What were the causes of the maji maji rebellion?

The maji maji was an African rebellion against the German colonial rule and took place in southern Tanganyika

Its name was coined from a Swahili phrase maji maji meaning magic water.the magic water was got from river rufigi by a medicine man bolero kinjikitile ngwale of ngarambe

It was then mixed with herbs millet and sourghum flour and would be sprinkled on the bodies of prospective fighters to give them courage and immunity against German bullets

The rebellion included a cross section of tribes in southern Tanganyika like the zaramo wangido pogoro bena matumbi mbuga etc

In July 1905 the rebellion began to the  surprise of the Germans and kinjikitile going on up to 1907

It was the most serious and worst rebellion in east Africa.

The unpopular cotton scheme is what sparked off the rebellion .people in southern Tanganyika were forced to grow cotton by the governors directive of 1902 but the soils were not good and thus the yields poor

The poor pay received by farmers from the sale of cotton worsened the situation it could not support the workers with their families this annoyed the Africans and forced them to rise up against German rule

Forced labour on the government farms and public works like the roads railway and building construction also forced Africans to rebel

The harsh treatment of Africans working on European farms also angered the Africans they always worked for long hours under poor working conditions but with little pay

The heavy taxation from the Africans imposed by the German with cruel methods of collecting tax all these annoyed the Africans

The rebellion was a struggle to gain back their independence that had been taken off by the German and Africans hated being subjects to foreigners

Loss of land some of the Africans had lost land to the German settlers forcing them to move remote areas and unfavorable land and all the fertile land was taken away

Disrespect for African cultures and customs also engaged Africans. The German were encouraging Christianity and attacked African ways calling them satanic .they therefore started burning down shrines  which didn't amuse the Africans

The German were also promoting western education yet the Africans were comfortable with their girls and boys at home helping them with domestic work and hunting respectively

The Africans balamed the akidas and the jumbes of raping their wives and daughters

The Germans allowed their dogs to enter mosques and to the Muslims this was arrogance that had to be fought

The mail administration of the Germans was unbearable because it was very harsh and brutal to the Africans forcing them to rebel

The replacement of traditional rulers with the akidas and jumbes also annoyed Africans.the akidas and jumbes were harsh brutal and corrupt and thus made the German rule unpopular

The Germans and their mercenaries also lacked respect for local cheifs and traditional leaders.they were publicly flogged and punished by the akidas and the jumbes.

Kinjikitiles religious propaganda that magic water would imunise the fighter against the German bullets also inspires people to rebel

The rebellion was also caused by the struggle to control the trade .the German had edged out African middlemen in trade yet this was the source of their livelihood. This resulted into conflicts that finally brewed into a rebellion

The ngoni had a personal grievance against the Germans they wanted to revenge on the the German for murdering their tribe mates during the boma massacres of 1897