OVER A THOUSAND DEMONSTRATORS, INCLUDING TANZANIA’S VICE-PRESIDENT RASHIDI KAWAWA AND LEADING MALAWI EXILES, MARCHED THROUGH DAR-ES-SALAAM ON THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1968 IN PROTEST AGAINST MALAWI’S CLAIMS OVER TANZANIAN TERRITORY.
THE CONTESTED AREAS BORDER THE SHORES OF LAKE MALAWI WHICH STRETCHES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
THE DEMONSTRATION WAS ORGANISED BY THE TANZANIAN WORKERS UNION, NUTA, AND TANZANIA’S VICE-PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE RASHIDI KAWAWA ADDRESSED THE CROWD.
HE TOLD THE MEETING THAT TANZANIA HAD NO QUARREL WITH THE MALAWI PEOPLE, BUT THAT THE BORDER DISPUTE WAS ENGINEERED BY ENEMIES OF AFRICA, TO GET AFRICANS FIGHTING AFRICANS AS IN THE CONGO AND NIGERIA. “IF WE HAVE TO FIGHT, IT WILL NOT BE WITH BANDA BUT WITH HIS PAYMASTERS,” MR. KAWAWA TOLD THE CROWD, “WE ARE PREPARED TO FIGHT.”
SUPPORTING THE DEMONSTRATION WERE TWO FORMER MALAWI MINISTERS EXILED IN TANZANIA. IN A PUBLISHED STATEMENT, EX-EDUCATION MINISTER, HENRY CHIPEMBERE AND EX-FOREIGN MINISTER, KANYAMA CHIUME REFERRED TO PRESIDENT BANDA AS “A MICROPHONE OF SOUTH AFRICA, RHODESIA, AND PORTUGAL.” A CAUSE OF TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IS BELIEVED TO BE THE RIGHT OF ASYLUM GRANTED TO DR. BANDA’S POLITICAL ENEMIES.
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Source: Reuters
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