Our latest “Document of the Week”, chosen by our Editor, Nishah Malik, comes from the Nyasaland Government Gazette. Dated 31 January 1911, the article provides insight into colonial-era public health policies, specifically regarding the containment of sleeping sickness (Human Trypanosomiasis) in North-Eastern Rhodesia, a British-controlled territory in present-day Zambia.
On 15 December 1910, the British South Africa Company declared part of North-Eastern Rhodesia an infected area under the Epidemic and Contagious Diseases Regulations of 1907. Sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease transmitted by tsetse flies, was first reported in the region in 1908. Characterised by the deterioration of the central nervous system, it was a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa, leading colonial governments to enforce strict health regulations.
This document outlines the British government’s creation of a sleeping sickness area. The piece details the restriction of movement in and out of the affected zone, stating that “no person shall leave the road for a greater distance than 50 yards on either side of it [the line]”. Permits, outlining the individual’s name, travel route, and timings, were required for entry and exit. Individuals also had to provide medical certification proving they were symptom free if they wished to travel beyond Fort Jameson.
This document reveals how British colonial health policies controlled indigenous populations. Europeans could obtain permits freely, while natives needed medical proof of being symptom-free to travel. This policy underscores how health regulations were used as a tool of racialised governance and how they reinforced colonial hierarchies.
Parallels can be drawn between these measures and modern public health responses, such as the COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions. The requirement for medical certification before travel is reminiscent of the vaccine mandates and PCR test requirements. This document is important in helping us to understand the legacy of colonial public health policies and how they continue to shape global health governance today.
Where to find this document
This document is part of our collection, Colonial Law in Africa, 1808–1919, which features official periodicals published by British governments in ten African countries between 1808 and 1919. Sourced from British Foreign & Commonwealth Office files at The National Archives (UK), it provides valuable insights into Britain's imperial projects across Africa. The collection includes gazettes from Kenya, Lagos (Nigeria), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Nyasaland (Malawi), Sierra Leone, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), The Gambia, Gold Coast (Ghana), Uganda, and Zanzibar (Tanzania).