Colonialism has enduring effects on Africa’s socio-economic development and political stability. Nancy Rushohora explains how in Tanzania, German rule introduced exploitative economic practices and arbitrary political structures both with transgenerational impact on affected local communities.
© picture alliance/dpa | Bernd von Jutrczenka
The legacy of colonialism in Africa is profound, and its repercussions are still felt across the continent – in particular in terms of socio-economic development, political stability, and conflict dynamics. German colonialism, which encompassed parts of East Africa including present-day Tanzania, was marked by the introduction of exploitative economic practices and arbitrary political structures that severely impacted local communities. In the case of southern Tanzania, the legacy of German colonialism has had lasting cultural repercussions. Its influence on resource-induced conflicts is still felt, shaping the patterns of resource utilisation, ethnic relations, and access to resources across generations. This essay puts the focus on contemporary southern Tanzania, where societal and resource disputes are a result of the transgenerational impact of colonialism. Colonialism was an economically motivated policy of expansion through force to establish economic dominance. The use of force in the establishment of cotton plantations in southern Tanzania led to multiple wars of resistance, including most significantly the Majimaji resistance of 1905–07. The transgenerational impact of colonialism encompasses the sustained effects of subjugation transmitted from the victims to their descendants and affecting economic, social, cultural, and political wellbeing a century later.
Southern Tanzania has experienced prolonged socio-economic trauma rooted in colonial-era policies that designated the region as a “rebel area” unworthy of development due to its involvement in the Majimaji resistance. Historian Gus Liebenow (1971) referred to southern Tanzania as a “Cinderella”, highlighting its persistent poverty and economic marginalisation. The enduring trauma and histories of poverty have become a breeding ground for radicalisation and violence. Lack of community participation in managing and utilising natural and cultural resources (including the Indian Ocean natural gas reserves and cultural heritage sites within the Selous Game Reserve) and the legacy of colonial looting, have created a breeding ground for conflicts in southern Tanzania. Three cases are presented here as illustrations. They concern conflict over resource extraction in southern Tanzania, the role of colonialism in land use conflicts around the Nyerere National Park, and the handling of looted dinosaur fossils.
One of the most recent conflicts over Tanzania’s resources emerged in 2010’s as a protest against piping natural gas discovered in Mnazi Bay (Mtwara region) to Dar es Salaam to improve the country’s electricity supply, which relies heavily on hydroelectric power. In southern Tanzania sharing the gas with the rest of the country was construed as undermining the historically marginalised region’s development – after an economic boom during the exploration period. Gas piping was opposed in southern Tanzania for removing the region’s wealth and a popular movement threatened secession. The nature of 2010 protest is noteworthy, as it mimicked the ideology of the colonial-era Majimaji resistance. When the ritualist known as Bibi wa Msimbati threatened that piping the gas by force would turn it to water, she was echoing the belief of the 1905–07 Majimaji resistance that the Germans’ guns would turn to water. Bibi wa Msimbati’s role was analogous to that of Majimaji leader Kinjikitile Ngwale: she was a mobilisation factor holding the youth together and determining the pattern of the protest. The protest ended after Bibi wa Msimbati was visited by Prime Minister Kayanza Peter Pinda, who promised development to the people of southern Tanzania. However, this turned out to be a short-lived dream. By 2015 southern Tanzania was an economic backwater again, and has remained so ever since.
This continuity exemplifies the long-term consequences of colonial marginalisation, with southern Tanzania feeling excluded from national development even in the post-colonial period. The region experienced a brief moment of economic hope during the gas boom, only to feel betrayed again when the government prioritised the transfer of its resources to Dar es Salaam, which was perceived as a continuation of external exploitation. The parallels between the Majimaji resistance and the 2010’s protests go beyond spiritual symbolism. Both represent a broader pattern of regional resistance against external forces exploiting local resources to benefit others while leaving the local population impoverished. The threat of secession in 2010 highlights how deeply the wounds of economic and political neglect run, echoing the frustrations that fueled the Majimaji resistance a century earlier.
Colonialism undermined southern Tanzania’s traditional economy by imposing exploitative policies designed to foster dependence on colonial structures. In regions with valuable natural resources, such as rubber and game, colonial ordinances often led to forced displacement, severing communities from their lands. The recently renamed Nyerere Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) exemplifies this legacy. With an area of nearly 50,000 km2 it is one of Africa’s largest protected areas and represents roughly 6 percent of Tanzania’s total landmass. It was first placed under protection by German Governor Hermann von Wissmann in 1896 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Conflicts around the community’s exclusion from their ancestral lands, cultural heritage, and resources remain relevant and ongoing. Recent developments have intensified tensions. After construction of the hydropower project at Stiegler’s Gorge on the Rufiji River UNESCO considered delisting the park due to environmental concerns, while local cultural conflicts were overlooked.
The unresolved tensions between conservation and community in Nyerere Park point to broader contradictions between nature conservation and local rights. Southern Tanzanians remain aware of their ancestral roots within the park, yet they face exclusion, exacerbating conflicts over land use, distribution of benefits, and wildlife-related incidents. While the German government continues to fund conservation efforts, the park’s benefits remain skewed toward international interests. Preferences given to game hunting for tourists further marginalise local communities and perpetuate historical grievances. For instance, people living near the park have been killed by wild animals and the destruction of crops is rampant. Poverty and hunger characterise the villages neighbouring Selous. The park has no designated area where local people are permitted to harvest its natural resources such as game and timber. That requires strict permits that only companies and wealthy individuals can afford. This resonates with the Majimaji War. As Thaddeus Sunseri argues, colonial conquest enforced the decline of elephant hunting and the ivory trade that turned out to be a major factor in the Majimaji resistance war.
In the early 1900s, southern Tanzania witnessed one of the most significant acts of colonial plunder when German palaeontologists excavated the sacred Tendaguru site in the Lindi region. Countless dinosaur fossils were removed and shipped to Germany. To this day they form the backbone of the Berlin Natural History Museum’s world-renowned dinosaur exhibit advancing scientific understanding and attracting global interest, Germany reaped the benefits, while southern Tanzania was left disconnected from its rich paleontological heritage. The Tendaguru fossils are considered one of the most significant dinosaur finds globally, and remain a glaring example of colonial iniquities. The wealth, prestige, and educational value derived from these fossils have been denied to local communities, who have instead seen their cultural heritage erased. Despite the site’s significance, it remains unrecognised in Tanzania, while Europe continues to profit from its legacy. Efforts to have the Tendaguru site formally recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site have been slow, with historical injustices tied to the looting still unaddressed. The story of Tendaguru is a stark reminder of how colonial histories continue to shape the present, as southern Tanzania struggles with the lasting effects of colonial exploitation. Repatriating the fossils or ensuring Tanzania benefits from their value could help to remediate this legacy of plunder.
A multi-faceted approach is essential to address the enduring impact of colonialism in southern Tanzania. First, new frameworks must prioritise local community involvement in natural resource management to ensure equitable benefits and reduce resource-driven conflicts. Investment in public infrastructure, including roads, healthcare, and education, is urgently needed to combat the region’s socio-economic marginalisation and vulnerability to radicalisation. Restoring cultural heritage is also critical. Colonial-era policies alienated communities from their ancestral lands and symbols, perpetuating transgenerational trauma. Efforts should focus on reclaiming the Tendaguru fossils looted by German colonialists, and ensuring that Tanzania benefits from their cultural and scientific value. This would mark a step toward addressing the long-standing exploitation of the region.
Nancy Rushohora is a lecturer in the Archaeology and Heritage Studies Department at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Her work focuses on colonialism and its aftermath.
