allied Workers Union.
He was the first to mobilize youth to spread awareness of the NAC as "Kwacha builders".
TDT Banda attended the celebrations in Ghana in March 1957, where he met Dr. Hastings Banda
Hastings Banda
Hastings Kamuzu Banda 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 to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence...
(not a relative) and asked him to return to Nyasaland to lead the nationalist movement.
In July 1958, Hastings Banda did return. TDT had been forced to resign on charges of misappropriating funds, and Hastings Banda was elected President of the NAC in his place.
TDT had failed to satisfy either the radicals or the conservative old guard in his party.
Later Hastings Banda was arrested and the NAC banned.
Later career
After being ousted, TDT Banda formed the Congress Liberation Party (CLP). All the members of the Nkata Bay branch of the NAC went over to the CLP, including Filemon Phiri.However, with the release of Hastings Banda from prison in April 1960 and the resurgence of the NAC's successor, the Malawi Congress Party, TDT Banda and other members of the old guard of the Congress faded into oblivion and were rarely heard of again.