'We don't want a Balkanised East Africa'

AFRICAN FEDERATION
Nyerere's plan gets Banda's backing
FEDERATION may be a dirty word in Rhodesia : and Nyasaland. but in East 4: Africa it is quite a different story. Last week Mr. Julius K. Nyerere. the Chief Minister of Tanganyika. won support for his idea of an East African Federation from political leaders of other East African territories.
More important, his plan was also backed by Mr. Joshua Nkomo, leader of the Southern Rhodesian National Democratic Party, and Mr. Kenneth Kaunda, head of the United National Independence Party of Northern R hodesia.
It it Understood. too, that Dr. Hastings Hat.da. leader of the Malawi Congress Party of Nyasaland, is in complete agreement with the idea of an East African Federation which other British African territories could join.
Nucleus
This could lead to the re-formation of the present Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland as part of a larger African-led Federation.
The nucleus of the new Federation would be formed by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika, at present linked through the East African High Commission which administers various services (communications, posts and telegraphs. customs. etc.) jointly for the three territories, together with Zanzibar.
In contrast to Rhodesia and Nyasaland, where vocal African opinion was given the impression that Federation was being imposed on Africans from above by the Europeans for their own ends, the demand for Federation in East Africa is an African thing.
It emanates largely from Mr. Julius Nyerere. the Catholic who became Chief Minister of Tanganyika last autumn after his party, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), had won an overwhelming majority in the general election.
Difficulties in the way of bringing such a Federation into being arise largely from the fact that the immediate political outlook is less stable in Kenya and Uganda than in Tanganyika.
Kenya
In Kenya, where many European farmers feel they have been " sold out " under the Lancaster House agreements (which involve an African majority in the legislature), such fears may be somewhat calmed by the prospect of joining with Tanganyika where race relations are first-class and where European politicians have willingly accepted Mr. Nyerere's leadership.
In Uganda one of the four African kingdoms forming part of the protectorate — Buganda — has officially seceded and declared its independence. The fears of Buganda of being dominated by the rest of Uganda. and the fears of other nations of being dominated by Buganda, may stand a better chance of solution within a federal framework covering the whole of East Africa.
Answering questions submitted to him by the CATHOLIC HERALD recently, Mr. Nyerere said:
"Since I believe that East Africa is one, and ought to remain one, I regard the problems of any part of East Africa as common problems. We should not give up the attempt to unite East Africa simply because some part of it has what may appear temporarily to be difficult problems.
"The problems of a free but Balkanised East Africa are likely to be much greater than those of a united East Africa."
Mr. Nyerere feels that Federation must not be imposed on East Africa: it must be the wish of the peoples of these territories. And Federation must come about not after each country has achieved independence but before: in other words, when each territory has selfgovernment (like Tanganyika since the autumn) but before attaining complete independence.
If necessary, Tanganyika should be prepared to delay her independence a little in order to be able to gain independence together with the other three territories as a united Federation.
R.A.N.