Moha Ou Hammou Zayani (1863-1921), Moroccan Anti colonial and charismatic tribal Amazigh-Berber leader, born in 1863 in the Middle Atlas Mountains. His full name is Muhammad Ou Hammou ait Aqqa ait Ahmad. As the French military forces began to extend their colonial reach into interior plains, Moha began his resistance movement against the French occupation in Morocco. His campaign against the French was expanded to include the French stations between Rabat and Meknes.
The french colonial authorities were not able to limit the extent of the Zayan resistance until Genral Lyauty made the Middle Atlas Mountains a French Military priority on 1914. Lyautey realized that Moha and his Zayan fighters constituted a danger to his military lines and commanded his forces to end the Amazigh resistance around the right bank of Oum Rbia River. Despite all that, Zayan’s under Moha’s leadership managed the resistance very well, he surrounded the French army who were retreating back to Khenifra, killing many officers, soldiers and captured many French artillery equipements at what would be know as the Battle of El Herri.
Despite the limited fighters and the harsh winter snow in the Atlas Mountains Moha continued to resist the French presence until it was killed on March 27, 1921, he was buried at ben cherro near Tamalakt, where a mausoleum and mosque were built around his tomb. Moha Ouhammou is among many Amazigh-Berber leaders such as Abdelkrim el khattabi and Assou Basslam who led their tribal against French and Spanish colonial during early 1900. [ads2]
