A shekara ta 1953, an kafa Tarayyar Rhodesia da Nyasaland tare da Arewacin Rhodesia, Kudancin Rhodesia da Nyasaland (yanzu Malawi) a matsayin yanki mai cin gashin kanta. An yi wannan ne duk da adawa da ƙananan 'yan tsirarun jama'a, waɗanda suka nuna adawa da shi a cikin 1960-61. Arewacin Rhodesia shine cibiyar yawancin rikice-rikice da rikice-rikicen da ke nuna tarayyar a cikin shekarun da suka gabata. Da farko, Jam'iyyar African National Congress (ANC) ta Harry Nkumbula ta jagoranci yakin neman zabe, wanda daga baya Kenneth Kaunda na United National Independence Party (UNIP) ya dauka. Tambaya: Me ake kira Nyasaland a halin yanzu?
Ƙasar Malawi