Levi Ziliro Mumba - first President of Nyasaland African Congress 1944-45
The Nyasaland Governor, Sir George Smith admitted that the 1915 Uprising introduced a new phase in the history of Nyasaland.
Smith went further to say, after the rising .... the shadow of Chilembwe was cast on the private estates, in missions, in the Legislative Council Chambers and the relations between white and black.
With the demise of John Chilembwe in 1915, Levi Mumba took the mantle to push the natives' grievances to the government.
Levi Mumba was born in 1880s. He did his education at Overtoun, Livingstonia....and passed his final examinations at the institute in 1903 with flying colors.
Levi Mumba was the first native to take a commercial course in bookkeeping in Nyasaland.
From March 1905 until 1915 he was the first African teacher of commercial subjects, as well as the bookkeeper at Overtoun.
In 1912, he formed The North Nyasa Native Association and drafted it's constitution.
All the native associations formed later in Nyasaland adopted his constitution.
When World War 1 broke out in 1914, Levi Mumba joined the Kings African Rifles and fought for the country at Karonga.
He became a recruiter and an interpreter for the soldiers throughout the war time.
In 1921, He wrote to the government that the Native Associations would refrain from violent acts like those of the Uprising and adopt proper channels to push the natives concerns.
In 1924 he united all the Northern Native Associations and brought them to the capital in Zomba.
In 1924 he published an article , 'Native Associations' in the African Newspaper ..."Zoona"
In 1926 as the most senior native Civil Servant in the Colonial Govt.. he drafted recommendations to Dr James Kwegyir Aggrey who accompanied the Phelpstock Commission to enquire on Nyasaland education.
He was appointed the first member of the Advisory committee on Education in 1933.
Earlier on in 1932, Mumba prepared a memorandum advocating improved higher education for Africans, which was received without enthusiasm.
In 1934, Mumba asked the government to pay part of his son's secondary schooling in South Africa in the absence of a local alternative. The government reluctantly provided ₤13.
Mumba pushed the Govt to introduce Secondary education which the Govt reluctantly did by building the Blantyre Secondary School in 1941.
In 1940, he went to South Africa where he met Clement Kadalie who advised him to form something in form of South African National Congress.
James Sangala was advised by an Irish man W H Timcke based in Thyolo to form a National Party which Timcke would offer support.
Levi Mumba had pushed for this since1924 when he moved to Zomba.
On 19 August 1943, at a meeting presided by Lewis Bandawe...The Nyasaland Educated African Council was formed with the initiative of Sangala who appealed to all districts for support.
On Levi Mumba's advice the term council was removed. Introductory meeting was held on 20 May 1944. Issa Macdonald Lawrence proposed the party be called Nyasaland African Congress.
The inaugral meeting was held in October 1944 where Issa Lawrence Macdonald made the historical moving speech which led the delegates to abandon nepotism reject their friends and vote for leaders on merit;
"The first duty of the Congress is to bring unity ..... for Nyasaland...which is always strength. Without unity we cannot do anything better ...and we cannot lay any future foundations for our future generations..... All Africans should take the responsibility to see to it that we keep in store something better and valuable for our coming generations....let us leave a legacy that we shall be proud of....."- Issa Macdonald
Issa Macdonald was a remnant of the Chilembwe Uprising and a compatriot of Clement Kadalie who was arrested on several occasions 1921, 1923, and in 1926 for circulating Kadalies and Marcus Garveys banned journals in Nyasaland. An experienced educated bookkeeper respected by his peers.
Levi Mumba was elected the President, Charles Mlanga -Secretary General and Issa Lawrence -Treasurer General.
Dr Hastings Banda in UK was happy with the leadership and sent financial help to the Congress and corresponded with Issa Macdonald, the treasurer general frequently.
Disaster occured when Levi Mumba and Issa Lawrence Macdonald died within months.
Another senior member Haya Edward Peters aka Peter Mlelemba also died.
Mlelemba was a close friend of John Chilembwe during the 1915 Uprising who was found guilty by the government for financing Chilembwe in 1915.
The Patron W H Timcke who supported the Congress financially died as well in the Steamer Viphya which sunk in 1946 near Chilumba.
In the pic, Levi Mumba and his war medals.
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