A Central African religious movement with roots in anti-colonial sentiment and millenarian visions, deeply influenced by early 20th-century Christian missionary work.
The Kitawala movement, originating in the early 20th century, represents a significant religious and social phenomenon in Central Africa, intertwining with the region’s complex history of colonialism, resistance, and cultural exchange. This movement, initially influenced by the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (then known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society), emerged as a powerful force of religious and political expression among the African populations under colonial rule.
Origins and Spread
Kitawala’s inception can be traced back to 1908, when Elliot Kamwana Chirwa, upon his return to his native Malawi, began disseminating the teachings he had encountered in South Africa related to the Watchtower Society. The movement’s name, Kitawala, is derived from an Africanization of “tower,” pointing to its foundational ties with the Watchtower Society. Kamwana’s preaching, laden with millenarian and anti-colonial themes, quickly garnered attention, leading to his arrest and deportation. Despite this, his followers continued to spread the movement’s message, expanding its reach into Zambia, where it gained significant traction in the 1920s, and further into Zaïre and southern Tanzania.
The British missionary Joseph Booth and African student Elliott Kenan Kamwana were pivotal figures in the movement’s early development. Booth, a freelance missionary advocating for many new Christian groups, and Kamwana, his protégé, were instrumental in adapting and preaching the movement’s core messages. Their teachings, influenced by American preacher Charles Taze Russell, critiqued established church and government structures, prophesying their elimination with the return of Christ. This message was particularly resonant in the colonial context, offering a vision of liberation from British rule.
Colonial Interactions and Resistance
Kitawala not only functioned as a religious movement but also as a form of resistance against colonial oppression. Its pastors prophesied a millennial event that would mark the end of foreign rule and exploitation. This aspect of Kitawala’s doctrine often put it at odds with both African and European power structures, marking it as a thorn in the side of the colonial administration. In response to growing anti-colonial sentiments and the emergence of nationalist movements across Africa, Belgian colonial officials in the Congo attempted a strategic approach to the Kitawala challenge in the 1950s. They aimed to co-opt the movement through developmental programs, while also repressing those Kitawalists who continued to critique Belgian rule vigorously. This nuanced approach reflected a broader strategy of “developmental colonialism,” seeking to expand imperial resources and re-legitimize colonial authority in the face of mounting opposition.
image via Semantic Scholar
