The Role of Peasants in the Struggle for Independence in Shinyanga: 1920s to 1961
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SAUT
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The study investigated the role played by peasants of Shinyanga during the struggle for
independence from 1920s to 1961. The study was conducted in Shinyanga. Objectively, the
study traced the historical development of peasantry in Shinyanga from 1920s to 1961; it also
investigated the mechanisms that peasants of Shinyanga used during the struggle for
independence and finally the study examined the challenges and problems that peasants of
Shinyanga faced during the struggle for independence from 1920s to 1961. In the methodological
part, the study employed a qualitative research approach to assess the people‟s attitudes; opinions
and feeling toward the role of peasants of Shinyanga in the struggle for independence from
1920s to 1961. Data were gathered from ex-cooperatives union leaders and former colonial
government leaders. Information was gathered through interview, focus group discussion,
documentary review and archival sources as the data collection methods. The information
gathered was used to present the historical development of peasantry in Shinyanga, the data also
helped to present the mechanisms used by peasants of Shinyanga during the struggle for
independence. Additionally the findings from the field helped in the discussion and finally
presentation of the challenges and problems that peasants of Shinyanga faced during struggle for
independence. The study is important as it revealed the role played by peasants during the
struggle for independence in Tanganyika, it is also important as it add value to the history body
of knowledge as it redressed the modernization theorists perceptions which ignore that the
African peasants were not the political actors. The study about the role of peasants of Shinyanga
in the struggle for independence in Shinyanga since 1920s to 1961, aimed at opening up the
rooms for others researchers who are interested in political history, therefore this study should be
the starting point to investigate the role played by peasants in other parts of the country.
Keywords
Peasants