![]() |
---|
![]() |
General elections were held for the first time in Nyasaland on 15 March 1956. [1]
Although the Legislative Council was created in 1907, its membership had previously been limited to government officials and members appointed by the Governor. The first public elections held in Nyasaland were for the Legislative Assembly of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953, although only 1,058 residents were eligible to vote.
Constitutional reforms in 1955 introduced two forms of elected members to the Legislative Council. The Nyasaland Ordinance was passed on 6 September 1955 by the Council, setting out the electoral system. [2] The new Council consisted of eleven officials, five indirectly-elected seats for Africans and six elected seats for non-Africans. [3] [4] A proposal to have a reserved seat for the Asian population was rejected under pressure from the federal government. [5]
The five African members were elected by the three African Provincial Councils; [1] the Central and Southern Province Councils elected two members each, whilst the Northern Province Council elected one. [6]
As with the 1953 federal elections, the non-African franchise was limited to British subject who were at least 21 years old, earned at least £200 a year or occupied property worth £250, and who had an "adequate" knowledge of English, being able to complete their registration form without assistance. [6] The requirement to be a British subject disqualified the vast majority of the Asian and Coloured population; [6] although at the time of the elections the European population was 6,732 and the Asian population was 8,504, only 338 Asians were able to register to vote, compared with 1,866 Europeans. [5] Just six Coloureds also registered, giving a total of 2,210 registered voters. [6] The six non-African members were elected from six single-member constituencies:
Constituency | Registered voters |
---|---|
Blantyre West | 344 |
Cholo–Mlanje | 377 |
Limbe–Blantyre | 342 |
North Nyasa | 378 |
Shire Highlands | 367 |
South Nyasa | 402 |
Total | 2,210 |
Source: Leys |
All of the African seats were contested. [4] In Central Province seven candidates ran, including Aleke Banda, a former Secretary-General of the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC), James Ralph Nthinda Chinyama, a former President-General of the NAC and Herbert Gondwe, who had been a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) since 1953. [6] The Northern Province seat was contested by four candidates, including Kaunda, the Vice President General of the NAC, and Alexander Muwamba, who had been an MLC since 1948 . [6] The Southern Province seats were contested by six candidates, including Stevenson Kumakanga, an MLC since 1954 and Charles Matinga, leader of the Nyasaland Progressive Association. Aside from Matinga and Chief Lundu (who ran in the Southern Province), all African candidates were from the NAC. [6]
Only four of the six non-African seats were contested, [4] with two Asians amongst the 13 candidates. [5] [6] Cholo–Mlanje was left uncontested after the two potential rivals to F G Collins were scared off by his energetic campaigning, whilst A C W Dixon was unopposed in Limbe–Blantyre after receiving the backing of Sattar Sacranie, the Indian MLC. [6]
Although Sacranie had also agreed to support M H Howard in the Blantyre West constituency, delays in confirming Howard's candidature led to Indian demands to have a candidate of their own. Following a public meeting, N M Survana was nominated to stand. At the same time, another Indian candidate V A Sarani announced he would contest the Shire Highlands seat. However, when Howard's candidature was confirmed, the Asian Convention asked Sarani to contest South Nyasa instead, so that Survana could run in Shire Highlands. Although he initially agreed, Sarani later opted to stand in Blantyre West against Howard. [6]
Three candidates ran under the Nyasaland Association banner; L F Hunt in North Nyasa (an incumbent MLC), L A Little in Shire Highlands and Michael Hill Blackwood (another MLC) in Blantyre West. [6] The Association campaigned on a platform to "protect and foster the interests of Europeans in Nyasaland and to further the economic development of the territory". [7] It also called for the constitution to remain unchanged for a year after the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was finalised, as well as seeking further land for European settlement. [7]
In North Nyasa Hunt ran against V G Milward, chairman of Lilongwe Town Council. South Nyasa was contested by W G Widdas, [6] a former (1949–52) MLC and the only woman to run in the election.
In the African seats, all five elected candidates were supporters of the NAC. [6] Dunstan Chijozi was elected in Central Province by lot after receiving the same number of votes as Richard Katengeza. The three members of the previous sitting of the Legislative Council received just six of the 119 votes cast between them, and were not re-elected. [8]
Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Central Province | James Ralph Nthinda Chinyama | Elected | ||
Dunstan Chijozi | Elected by lots | |||
Richard Katengeza | ||||
Aleke Banda | ||||
Herbert Gondwe | ||||
Nthaba | ||||
Phiri | ||||
Northern Province | Kanyama Chiume | 16 | 72.7 | Elected |
Wedson Kaunda | 6 | 27.3 | ||
Alexander Muwamba | ||||
Ngosi | ||||
Southern Province | Henry Masauko Blasius Chipembere | 21 | 43.8 | Elected |
Nophas Dinneck Kwenje | 27 | 56.3 | Elected | |
Thamar Dillon Thomas Banda | ||||
Stevenson Kumakanga | ||||
Chief Lundu | ||||
Charles Matinga | ||||
Source: Leys, McCracken |
Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blantyre West | Michael Hill Blackwood | 144 | 50.88 | Elected |
P Howard | 70 | 24.73 | ||
E C Peterkins | 56 | 19.79 | ||
V A Sarani | 13 | 4.59 | ||
Cholo–Mlanje | F G Collins | Unopposed | Elected | |
Limbe–Blantyre | A C W Dixon | Unopposed | Elected | |
North Nyasa | V G Milward | 140 | 59.07 | Elected |
L F Hunt | 97 | 40.93 | ||
Shire Highlands | L A Little | 173 | 60.08 | Elected |
N M Survana | 61 | 21.18 | ||
H G Dawes | 54 | 18.75 | ||
South Nyasa | H Coombes | 164 | 70.09 | Elected |
Marjorie Widdas | 70 | 29.91 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | – | |||
Total | 1,042 | 100 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 1,491 | |||
Source: Laws |
The first sitting of the newly elected Legislative Council was on 14 May. [3]
The British Central Africa Protectorate (BCA) was a British protectorate proclaimed in 1889 and ratified in 1891 that occupied the same area as present-day Malawi: it was renamed Nyasaland in 1907. British interest in the area arose from visits made by David Livingstone from 1858 onward during his exploration of the Zambezi area. This encouraged missionary activity that started in the 1860s, undertaken by the Universities' Mission to Central Africa, the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland, and which was followed by a small number of settlers. The Portuguese government attempted to claim much of the area in which the missionaries and settlers operated, but this was disputed by the British government. To forestall a Portuguese expedition claiming effective occupation, a protectorate was proclaimed, first over the south of this area, then over the whole of it in 1889. After negotiations with the Portuguese and German governments on its boundaries, the protectorate was formally ratified by the British government in May 1891.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is a political party in Malawi. It was formed as a successor party to the banned Nyasaland African Congress when the country, then known as Nyasaland, was under British rule. The MCP, under Hastings Banda, presided over Malawian independence in 1964, and from 1966 to 1993 was the only legal party in the country. It has continued to be a major force in the country since losing power.
The Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) was an organisation that evolved into a political party in Nyasaland during the colonial period. The NAC was suppressed in 1959, but was succeeded in 1960 by the Malawi Congress Party, which went to on decisively win the first universal suffrage elections in 1961, and to lead the country to independence as Malawi in 1964.
This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council between 1985 and 1988. As half of the Legislative Council's terms expired at each periodic election, half of these members were elected at the 1982 state election with terms expiring in 1988, while the other half were elected at the 1985 state election with terms expiring in 1992.
Henry Masauko Blasius Chipembere was a Malawian nationalist politician who played a significant role in bringing independence from colonial rule to his native country, formerly known as Nyasaland. From an early age Chipembere was a strong believer in natural justice and, on his return in 1954 from university in South Africa, he joined his country's independence struggle as a nationalist strategist and spokesman. In 1957, considering that the independence movement need such a strong leader similar to Kwame Nkrumah, and considering himself too young for this task, he joined with other young nationalists in inviting Hastings Kamuzu Banda to return to Nyasaland as the movement's leader.
This is a list of members of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 22 May 1954 to 21 May 1956. The chamber had 30 seats made up of ten provinces each electing three members, on a system of rotation whereby one-third of the members would retire at each biennial election.
This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council between 1967 and 1970. As half of the Legislative Council's terms expired at each triennial election, half of these members were elected at the 1964 state election with terms expiring in 1970, while the other half were elected at the 1967 state election with terms expiring in 1973.
This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council between 1970 and 1973. As half of the Legislative Council's terms expired at each triennial election, half of these members were elected at the 1967 state election with terms expiring in 1973, while the other half were elected at the 1970 state election with terms expiring in 1976. A redistribution in 1965 had created the new provinces of Boronia and Templestowe out of the former Southern Province; the full redistribution took effect at the 1970 election.
This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council between 1952 and 1955. As half of the Legislative Council's terms expired at each triennial election, half of these members were elected at the 1949 triennial election with terms expiring in 1955, while the other half were elected at the 1952 triennial election with terms expiring in 1958.
Aaron Sangala is a politician who was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs and Public Security in the cabinet of Malawi in May 2009.
James Frederick Sangala was a founding member of the Nyasaland African Congress during the period of British colonial rule. Sangala was given the nickname "Pyagusi", which means "one who perseveres".
Thamar Dillon Thomas Banda ("TDT") was a politician in Nyasaland in the years prior to independence. He was President-General of the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) from 1957 to 1958, and founded the Congress Liberation Party in 1959.
Charles Jameson Matinga was a politician in Nyasaland before the colony obtained independence from the British.
Periodic elections for the Tasmanian Legislative Council were held on 7 May 2011. The three seats up for election were Launceston, held by retiring independent MLC Don Wing; Murchison, held by independent MLC Ruth Forrest; and Rumney, held by Labor MLC Lin Thorp. These seats were last contested in 2005.
John Buchanan (1855–1896), was a Scottish horticulturist who went to Central Africa, now Malawi, in 1876 as a lay member of the missionary party that established Blantyre Mission. Buchanan came to Central Africa as an ambitious artisan: his character was described as dour and devout but also as restlessly ambitious, and he saw in Central Africa a gateway to personal achievement. He started a mission farm on the site of Zomba, Malawi but was dismissed from the mission in 1881 for brutality. From being a disgraced missionary, Buchanan first became a very influential planter owning, with his brothers, extensive estates in Zomba District. He then achieved the highest position he could in the British administration as Acting British Consul to Central Africa from 1887 to 1891. In that capacity declared a protectorate over the Shire Highlands in 1889 to pre-empt a Portuguese expedition that intended to claim sovereignty over that region. In 1891, the Shire Highlands became part of the British Central Africa Protectorate. John Buchanan died at Chinde in Mozambique in March 1896 on his way to visit Scotland, and his estates were later acquired by the Blantyre and East Africa Ltd.
The history of rail transport in Malawi began shortly after the turn of the twentieth century.
The Nyasaland Association was a political party in Nyasaland.
The Shire Highlands Railway Company Ltd was a private railway company in colonial Nyasaland, incorporated in 1895 with the intention of constructing a railway from Blantyre to the effective head of navigation of the Shire River. After problems with routing and finance, a South African 3 ft 6 in gauge railway was constructed between 1903 and 1907, and extended in 1908 to a Nsanje, a distance of 113 miles (182 km) as water levels in the Shire River fell.
Michael Hill Blackwood CBE was a lawyer and politician who spent most of his working life in colonial Nyasaland and in Malawi in the early years of its independence. Although he represented the interests of European settlers before independence and opposed both the transfer of power to the African majority and the break-up of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, he remained in the country as a member of its legislature after Malawi’s independence and until his retirement on 1983.