Light and Power for a Multiracial Nation: The Kariba Dam Scheme in the Central African Federation

336 Pages·2013·2.108 MB·English

by  Julia Tischler (auth.)

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LIGHTANDPOWERFORAMULTIRACIALNATION
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Light and Power for
a Multiracial Nation
The Kariba Dam Scheme in the
Central African Federation
Julia Tischler
Researcher,Humboldt-UniversitätzuBerlin,Berlin,Germany
©JuliaTischler2013
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13
Contents
ListofFigures vii
Acknowledgements viii
ListofAbbreviations xi
Map xii
Introduction 1
1 PlanningKariba 20
1.1 GlobalhighmodernismandtheKaribaDamscheme 20
1.2 ‘Scientific’decision-making? 24
1.3 Developingapowerfulwhitenation 29
1.4 Negotiatingdevelopment:TheKaribaloantalks 38
2 TheResettlement:PlanningandImplementation 52
2.1 Africandevelopmentandtheresettlementquestion 52
2.2 Adamagainstthe‘primitive’:Whitediscourseabout
theGwembeTonga 60
2.3 RenegotiatingAfricandevelopment:Theresettlement
inNorthernRhodesia 66
2.4 The‘efficiency’ofsettlerrule:Theresettlementin
SouthernRhodesia 80
3 InterveningintheKaribaDamProject 92
3.1 Inthemiddleofdevelopment:HezekiahHabanyama
andtheGwembeTongaNativeAuthority 92
3.2 Strugglingwithdevelopment:Theperspectives
oftheGwembeTonga 107
3.3 Ablackdamforthepeople:Nationalistand
left-wingcritiques 128
4 BuildingtheKaribaDam 153
4.1 Amicrocosmofthemodernnation:Controlling
theKaribaconstructionsite 154
4.2 Coping,protesting,improvingtheirlives:
Kariba’sworkers 184
v
vi Contents
5 TheEndofJointDevelopment:PlanningLakeKariba 214
Conclusion 223
Notes 236
Bibliography 297
Index 316
Figures
2.1 ‘ABatonkawomansmokingahubble-bubblepipe’,Nigel
Watts,CameraPressLondon;captiontakenfrom
F.Clements(1959)Kariba.TheStrugglewiththeRiverGod
(London:Methuen) 61
2.2 Gwemberesettlement,‘AnAfricaninaGstringis
picturedashewatchestheunloadingofpossessions’
(PROINF10/380,no.5) 62
2.3 Gwemberesettlement,‘Foodsuppliesarehereseenbeing
loadedintooneofthefleetoflorries’(PROINF10/380,
no.6) 62
2.4 ‘ResettlementofvillagersintheKaribaDamarea’(PRO
INF10/380,no.18) 63
4.1 ‘Africanlabourersbeingtaughttoclimbaladder’,Nshila,
9December1958(NationalArchivesofZambia) 161
4.2 DrawingsoftheKaribaconstructionsite,Nshila,
28December1958(NationalArchivesofZambia) 162
4.3 KaribaHeightsandAfricancompound,Brochure,Federal
PowerBoard,‘Kariba.FederationofRhodesiaand
Nyasaland’,undated,ca.after1958(RHLMSSWelensky
341/1) 165
4.4 HousingforEuropeanfamiliesatKaribaconstructionsite,
‘Karibabecomesmorepleasant’,RhodesianSpotlight,
1959(BritishPathé) 166
4.5 HousingforEuropeanbachelors,‘Karibabecomesmore
pleasant’,RhodesianSpotlight,1959(BritishPathé) 167
4.6 AfricanhousingatKariba,RhodesiaHerald,27July1956 167
4.7 MemorialplateinStBarbara,Kariba,Zimbabwe 207
vii
Acknowledgements
This book exists because many people helped me. Firstly, I am deeply
grateful to my supervisors Margit Szöllösi-Janze and Michael Bollig.
Over the years, they have reliably supported my project by providing
advice,criticalcomments,intellectualinput,andguidanceonpractical
concerns.HerzlichenDank!
This book is based on my PhD thesis, which was accepted by the
Philosophische Fakultät, University of Cologne, Germany, in November
2011.Manymoreinstitutionsandindividualsensuredthatmyresearch
couldproceedsmoothly.Apartfromfundingmyinitialarchivalstudies
in the United Kingdom, the German Historical Institute London was a
great academic environment to share first findings. The German Aca-
demic Exchange Service enabled me to proceed with the project in
Africa.DuringthemainphaseofresearchandwritingIwassupported–
financially, but also morally and intellectually – by the Cusanuswerk
foundation.
In the various archives consulted, I was always lucky to meet
committed members of staff. In the United Kingdom, I particularly
wish to thank the archivists of the National Archives in Kew and
Rhodes House Library, Oxford, where I spent many weeks of inten-
sive research. Working in the National Archives of Zambia in Lusaka
wasanextraordinarypleasure.Givingmevaluableadviceonthecollec-
tions, Marja Hinfelaar set me on the right track from the start. Patient
membersofstaffletmegothroughcopiousfiles,andthesincereinter-
estsometookinmyprojectwashighlymotivating.Ialsowishtothank
the archivists at the United National Independence Party Archives in
Lusaka and in the National Archives of Malawi in Zomba, where I was
alsoaverydemandingcustomer.
Some of the most rewarding experiences during these years were
the interviews I conducted with former Kariba workers. I am deeply
gratefultoallthosewhosharedtheirmemorieswithmeandmadehis-
tory come alive. In particular, I owe great debts of gratitude to †Mario
Baldassarrini, who literally spent days answering my questions and
putting me in touch with other informants. My oral history endeav-
oursinZambiamightwellhavecometonothingifithadnotbeenfor
JairosMazambani.NotonlydidhemanagetofindZambianinformants;
viii
Acknowledgements ix
healsoaccompaniedmeonmytripstothecountrysideandtranslated
mostoftheinterviews.Thankyousomuch!
Throughout the years, I have relied on many other scholars.
In roughly chronological order, I wish to thank Jan-Bart Gewald and
RobertRossinLeidenfortheirenormoussupportindevelopingacon-
vincing research design, putting me in contact with other researchers,
and being there for me with whatever questions I had. Looking into
related topics, JoAnn McGregor generously shared her thoughts and
findings with me. Jan-Georg Deutsch invited me to spend a term at
St Cross College in Oxford, allowing me to work in a new and stimu-
lating environment and to receive fresh insights that helped my study
progress.
Duringthetime-consumingprocessofturningthedoctoralthesisinto
a publishable book, I profited from the generosity of Andreas Eckert
andFelicitasHentschkeattheInternationalResearchCenter‘Workand
Human Lifecycle in Global History’ at Humboldt University in Berlin
andtheadmirablepatienceofthestudentstaffthere.
On a more personal note, I would like to thank the Rev. Markus
Höyng for encouraging me in my interest in Africa. Without the sup-
portofmyfamily,thisbookwouldnotexist.Iamverygratefulthatmy
parents gave me the confidence and financial means to pursue such a
long process of education. More than anyone else I have to thank my
husband Daniel, who supported me with every aspect of this project –
beitmundaneissuesoffunding,travellinginBritainandinZambia,or
revisingdrafts.Itwasonlyhisunfalteringpreparednesstoengagewith
myworkthatmadethistimeagreatexperienceforbothofus.
With this book I complete what will certainly count among the
best times of my life. I am immensely grateful for having had this
opportunity – and somewhat embarrassed. There are certainly many
Zambians who would love to conduct a similar study on this part of
theircountry’shistory,butwillnevergetthechancetodoso.Ofcourse,
anyone can write anyone’s history, but I hope that the day will come
whenthereareasmanyZambiansenjoyingtheopportunitytoresearch
GermanhistoryasthereareGermansinvestigatingZambia’spast.
The author and publishers wish to thank the following for granting
permissiontoreproducecopyrightmaterial:
HarperCollins for ‘Map of Gwembe Valley’ drawn by Charles Green
(MapI,reproducedfromD.Howarth(1961)TheShadowoftheDam).