Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny

Book excerpt: The 1964 mutiny of the army in the then Tanganyika has remained an enigma. Was it a mutiny or a coup? Was it a worker's strike? Who was the principal actor, who ruled the country during that week, where was the President, and who called in the British Commandos to quell the mutiny? These questions are faced squarely, and it is argued that the colonial military establishments inherited at independence were quasi-mercenary armies modelled on the British command structure. And despite other influences, the military intervention was a rebellion against the British command structure. The imperialist dimension of the issue is emphasised, including the irony of Tanganyika seeking the aid of the former imperial power to force their own troops to submit to African rule.