Zambia

The struggle

Northern Rhodesia's Copperbelt created both colonial wealth and the mineworkers' unions that drove nationalism, with major strikes from 1935. Opposition to the Central African Federation, and Kaunda's campaign of civil disobedience, forced Britain to concede. Zambia became independent on 24 October 1964 and then hosted liberation movements from across southern Africa at heavy economic cost.

Key people

• Kenneth Kaunda

  1924–2021

  Led UNIP; first president

• Harry Nkumbula

  1916–1983

  Led the African National Congress against federation

• Julia Chikamoneka

  1910–1986

  Led the women's protest that confronted the colonial secretary