On this day in 2000, one of the key players in securing Tanzania’s freedom from the British died. Bibi Titi Mohamed – then living as an exile in South Africa – was 74.
Together with Julius Nyerere, she pioneered her country’s independence. Many call her the mother of the nation and remember her as a heroic freedom fighter who fought for women’s equality, education and empowerment.
But others felt that she betrayed the struggle when she turned against Nyerere. She, alongside other politicians, was charged with secretly planning to stage a coup and assassinate Nyerere. They were accused of seeking help from South Africa’s apartheid regime to expel Nyerere – treason charges that she vehemently denied, but which also landed her in prison.
Here’s a look back at her complicated life. Was Bi Titi a hero or villain? Let us know.
Sources:
https://www.dw.com/en/bibi-titi-mohamed-tanzanias-mother-of-the-nation/a-52448380
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/bibi-titi-mohammed-1926-2000/