ABSTRACT
Crisis and Consolidation Less than two months after the independence celebrations, Dr Banda’s dominance was challenged. The crisis was precipitated by a clash between Dr Banda and the majority of his Cabinet, who specifically opposed a number of his policies, and generally opposed his autocratic style of leadership, which tended to preclude due Cabinet consultation. Whether or not a showdown was intended is not clear: at first, some compromise seemed possible.1 But what initially appeared to be a domestic squabble swiftly turned into a confrontation. The ministers, who had the support of a large section of educated Africans and also some popular backing, either resigned or were dismissed from Dr Banda’s government, and several months of political unrest followed. At one point, the administrative capital-Zomba-was virtually in the hands of the dissidents and in February 1965 an armed insurrection led by the leader of the ‘rebef ministers, Chipembere, came near to toppling Dr Banda. However, Chipembere was defeated and went into exile along with the other ‘rebel’ ministers and Dr Banda emerged as victor.
