A history of labour migration in Kasulu district Tanzania, 1928-1960.

The study deals with labour migration in Kasulu District for the period 1928 -1960. It examines the causes and effect of labour migration in Kasulu District as well as the methods employed in obtaining this labour. The study, however, does not deal exclusively with Kasulu District, the oral information and the archival material focus on both Kasulu and Kibondo District generally referred to as Buha. In certain aspect particularly the agricultural side, Kigoma District is also touched. Kigoma region is universally acknowledged to have been backward and under-developed during colonial rule. All Tanzanians believe this and historians such as J. Iliffe, J. Wayne and G.C.K. Gwassa, have pointed out some aspects of backwardness in the region. But the recent works on the area have not just emphasised backwardness and under development they have also pointed out that this was the consequence of colonialism. The old analysis of development in Africa would suggest development whenever there was mining, trade, cash crop production and wherever there were settlers. Indeed even labour migration originally was considered as a sign of development since this labour was often used for economic production in European owned enterprises. But according to the modern criteria of development Kigoma was part of the underdevelopment of the whole of Tanzania. The capitalistic colonial system prevented Tanzania and other colonised countries from making any significant progress in controlling their own environment in their own interest.