Attempting to Assert African Agency: Kenneth Kaunda, the Nixon Administration, and Southern Africa, 1968–1973

Abstract

After three frustrating years of fruitless efforts to convince the United Kingdom (UK) to end the conflict in Rhodesia, Zambian leader Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party (UNIP) embarked on a different foreign relations course in late 1968 which lasted through the end of 1973. During this five-year span, Kaunda and his UNIP colleagues attempted to assert African agency in order to build an international alliance which would apply diplomatic and economic pressure for peace and justice in southern Africa. Kaunda felt emboldened to pursue a high-profile diplomatic agenda through active participation in multilateral organisations such as the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). An important aspect of Kaunda’s alliance-building strategy was seeking support from the administration of Richard Nixon in the United States of America (USA). From 1968 to 1973, Kenneth Kaunda launched a diplomatic offensive in hopes of asserting African agency and attaining top-level participation by the USA in a broad alliance to promote peace and racial equality in southern Africa; however, Richard Nixon did not share Kaunda’s priorities regarding southern Africa nor his faith in international organisations and rejected his efforts out of hand.