THE ABUSHIRI REVOLT 1889-90
Closely
related, the company decided as take part in the ivory trade which was a real
threat to the coastal traders who knew they couldn’t effectively compete with
the Germans which equally couldn’t be tolerated by the coastal traders who
thought it worthwhile to resist against the administration.
In
addition, the coastal traders were alarmed by the decision of GEACO to take
over the control of Arab and Swahili business houses on the coast and turn them
into German administrators residences which started in 1887 when Wissman Von
Son the companies’ administrator issued a decree that all those who owned land
and property had to register them within six months and the unregistered
property would be declared public or government property. Since most owners of these houses didn’t have
legal proof of ownership, they feared losing this property and hence be driven
out of business which led them to rise against the GEACO in order to protect
their property.
Socially,
the Germans disgraced the holy worshipping places of Muslims at the coast for
the mosque were turned into administrative posts and those that survived were
entered into by the Germans while putting on their shoes and carrying dogs
alongside and given that the majority of people at the coast were Muslims, they
opted to revolt in order to fight against the “infidels” who were disrespecting
their holy places in what came to be the Abushiri rebellion.
Administratively,
the Arab and Swahili traders had became the masters of the coast and hence
didn’t want to lose their hegemony.
Meanwhile the Germans were determined to destroy Arab and Swahili rule
plus their influence on the coast in order to impose their own administration
which also led to the Abushiri raising.
It’s
also believed that the Germans employed ruthless methods forcing the coastal
traders to accept their administration which annoyed the masses who thought of
no other alternative than resisting against their rule.
Thus
the Abushiri rebellion can be said to have been a
nationalistic rising for even some Africans supported the coastal Arab and
Swahili people in their struggle against foreign imperialism thus the above
circumstances the likes of Abushiri Bin Salim, Matayo Bwana Kheri organized the
masses purposely to overthrow the administration of the company.
Like
any other African rising, the Abushiri rising was mercilessly suppressed and was
disastrous on the side of the coastal people for the Germans seemed determined
to stay.
Following
the suppression of the rebellion, the German government took over the
administration of
Open
dislike of the Africans towards the Arabs and the coastal traders was publicly
shown for the Germans in addition to their superior weapons were also assisted
by some African chiefs for example chief kingo Mkubwa of Zingua supplied troops
and guides to enable the Germans to defeat Bwana Kheri. He was rewarded for his work by being made
the chief of Usagara. Similarly the
Nyamwezi porters served the German
forces because the Nyamwezi hated and were traditional rivals with the Swahili
and Arab traders and wanted them to be removed so that they could monopolize
the long distance trade.
Lastly
in December 1889 Abushiri was arrested and killed in Bagamoyo and his
death saw the continuation of the resistance by Bwana Kheri who because of
severe drought was forced to come to terms with the Germans leading to the end
of the Abushir rising in 1890.