Why did the British government recall the Zambezi expedition in 1863?

The British government recalled the Zambezi expedition in 1863 because it became evident that David Livingstone’s optimism regarding the economic and political potential of the Zambezi regions was premature.1

Despite the expedition's goal of promoting commerce and civilization to help end the slave trade, the mission faced significant challenges, including internal conflicts among the team, the inability to navigate the Zambezi River by ship, and the impracticality of finding alternative routes to Lake Nyasa. While the government viewed the expedition as a failure at the time, it ultimately contributed valuable scientific knowledge and laid the groundwork for the future establishment of the British Central Africa Protectorate.1