PROBLEMS FACED BY THE GERMANS IN IMPLEMENTING DIRECT RULE

Language problem posed a big problem because the Germans did not know the languages of the Africans among whom they were working.

Harsh climatic conditions like in some seasons, there would be too much sunshine and too much coldness in yet other seasons.
Manpower was lacking in some areas making their work very difficult.
Besides Tanganyika was a big territory that could not easily be administered by the few Germans without the Africans.

There was also lack of funds to pay the Germans who helped in the implementation of the direct rule.
The Africans did not accept to work in German projects like road construction and plantations. They, therefore, lacked labour and this was a big problem.
Thick forests acted as a big geographical barrier because they affected the movement of the German officials.
The Germans were being threatened by the presence of the British, who wanted to take control of the whole of East Africa. There was, therefore, stiff competition for colonies in East Africa.

The Belgians in Congo also were a big threat to the German colony in East Africa. They wanted to take over the whole of Africa.
The German officials lacked supplies like food, medicine and clothes for their personal use.
The Akidas and Jumbes were not effective in their leadership. They were very cruel and it made the Germans to be hated by African communities.
The Germans fought many wars of resistance against the Africans. The Hehe and the southern tribes in Tanganyika fought many wars of resistance against the Germans.
The coastal Muslims heavily opposed the Germans, right from the beginning of their administration in Tanganyika.
Tropical disease like malaria and sleeping sickness, killed many of the German officials.
Most societies in Tanganyika were decentralized and they could not provide good centres for the German administration in the interior.
Poor infrastructure also made it a big problem especially to the German officials. The roads were not properly developed hence movement was a problem.

The resignation of Otto Von Bismarck as a German Chancellor in 1890 greatly affected the German colonial administration.
During the World War I, Germany was defeated, and this put her colony in East Africa under a big threat. She lost Tanganyika to Britain through the League of Nations.