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John Chilembwe
Baptist minister who led the first uprising against colonial rule in Nyasaland
The pastor who said 'let us strike a blow and die' — and became Malawi's first national hero.
The rise
Educated by Scottish missionaries and at an African American seminary in Virginia, Chilembwe returned to Nyasaland to build churches and schools. Outraged by the conscription of Africans to fight in World War I for a colonial power, he led an armed uprising in January 1915. It was quickly suppressed and he was killed, but he became the founding symbol of Malawian nationalism.
What they did
The full picture
Why it matters
What citizens said
Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021–2023) — Malawi
Trust in president27%
Trust in parliament33%
Trust in courts62%
% who say 'trust somewhat' or 'trust a lot' · Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 891