Slavery

Slavery is the legal institutionalisation of persons as property. It simply means the process of keeping or owning slaves.  However the word slave has been wrongly applied in this context. These people were simply captives who were only forcefully captured and sold.

Slave trade

Slave trade is the actual buying and selling of human beings as commodities. The origin of slavery is as old as the history of mankind.  For instance, the Jews were slaves in Egypt. Around the 4^th  - 2^nd century BC, the ancient civilizations of China, India, Persia, Egypt, Greece and Rome accepted slave trade as part of their society.

Slave trade started in the early 15th century when the Portuguese started taking away the Negroes from West Africa. The Arab traders and some African chiefs who could sell slaves to Europe facilitated slave trade.  This was done to acquire firearms, glass equipment, clothes and other household utensils. 

It is probable that there is no race on earth which at one time has not participated in slavery either as one of the enslaved or as possessors of the slaves.

Although slavery has been universal, no continent has been seriously ravaged by it as the African continent. It is estimated that between 250‑300 million slaves were taken away from Africa to Europe and America during slave trade era. 

The responsibility for East African slave trade rests mainly upon, the Africans themselves, the Arabs, and the countries of Europe - mainly the Portuguese and the French.

It was until the 18th century that the very Europeans who started slave trade condemned it and stopped it starting with England in 1872.

 

Reasons for Increase of Slave Trade During The 19^th Century

Firstly, there was plantation economy in the French dominated republics of Mauritius and re-union so much labour was needed.

Secondly, the French at first used to get slaves from Mozambique coast but due to the high death rate of labourers they demanded more slaves from Kilwa and Zanzibar.

Thirdly, the Oman Arabs wanted slaves especially women to serve as prostitutes and wives.

Other slaves were exported to Arabia and Persia to work in plantations, mines and homes, more energetic slaves were demanded to work on these plantations.

Increased demand for ivory necessitated slaves to carry it and other goods from the interior to the coast. Since slaves were there to provide an assured means of transport, more were needed to do the same work.

There were some African tribes such as Yao, Nyamwezi and Kamba who betrayed their kith and kin for profits. The need for profits therefore led to increase in slave trade.

Participation of Europeans further expanded slave trade. Trade expanded when the French took over Mauritius and Re-Union. These two were good bases for ships sailing from India and the Far East as well as making it possible to develop with East Africa.

The Imam put a tax on every slave the French exported from coastal towns to increase tax revenue.

Slaves were taken to the West Indies where sugar plantations had been developed and slaves provided labour.

French power and demand for slaves expanded when the acquired Seychelles Islands.

In 1760, the French concentrated more in East Africa when the British took over their posts in India.

The French made a treaty with the Sultan of Kilwa to purchase slaves to be exported to West Indies, Mauritius, Java and the far East.

1780 Imam of Oman acquired effective control of the coast to share the profits from slave trade.

Kilwa remained a principal centre of slave trade for many years.  The Yao supplied Kilwa with slaves.

The incursion of Khartoumers who raided Northern Uganda. Since the Khartoumers had better firearms, they ended up capturing more slaves.

The abolition of slave trade in West Africa increased slave trade in East trade as traders shifted to East Africa for more slaves.

The rise of Seyyid Said in Zanzibar Increased the demand for slaves, because he brought more Arab farmers and traders who needed slave labour.

The establishment of a slave market at Zanzibar increased the slave of slave Trade.

The development of defined slave trade routes in the Interior brought Arab slave traders, which increased slave trade.

The demand for guns by African chiefs in exchange for salves increased slave trade. The presence of armed Arab slave traders increased raids for slaves.

The need for political glory and prestige forced African chiefs to sell slaves in the Arabs.

The need for wealth from slave trade by African traders increased slave trade.

The demand for manufactured goods also led to the increase of slave trade.

The rise of the Afro-Arab traders who came into the interior increased the volume of slave trade.

The collapse of the gold trade along the East Africa coast forced the Arabs to resort to slave trade.

Culturally Africans kept slaves in their homes and palaces and later they sold them.

Slave trade was seen by African rulers as a way of eliminating criminals (offenders) for example thieves and Killers.

The improvement of navigation and shipping along the ocean increased the demand for slave trade.

The presence of talented slave traders e.g. the Nyamwezi, the Kamba and the Yao  led to the in crease in slave trade.

METHODS OF GETTING SLAVES

Both peaceful and violent methods were used to obtain slaves as explained below.

Raiding, this involved armed hunting tor strong slaves.

Negotiations between Arabs and local African rulers to supply slaves.

Direct trading this involved exchange of finished goods for human beings

Intertribal conflicts, all those who were caught after any tribal war were sold as slaves

Voluntary enslavement, some people (Slaves) voluntarily surrendered to slave Masters if their conditions of living were unbearable so they could be taken.

Agreements of Protection, slave masters also signed treaties of friendship and Protection with the African rulers but in turn Africans were to supply them with slaves.

Slaves were also exchanged as gifts between slave masters and African rulers.

Some people were forced into Slavery because of the crimes they had committed.

Tax defaulters were also rounded and sold as slaves.

Vassal states contributed slaves as tribute and later they were sold.

Captives as a result of intertribal wars were sold off as slaves. African chiefs also sold off their notorious subjects whom they found difficult to rule.

Surprise attacks by Arab slave traders captured men, women, and children and destroyed their homes. On certain occasions, ambushes and abductions by Arab agents were launched getting the African unawares.

Deceit and blackmail by Swahili traders using enticing things such as sweets, mirrors, beads, clothes among others were used. The Khartoum slave traders in Northern Uganda used same methods.

Some people were given off as slaves to compensate for the injuries caused by certain societies on others.

Arab and Swahili traders also incited one chiefdom against the other.  In return for the military assistance the prisoners of war were given off as slaves.

Slaves were tied by 2 in the terrible " goree" or in groups about a dozen each with an iron collar.  The slaves were fastened to chains about or thick bank ropes.  Many in addition to the heavy weight of ivory were also forced to carry babies. Slaves that survived the journey were auctioned openly at Zanzibar market. 

The process of capturing and collecting together ivory and slaves often took many months. Therefore Arabs made fortified trading posts at Tabora, Ujiji, and Katanga to act as collection centres.

The need for slaves led to more raiding activities. The Baganda for instance took advantage of the crumbling Kingdom of Bunyoro raiding much of Bunyoro, Busoga and across the Lake in search for slaves.

The Nyamwezi made several journeys to the Coast carrying slaves as they went along and the Yao raided the areas, which lay between the Coast and Lake Malawi region.

The slave caravans went into villages and having taken boys and girls, young men and women, they burned the villages and either killed the old or simply left them to die.

The chiefs also sold slaves to the traders. These slaves were either obtained through raids or inter-tribal wars.

The traders exchanged the slaves for guns, beads, liquor and cloth. Some of the slaves were bartered for ivory as was the case with the Gogo.

The most savage of these slave traders were the Khartoumers who came up the Nile River and raided Nwali of Northern Buganda, Acholi land and Lango. The slaves were taken to the Coast and often the journey was an unpleasant one. Many of them were tied in twos with goree.

Even the women were chained. The slaves suffered a lot as they were whipped to make them move as one would whip his ploughing oxen.

The majority of the slaves were taken to Zanzibar and Kilwa, and from here they were sold to the Arabs at the Coast, to the people of Arabia, to the Persians and Egyptians. The Portuguese also obtained their slaves from Kilwa whom they sent to Brazil to work either on plantations or in the mines.

THE SLAVE TRADE ROUTES

There were five major routes on which the trade was carried. The first was the old Nyamwezi route which went from Bagamoya all the way to Tabora. This route was controlled by the Nyamwezi people under the leader- ship of their 'ntemi' chiefs. The Arab and Swahili traders used this route quite often and Tabora thus became one of the most important slave markets.

The second route ran through the West and North-west of Tabora, and though the Zanzibaris tried to control it, the route was finally dominated by the Nyamwezi.

There was a third which was used mainly by the Khartoumers. This one ran from the Nile Valley into Acholi land on to Lango and Bunyoro.

The fourth was the trade route which was used by the Somali traders ran across Northern Kenya on to the Uasin Gishu Plateau and Busoga. In these areas, the Somali traders raided for slaves.

The Yao dominated the route from Kilwa which went through Lake Malawi and beyond.

ORGANISATION OF SLAVE TRADE

Arabs and Swahili traders used to come from Zanzibar and the coast. Khartoumers and Somali from the North and North east used to raid East Africa for slaves.

African traders used to take part in slave trade though they could not out compete the Arabs and the Zanzibaris.

Outstanding African slave traders were the Yao, Nyamwezi, Baganda, Khatoumers and the Kamba.

Coastal merchants were welcomed in the interior by African chiefs who wanted beads, sugar, guns and ammunitions, and Arab assistance against their traditional enemies.

The routes connecting East Africa with the interior were; the Central caravan route, the Southern Caravan route, and the Northern Caravan route.

The Khatoumers entered from the North along the Nile to raid Bunyoro, Lango and Acholi areas.

Somali traders travelled across Northern Kenya to carry out slave raids in Uasin Gishu plateau and Western Kenya areas.

These raiders used both trickery methods and open warfare to capture slaves.

Captured slaves were chained and bundled in rows and were harshly treated by Arabs while on transit to the coast.

Raiders usually captured strong energetic men and women who could manage travelling long distances and carrying heavy loads on their heads.

Most slaves were taken to the slave markets of Zanzibar and Kilwa for export.

Most slaves from East Africa were exported to the Middle East and the French dominated islands of Mauritius and Seychelles.

ARABS AND SWAHILI SLAVE TRADERS

They first led their own caravans into the interior during the 1830s.  They carried the sultan's flag with them and made alliances with the interior people. The chief Arab centres were Tabora and Ujiji which became depots  for storage supplies. They also acted as base from which attacks from neighbouring tribes were made. The famous Arab traders were Abdullah Bin Nasib in Nyamwezi, Seyyid Bin Abib of Nyangwe, Tippu Tip of Mayama of eastern Zaire, Mohara of Nyangwe.

TIPPU-TIP

He was an Afro-Arab, born about 1830, in Zanzibar. His real name was Muhammed Ibn Hamid. He was a great slave and ivory trader as well as a military leader with great skills as a diplomat and negotiator.

Tippu Tip's father was a trader and also owned a plantation near Tabora.  He first worked for his father and then for a friend on the caravan trades.

Tippu Tip in colour was more like black man than an Arab. In dress, behaviour and general way of life, he was like an Arab. His great strength of character and self assurance made him a natural leader, one who could inspire both respect and fear among his followers.

In 1865, he reached Ruemba on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika.  He moved into Zaire on search of ivory where he defeated and supplanted the chief of the Rua people claiming to be related to him.

He thus became a ruler and trader, an ideal combination. He was able to collect ivory as tribute instead of paying for it.

By 1883, he was established at Stanley Falls and he set up 15 of his relatives as rulers and personal representative on Mayama area.

He made agreements with Mirambo and Rumanika, Rumaliza of Ujiji so that his goods would reach safely to the coast.

With European pressure, Tippu Tip accepted the post of Governor of Stanley Falls from king Leopold of Belgium.

He hoped to preserve his own position by doing that. However, his influence declined and in 1890, he returned to Zanzibar and died on 1905.

In conclusion, these marked the end of this Afro Arab ivory and slave trader who rose to prominence with special skill of military and diplomacy. Like any other African chief at that time, he could not survive the European influence in Africa.

SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION IN EAST AFRICA

Britain was one of the slave trading nations, and it gained much profit from the trade. Yet when the campaign for the abolition of the slave trade started, Britain became the leading European nation in the effort to stop slave trade.

The abolition was a gradual process. The British initiated efforts in 1807 but it was not until 1873 that slave trade was reduced.

1807 British governors in India unsuccessfully pressurised the Sultan of Muscat to stop slave activities in East Africa.

1815 British gained control over the French dominated Republics of Mauritius and Seychelles. Under British rule, these islands became a British anti-slaves patrol base.

1831 the British signed treaties with Portugal, Spain and France for right to search any of their vessels suspected of carrying slaves.

1832, the British sent Captain Fairfax Moresby to Muscat. He convinced Seyyid Said to stop slave trade activities in East Africa. However, the treaty was not meant to stop Arab slave trade. Arabs were not allowed to participate in selling slaves to Christian countries.

The British could search Arab boats but very few were caught from. This treaty therefore was not very effective.

1845, Colonel Hamerton, a British Consul at Zanzibar, pressurised Seyyid Said to sign a treaty. This was called the Hamerton treaty. It forbade slave activities and exports from East Africa. However slave trade internally was still permitted.

This treaty therefore was not successful because Said Seyyid and his successors were either unwilling or unable to take any action. The French activities in the Indian Ocean threatened the Sultan. The slave traders who did not want to stop slavery allied with the French and threatened to overthrow Said Seyyid. Said therefore became increasingly in need of the British help and support.

Between 1854-1862, the situation in Zanzibar became critical. Said Khalid, Said's son died on his return journey to Zanzibar and it was Hamerton who maintained order. Hamerton supported the new Sultan, Majid but another son Bargash also claimed the Sultanate. Bargash was supported by the French and the dissatisfied groups that lost influence to the British. Majid became the Sultan of Zanzibar but was very unpopular. A third son, Thuwain, the new ruler of Oman also wanted to rule his fathers East African lands.

1856-73 a squadron of British navy was placed with the task of preventing slave smuggling from East Africa. By this treaty all public markets for buying and selling slaves in East Africa were closed. It became a punishable offence to engage in slavery. In 1884, the Berlin conference provided that European powers interested in East Africa should abolish slave trade.

In 1910-1920, effective British colonial administration in East Africa totally suffocated slave trade.

REASONS FOR ABOLITION OF SLAVE TRADE

Firstly, the Christian missionary movement like the Methodist emerged.  They preached the equality of all people before God.

Secondly, humanitarians like William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, Burton Fowell and Granville Sharp devoted their lives for the abolition of slave trade. William Wilberforce tabled a motion in the British parliament for the abolition of slave trade.

Thirdly, Britain had become an industrialized nation and so she no longer depended much on slaves for her economy.

Fourthly, Britain needed oil palm for her industries so the West Africans for instance could be left to produce the much-needed oil palm.

Furthermore, it was realized that if Africans were left to settle in Africa freely, they could produce enough raw materials for European industries. Africans were also left to settle and provide market for the European products. They were involved in production of raw materials for Europe.

Britain also wanted to use the abolition of slave trade to hit other rival countries like France, which also had plantations in the West Indies and would continue needing slave labour.

There were several slave riots in Europe and elsewhere.  These riots created a need to free the slaves before they could reed themselves in a violent revolution. Some African chiefs wrote to protest against the capture and sale of slaves. The best example was King Agaja of Dahomey.

The French revolution (1789) made the declaration of the rights of man, which emphasized the equality of all men. The rise of philosophers (political thinkers) e.g. Rousseau who advocated for equality of all men led to abolition of Slave trade.

The American Revolution, which introduced ideas of freedom and Democracy led to abolition of Slave trade. The writings of Adam Smith an economist who opposed exploitation of workers and discouraged slave labour led to the abolition of slave trade.

The growth of the evangelical movements decampaigned slavery as evil, sinful and this led to its abolition. Also the role of the press, which reported how Arabs and Europeans had mistreated and enslaved Africans led to the abolition of slave trade. Another factor was the abolition of slave trade in West Africa forced the abolitionists to come to East Africa too.

The invention of new machines, which replaced slave labour, led to the abolition of slave trade. Also the need for raw materials e.g cotton, coffee, minerals, copper, iron, gold among others forced the Whites to abolish slave trade so as to allow them (slaves) to produce these items from their countries

The need to create market for finished goods forced Europeans to abolish slave trade. Another factor the need to create trade through competitive labour led to the abolition of slave trade.

The industrial revolution which led to the rise of new industries that required skilled labour also led to abolition of slave trade for slaves never provided skilled labour.

The need to spread Christianity and western culture to Africans decampaigned slave Trade.

Pressure from public opinion forced European  governments to abolish slave trade.

America began worrying about the increasing population due to the presence of slaves. She thus forced England to accept the campaign against slave trade.

The foundation of new homes for freed slaves in Sierra Leone, Liberia, (West Africa) and Bagamoyo at the coast of East Africa.

Europe became worried of the future demands of the slaves i.e. they would demand for equal rights, citizenship e.t.c.

EFFECTS OF SLAVE TRADE

Results of slave trade in Africa are not good even to be talked about. It should be remembered that even during Amin's regime in Uganda, slave trade as a topic was abolished on the syllabus. This was perhaps meant not to bring back bitter memories, which the people had. It is unfair for the Europeans to take people from Africa, and sell then come to ask us the advantages of selling our people to Europe.

Like in West Africa, the slave trade in East Africa caused untold suffering to the people. Inter-tribal warfare and raiding became the order of the day among the African peoples. And when firearms invaded the inland areas, fighting became more frequent and several lives were destroyed.

People lived in an atmosphere of insecurity as many were taken away never to return. Many of the young people joined defensive forces of warriors, and they became mercenaries selling their services when and if they were needed.

Sometimes, they were employed by the Africans and sometimes by the Arabs. The slave trade laid the foundation upon which Mirambo, Tippu Tip, Mlunzi and Msiri built their empires.

Buganda gained prestige and expanded because of the slave trade and the introduction of firearms, but at: the same time, raiding activities 'brought political chaos' to different sections of East Africa.

The slave trade caused a lot of suffering as it interfered with the social institutions and family life. Many people were killed or wounded, and those who were taken into slavery never returned to their original homes.

Many states were destroyed as a result of the many wars fought between different tribes and hostility prevailed even in places where there had been firm friendship between the states- The land was neglected. This in turn affected the economic development of these places.

Different societies made the slave trade almost their sole occupation and when it ended, they found it difficult to settle down in a normal society and carry on with the legitimate trade. This was very true of the Yao. The slave trade brought wealth to many, but at the same time, it brought untold suffering to many people.

Slave trade led to the acquisition of wealth for those who participated in it especially the chiefs.

Slave trade led to the growth of trading centres and cities along the coast and also in the interior for example Tabora and Ujiji in East Africa.

It led to depopulation of wide areas of Africa that is many people died during the raid and on their way to Europe and Africa's population remained low.

It led to bloodshed, suffering, misery, insecurity and social disruption.

It retarded the development of East Africa because only hard working and strong young men and women who would have enhanced development were taken away.

It brutalized those who took part in it, both blacks and whites.  It intensified enmity and warfare between different people and states.

It demoralized African chiefs who were initially supposed to be guardians of the peoples' lives and property.

Small African societies united to form larger states that could be strong enough to resist external attack.  They came together to form centralised states Empires were built by strong men like Mirambo and Nyungu ya mawe of Nyamwezi.

Some African industries such as cloth weaving, basket making, and pottery, among others were also neglected.

Agriculture was neglected leading to the outbreak of famine.

It led to the rise of some empires for example Buganda, Bunyoro, and Nyamwezi among others in East Africa. Their leaders acquired guns and used them well to defeat their territories.

It eventually led to the partition and colonisation of East Africa.

On the other hand, there was decline of small and weak states which were subjected to the slave raiders from bigger states

Economically, slave trade exposed East Africa to the outside world. As a result people started participating in international trade, foreign traders came to the East African coast and brought in new commodities.

It was through slave trade that every black man and woman came to live in Europe, North and South America, as well as West Indies. They were first captured, shackled, then shipped and then enslaved by the so called "God fearing"  and " civilized" men who discovered Africa!!

The question which remains to be answered is: should Europe pay Africa for the damage caused during slave trade? Such a question is not new. The request was brought by all African leaders in the 1990s that Europe should and must pay immediately. However, they were all opposed by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni saying that it was African chiefs who were responsible for the sale of their fellow Africans. So it was not right to blame Europe alone. That our grand parents were responsible for the mess. What is your view about this question?

 

Obstacles Faced In the Abolition of Slave Trade In East Africa

The campaign against slave trade was faced with the following challenges:

Britain at first left the struggle to the missionaries alone whereas they could not do it alone.

The British anti slavery ships and troops were too few to patrol the coast and slave trade routes.

Trie British anti-slavery ships and troops were too  weak to capture some Dhows carrying slaves.

Other countries e.g. France, Spain, Portugal and German opposed Britain in Ihe campaign against Slave trade.

Other countries continued to trade in slaves secretly.

The interim of East Africa was ignored, abolitionists only worked at the coast so slave trade continued in the interior.

The abolitionists feared the interior of East Africa because of hostile Tribes and diseases, which killed them.

The treaties which were signed to abolish slave trade were weak to do so.

The Arabs continued smuggling slaves to Europe, India and America.

Poor transport made it difficult to abolish slave trade due to delayed movements.

The abolitionists lacked adequate knowledge of the coast and the Interior.

Armed slave dealers always killed the abolitionists.

Lack of enough funds to finance the abolition process.

Slave trade was so profitable thus the traders were not willing to abandon it thus African chiefs refused to abandon it too.

In Africa, slavery was a cultural practice; hence it was difficult to stop it among African rulers.

African traders did not have any immediate alternative if they accepted to abandon slave trade.

In the beginning Britain used an oral campaign through persuasion instead of using force.

It was difficult to identify the ships/dhows that carried slaves because the Arabs disguised their ships with American and British flags.

At the coast there was a permanent demand for slave labour in its plantations.

The crops such as coffee, cotton, tea that Britain suggested to replace slaves, took long to mature.

Arabs learnt new tricks of dodging the patrolling anti-slave ships-by shipping from very far on new routes.

In case the anti-slavery troops threatened to arrest Arab slave Dhows, the Arabs would throw the slaves in the Ocean. And this trick demoralised the abolitionist.

 

Why Slave trade took long to abolish

The first reason is that many chiefs were earning a lot of profit from the trade and were not prepared to give it up. In addition to that they were not seeing any other feasible monetary activity to replace slave trade.

Second, the nations that wanted slave trade to be abolished were few compared to those who were encouraging it.

Third, no attempt was made to penetrate inland and stop the trade from the source.

Fourth, slave dealers were armed so it was hard for the abolitionists to capture them. Nobody was ready to risk his life for the suffering Africans.

Due to plantation farming in Zanzibar Island, slaves were still needed to work on plantations. The French found a way of giving around the law by operating the Free Immigration scheme.

Even European nations like Britain took up the humanitarian motive simply because the trade was no longer paying them. Instead it was wise to enslave Africans in their own continent, make them grow highly needed products like cotton for the industries in Europe.

Effects of the abolition of Slave Trade in East Africa

It increased the British influence in East Africa as they won in this struggle. John Kirk encouraged Britain to colonise Kenya and Uganda.

More missionaries came to East Africa to preach Christianity. Roads and railways were built to facilitate abolition of slave trade.

Africans regained their dignity and respect as human beings.

Legitimate trade was introduced to replace slave Trade arid it became very lucrative.

Many Africans embraced Christianity especially freed slaves Cash crops were introduced to make Africans produce raw materials especially for the  European industries.

A new form of slavery i.e forced labour on plantation resulted and this too affected the Africans.

It boosted the security of the interior since slave raids had been minimized.

It led to the emergence of European trading companies for example IBEACO am GEACO.

Slaves traders lost their profile from slave trade that affected them financially.

It increased the coming of European setters in Kenya and Tanganyika as traders and farmer.

Arabs lost their trade in the interior that weakened their incomes.

The influence-of the sultan on the main land also collapsed.

African rulers who depended on slaves for wealth lost a quick source of income. Peace especially to the Africans prevailed.

It led to the population growth, as human beings were no longer killed through raiding and had peace and ability to produce more children.