How Chief Ipumbu Met His Downfall

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 122, 19 November 1932, Page 18

How Chief Ipumbu Met His Downfall

Tanks have been used for the first time in African native warfare: Without any casualty more serious than the killing of several oxea by bombs, South Africa's.latest military expedition has been brought to a successful end.

The, object of the operations was Chief Ipumbu, who .rules the Ukuambi tribe, numbering about 8000 people, in the northern part, of Ovamboland, South-west mandated territory. Ipumbu has been looking for trouble for twenty years, and recently he got it, writes Eric Eosenthal in the "San Francisco Chronicle." I

Long before the Great War the Germans, who had South-west Africa as a colony. then, were worried about the disrespect this ruler showed to their Government. They were anxious to send, an expedition to his lair, but feared the expense.-and difficulty of a campaign. Ovamboland, where he has his kraals, is one of the wildest portions of- Africa, an area of nearly 100,000 square miles covered with thickets, forests, swift rivers, and unsubdued natives. ■

Here, among a number .of hostile potentates, Ipumbu has reigned with all the autocratic barbarism, witchcraft, death soutences, and other characteristics of jungle royalty. The nearest European settlements were nearly 400 miles away, and the black chief had rarely received a check from the South African officials," who hesitated to enter the animal-infested region. During -recent ■ years the Union, as the mandatory power for ■ South-west Africa, again and again had to report to.the League of Nations that Ipumbu was threatening the more peaceable tribes with war, refused to pay taxes, and treated the whits authorities with intolerable- contempt.

A woman was responsible for Ipumbu's downfall. Some weeks ago a member of the chief's numerous harem fled from his ill.treatment to a mission station in Ovambqland. Ipumbu declined to submit the matter to tha courts and went out with a gang of braves to drag her home, notwithstanding the warnings of Commissioner Hahn, who was almost the only representative of the Government in those parts.. The Administrator of Southwest Africa fined Ipumbu fifty head of cattle.

The chief took no notice of. the penalty. Instead he sent a challenge, to

Commissioner Hahn and the administration.

Both had long been waiting a chance to take action, for the neighbouring tribes, especially a peaceable one under the Christian Chief Martin,..had been afraid of attacks from Ipumbu's warriors. (AH Ovamboland was dis armed, in. 1916 except the Ukuambis, who refused to surrender their rifles.) The- trouble was now referred to the Government at Pretoria, which, as being responsible to the League of Nations was anxious to settle the matter without bloodshed.

Three aeroplanes and two tanks were detailed from headquarters in the Transvaal. ■ The aircraft flew across the Kalahari! desert and the tanks were.forwarded by.rail.. Only the last few. hundred miles beyond the railhead were done by road. Landing grounds had meanwhile been cleared in the bush by advance parties and plenty of petrol sent forward. All the pthei natives delightedly awaited the discomfiture of their old enemy. Unforeseen but amusing was one adventure of the tanks.- The only mishap that befell, them was an invasion of bees, which swarmed . into the armour-plated vehicles' and sent the crew scuttling to the nearest trees. Having circled round the kraals of the astonished Ukuambis (Ipumbu kept out of sight), the aeroplane commander sent a warning that, failing surrender, bombs would be dropped. There was a hurried evacuation and tns majority of the tribe took to the hills. Ipumbu, however, remained, and one or two bombs wereMropped, killing about half a dozen oxen.

Then the natives chased their chief away and laid down t their arms. Hundreds of rifles were handed to Commissioner Hahn and his police. Ipumbu himself, save for a few faithful friends, was abandoned. He tried to cross into Portuguese territory, but the Portuguese promptly turned him back.

For a few days the fugitive hid in the forest and then the police found him. Tanks and aeroplanes returned homej, Ipnmbu was taken prisoner and dethroned. He is to be exiled,. with his harem, to the other end of . the territory, 700 miles away, and the Ukuainbi tribe will henceforth be ruled by the white native commissioner. !

The campaign cost less than. £2000, and it cost no human lives.