User:Conversar/Ruga-Ruga

Ruga-Ruga (sometimes calles Rugaruga) were irregular troops in eastern Africa, often deployed by western colonial forces. They often served as local auxiliaries alongside the regular Askari, professional soldiers who were often hired in other regions of Africa. While the latter were trained by white Officers of the European colonial powers in Africa, the Ruga-Ruga were mostly hired from tribal warriors during times of conflict.

During World_War_I Ruga-Ruga fought alongside as well the British as the German Side in the East African Campaign. Ruga-Ruga were first mentioned as an auxilary force of Nyamwezi-chieftain Mirambo, a trader of ivory and slaves, who gathered a militia of young men without social ties. This unit comprised mostly of former slaves or porters. Later, the word Ruga-Ruga was used to denote any unit of auxillary troops in Eastern Africa.