[Civsoc-mw] Zimbabwe Situation e-briefing website

[Louis Nthenda]

Most of us young blacks who experienced Federation first hand were not
impressed. The white people in the saddle weren't making it any easier for
us. Take the Federal Prime Minister Welensky, the train driver from
Northern Rhodesia. He declared that the relation between black and white
was one of horse and rider. I wasn't flattered to be thought of as the
horse.

I first went to Southern Rhodesia in February 1961: 7+ years after the
federal set up. Greaterman's Dept Store still wouldn't allow me, an
African, to enter to buy anything. Miscegenation Law was still on the books
as was the Group Areas Act, etc. Cinemas, Hotels, etc were still
segregated. This after 7 years.  When in 1963 I went to work on the
Copperbelt, it was the first year the mining giant Anglo-American
Corporation embarked on integration, with me and several Zambians as
pioneers - not because of some enlightened Federal policy, but because
Northern Rhodesia, like Malawi, was on the road to black self-government
and secession. There was no change in Southern Rhodesia where blacks were
expected to continue as horses.

Perhaps some of you think it was fun living under the Southern Rhodesian
version of apartheid.  Perhaps you would have found it fun. I didn't.
Everyday I ventured out was a humiliation. I was able to put up with it
because it was temporary and I didn't have to endure it for the rest of my
life.

LN

On Wed, May 24, 2017 at 5:43 AM, Louis Nthenda <louisnthenda at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Bwana a Ndalama,
> I'm not sure that I understand your reason for getting a distinction for
> your essay. on Federation. You seem to be saying:
> a) the essay was pro-federation
> b) you yourself were pro-federation
> c) the teacher who marked the essay was pro-federation
>
> I think these should have been irrelevant in evaluating your essay.
>
> I grew up during Federation days. And like most young people of my
> generation I was anti-Federation. If I had been you teacher then and had
> read your essay I would have given you a distinction only if :
> a) you showed a clear understanding of the pro-federation case and stated
> it fairly and comprehensively
> b) you then showed a clear understanding of the anti-federation case and
> stated it fairly and comprehensively
> c) you came up with a way of reconciling the two sides, imagining yourself
> for example as an arbitrator or you produced an original third way. It's
> this c) that would have propelled you into 1st class honours. Your actual
> position should have taken precedence.
>
> The essay is for training purposes in thinking as an intellectual activity.
>
> Whether you you and I were actually pro-fed or anti-fed shouldn't feature
> in my assessment. If your teacher gave you a distinction just because you
> were on his side and you only gave the pro-federation side, then I'm afraid
> your distinction is suspect.
>
> On Wed, May 24, 2017 at 4:20 AM, Ndalama, Lexon <Lexon.Ndalama@
> savethechildren.org> wrote:
>
>>
>> I got a distinction mark with an essay in my first degree History of
>> Central Africa  in CHANCO arguing for the Federation sometime in the 80s.
>> Lexon
>> Lexon Ndalama | Save The Children |Head of Sponsorship Programme, Zomba
>> Office,
>> Private Bag 66, Zomba, Malawi
>> www.savethechildren.net
>> Telephone number: +255 (0) 1 527 271 Work Phone: +265 992962961
>> <+265%20992%2096%2029%2061>
>> Email: lexon.ndalama at savethechildren.org
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Civsoc-mw [mailto:civsoc-mw-bounces at sdnp.org.mw] On Behalf Of Tony
>> Thontholani
>> Sent: 04 May 2017 09:30
>> To: civsoc-mw at sdnp.org.mw; nyasanet at listserv.icors.org
>> Subject: Re: [Civsoc-mw] Zimbabwe Situation e-briefing website
>>
>> Some of us think that federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland was a good idea.
>> We already have held meetings on this palpable fact.
>> Mugabe is a mere governor. So, is Peter and the man in Lusaka.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Civsoc-mw mailing list
>> Civsoc-mw at sdnp.org.mw
>> http://chambo3.sdnp.org.mw/mailman/listinfo/civsoc-mw
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Civsoc-mw mailing list
>> Civsoc-mw at sdnp.org.mw
>> http://chambo3.sdnp.org.mw/mailman/listinfo/civsoc-mw
>>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://chambo3.sdnp.org.mw/pipermail/civsoc-mw/attachments/20170524/e748bdb7/attachment-0001.html>