Postcolonial Disillusionment A Study of Selected Playscripts from Malawi Zambia and Zimbabwe

Abstract

Liberation movements which had begun after the partition of Africa and before the world wars gained momentum in pursuing independence Rotberg 1965 124 The British government proposed federations as stable political entities to manage these pressures This among others led to the UK Parliament s enactment of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Act in 1953 This established a Governor General as the Queen s representative Phiri 2010 134 stationed in Salisbury now Harare Zimbabwe However intense nationalist opposition led to its dissolution in 1963 These movements eventually forced Britain to shift its colonial policies paving the way for southern African independence Phiri 2010 126 McCracken 2013 388 The connection among Malawi Zambia and Zimbabwe dates back to the pre-colonial era with ethnic intermarriage cultural exchange and trade routes Under British rule Southern Rhodesia Zimbabwe was self-governing while Northern Rhodesia Zambia and Nyasaland Malawi were British protectorates Baxter 2018 Phiri 2010