Direct Rule in Tanganyika

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Direct Rule in Tanganyika The Germans ruled Tanganyika till the end of the First World War in 1918; they applied direct rule. Under this administrative system, Africans were ruled by the colonialists without the support of the local rulers.
The traditional chiefs lost their positions and power to the chiefs newly elected by the colonialists. These newly appointed chiefs were known as Akidas and Jumbes.
However, the Akidas and Jumbes were harsh, cruel, and oppressive which made them unpopular among the locals.
The Governor was the head of the colony.
He was stationed in Dar-es-Salaam, and was a soldier. The Governor had absolute power and authority, and he was directly answerable to the Colonial Minister in Berlin.
He was assisted by a Governor’s Council, consisting of officials and non-officials. The Germans divided Tanganyika into districts for efficient administration. By 1914, there were twenty-four districts in Tanganyika.
The Germans thought that using direct rule was the only way they could effectively occupy and control Tanganyika. They also thought that it would promote their superior culture, dominate the Africans, thoroughly exploit their resources, and effectively introduce their economic policies.