Page 50 - 2020 SoM Journal Vol 73 No 1 FINAL_Neat

42 The Society of Malawi Journal

unhampered imagination” and praised the media’s “objective investigation” for
28
discrediting the MP. This attack on a sitting MP in the opinion pages of the
Rhodesian press by an African nationalist was a fairly novel development. The
limited space for such charges soon closed after late 1962 when the Rhodesian
Front (successor to the Dominion Party) came to power and began to censor the
press.
Sithole’s op-ed noted that Wightwick’s comments were not taken
seriously but had prompted a great deal of discussion across the Federation “as to
the purpose of this out-of-place suggestion.” He suggested that Wightwick’s
29
ultimate goal may have been to get Banda deported, thus depriving the MCP of
its most vaunted leader. However, the bulk of the piece considered the proposition
posed by its title, “Suppose Dr Hastings Banda Was Not a Nyasa?” Sithole’s
riposte declared that “whether Dr Banda is a West African Negro or has spent
most his life outside Nyasaland is immaterial to the Nyasas. Dr Banda has the
interest of his people at heart, and that is all that matters...” 30 Sithole did not
comment on Wightwick’s own relatively recent immigration to Southern
Rhodesia but did stress that the colony’s three previous Prime Ministers had all
been born outside of Africa.
31
While Banda’s subsequent record as Malawian President failed
ultimately to support Sithole’s comments, the Zimbabwean nationalist certainly
found them personally useful. When Sithole co-founded the breakaway
Zimbabwe African National Union in 1963, his new party immediately received
strong support from Banda and the MCP. More charitably, Sithole’s
32
interpretation of support for Banda indicates the strong ties of solidarity that
spanned the anti-colonial nationalist movements in the Federation at this time. It
was this very solidarity that so unnerved politicians like Wightwick.

Conclusion:
Amidst the turmoil of decolonisation and post-colonial nation-building,
it was not long before Banda became seen by the Rhodesians as a legitimate and
acceptable interlocutor. The Malawian leader swiftly abdicated aspirations of
pan-African leadership. Ian Smith, the Southern Rhodesian Prime Minister, was
33
invited to Malawi’s independence celebrations. Banda pursued a diplomatic
relationship with Apartheid South Africa and his government maintained

28 “Suppose Dr Hastings Banda Was Not a Nyasa.” Central African Daily News,
August 17, 1960.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 “Sithole is Better Than Nkomo.” Malawi News, August 9, 1963.
33 “Personalia.” East Africa and Rhodesia, June 25, 1964.