Sawaba

The Sawaba was a political party in the French overseas territory of Niger.

History

The party was founded on November 19, 1956, a day after the local elections in the Nigerien capital Niamey. The Nigerien Democratic Union ( UDN) Djibo Bakary and under the Nigerien action block (BNA ) under Georges Condat went from the elections as the second - and third-placed party behind the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN - RDA) under Hamani Diori forth. UDN and BNA merged in a surprising coup for a new socialist party under Djibo Bakary, the resulting mayor of Niamey was. The party was formed as the Niger section of the African Socialist Movement (MSA ), active in the French overseas territories in Africa United Party, and shortly afterwards assumed the name Sawaba ( Hausa for " freedom " ) to.

After the elections to the Territorial Assembly in Niger in 1957, in which the Sawaba won 41 of 60 seats, the overseas territory of Niger allowed to form their own government for the first time. The post of head of government was the French governor Paul Bordier reserved. Djibo Bakary was deputy prime minister and the ministers came ( with the exception of the non-party minister of education ) from the ranks of the Sawaba. In July 1958, the mother party MSA went on in the party of the African composite ( PRA). In the constitutional referendum in 1958, the Niger Sawaba argued for an immediate independence of Niger from France, while Hamani Dioris PPN - RDA referred for an expanded autonomy of overseas territory within the French Community position. After the referendum had gone in favor of staying in France, the Sawaba plunged into a crisis. On the one hand alternated numerous former BNA- party members for PPN - RDA, on the other hand were the sympathies of the French administration at Hamani Dioris party. The elections to the Territorial Assembly in Niger in 1958, in which the PPN - RDA ultimately received all the seats were in force when manipulated by the French administration. The Sawaba mobilized his supporters to street protests in Niamey, after which the new government party PPN - RDA reacted with repression. In July 1959, the Sawaba member party of the PRA successor organization was go party the African Federation (PFA ), but had already in September 1959 Djibo Bakary into exile. The Sawaba was banned on 12 October 1959.

In the first years after the independence of Niger in 1960 took Sawaba supporters from abroad several unsuccessful attempts, President Hamani Diori and the party system of the PPN - RDA to overthrow by force. During the democratic upheaval in the early 1990s two small parties, both of which claimed the political legacy of Sawaba emerged: the Union of the forces of the people for democracy and progress ( UDFP - Sawaba ) under the leadership of Djibo Bakary and the Democratic Union of the revolutionary forces ( UDFR - Sawaba ).