SHONA AND NDEBELE RESISTANCE 1896 – 1897
(CHIMURENGA UPRISING)
Mashona and
Matebele resistance ( Chimurenga war)
refers to the
resistances which took
place in the
present day Zimbabwe
against the establishment
of Colonial rule.It was
a reaction organized
by the Mashona
and Matebele people against
British Colonial rule
in Zimbabwe ( Southern Rhodesia) which was represented by B.S.A.CO
The origin
of Chimurenga uprising
can be traced back
in 1890, where at
first the Whites ( British) who were under
B.S.A.CO arrived in
Mashona land. The Shona
people decided to
collaborate with the
British as they
hoped that, the British
would protect them
against their traditional
rivals, the Ndebele.
But the
matter was not
so. The Shona later
on in 1893
came to realize
that their interests
were in jeopardy
because the B.S.A.CO
started to monopolize
trade and land
in Masholand. Therefore, in
the same
year 1893, the Shona decide
to react militarily
against the British. But
this was fruitless
as the Shona
were very weak
militarily compared to the
whites.
Three years
later, In April 1896, the
Shona decided to join
with their traditional
rivals, the Ndebele to
make a joint uprising
which came to be
known as Chimurenga
uprising.
REASONS FOR THE OUTBREAK OF CHIMURENGA UPRISING
i.
Land
alienation (Expropriation). The B.S.A.CO expropriated the
Shona land without
consulting the local
chiefs. Nearly all the fertile
land in Mashona
was taken away
and given to
the whites. In other hand
the Ndebele were
turned to be squatters
on European farms. They
were required to
pay rent of
labor for the use
of land. This as a result led to the
outbreak of Chimurenga
uprising.
ii.
Forced
labor. The B.S.A.CO established policies which forced/ compelled Africans
in both Matebele land and
Mashonaland to supply
labor in whites
and mining. Labor was recruited
by armed forces
or by police
forces something which
provoked anger to
Africans hence Chimurenga
Uprising.
iii.
Trade
monopoly. The Chimurenga Uprising was also due to the British South
African Company (B.S.A.CO) which interfered and
monopolized the trade
patterns of the
Shona and Ndebele. The
Shona for long time had
established a mutual trade
relationship with the Portuguese
in which they
obtained arms and
a variety of
goods at low
price. The B.S.A.CO attempted
to stop that
trade something which
angered the Africans. Also the
Ndebele were forced by
the Company to
dispossess the gold
mining and buying
and selling from
South Africa. This also
added to the
inevitability of the Chimurenga
Uprising.
iv.
Cattle
confiscation. The
Mashona and Matebele
depended much en – cattle
rearing. The B.S.A.CO interfered
with the native
Germany as they
started to confiscate the
cattle and give to the
whites. Meanwhile, the Ndebele were
only permitted to
keep at least 40,00
cattle. Therefore, for those with
above the permitted
number, their cattle were
offered to the
volunteers or to the
B.S.A.CO. Other exceeding cattle
were dispatched to the South
Africa. This as a
result led to
the Chimurenga Uprising
because Africans were
discontent with Cattle confiscation.
v.
The
outbreak of rinderpest diseases. In 1895, there
was outbreak of
rinderpest disease which
killed many cattle
in both Matebele
and Mashona land. The
outbreak of this
epidemics was associated
with the presence
of Europeans ( White men) in
the region. Traditional
leaders said that
the Rinderpest occurred due to
the presence of the
white men, and therefore
it was a punishment
or curse from
the ancestral spirits. In
other hand, the B.S.A.CO in the
process of combating
the epidemics, ordered the people
to kill their cattle. The
decision of the
British provoked the
Africans who started organizing the
war against the British
hence Chimurenga war.
vi.
Harsh
treatment. Chimurenga uprising also was
influenced by harsh
treatment which was
practiced by the British
officials, the B.S.A.CO
administrators and also
the Native commissioners.Frequent brutal
and corporal punishment
were exercised by the
B.S.A.CO administrators and
the native commissioners
who used the “ Sjambok” a kind
of whip to punish
the Africans. The elderly
people were flagged and
killed in public, and the conditions
in the mines
were deplorable.
vii.
Transportation
policies. The British introduced
different taxes in Matebele
and Mashona land
and the collection
of tax usually
took the form
of cash payment
or grabbing cattle, goats
and grains from the
people who could
manage to pay
taxes. In 1894, Hut tax
was introduced. The Shona
and Ndebele Chiefs
regarded this measure
as a threat
as the British
government did not consult
them hence Chimurenga
war.
viii.
Payment
of low wages. Chimurenga
uprising was also
resulted from payment
of low wages to
the Africans by
the British in
both Matebele and
Mashona land.Africans were
lowly paid in
the mines and
farms compared to
the work they
were performing. Also the
environment of works
and working hours
were exploitative and
harmful hence Ndebele
and Shona Resistance.
ix.
Abolition
of the Indunas. The
British abolished the
Indunas age regiments
among the Matebele. Military towns
were outlawed and
the Ndunas were
deprived their power, importance and
position. Above all it
was embarrassing for
the British to
nominate the Shona
policemen to enforce
laws and order
in Matebele land. This
angered much the
Ndebele hence they
joined with Shona
to resist the
British.
x.
Cultural
interference. The British Missionaries disregarded the
traditions and customs of the Shona and Ndebele people. The Missionaries wanted
Africans to abandon their culture, especially ignoring their traditional
religion which was based on Mwari cult. This eventually resulted into the
outbreak of Chimurenga Uprising.
xi.
The
desire to restore the lost independence. The British interference and
colonialism in Matebele land and Mashona land created hostility and Africans
day to day were discontent with the situation.
EFFECTS OF CHIMURENGA WAR
By
1897, the whites with their new and modern weapons and tactics defeated the
Ndebele and finally the Shona. There was a cup of effects of the Chimurenga war
as follows:
i.
Death of people. The Chimurenga warriors
were taught a
bitter lesson and many of
them died during
the uprising. Many people died
and many other
were put on
trial for murder and
hanged.
ii.
The
Indunas ( retired soldiers)
in Matebele were
recognized and given
some leadership in
the new system
and paid salaries.
iii.
The
Ndebele were redistributed new
lands in the
lowlands where they
lived happily without being
interfered.
iv.
The
B.S.A.CO administration incorporated
and expropriated more
fertile land and
cattle as war
compensation. This made many
Africans to lose
fertile land and
their cattle.
v.
The
Ndebele received favors
from the whites
because they ceased
the fighting against the
British. But the Shona
in other hand
did not cease
fire during the
uprising and continued
the war. That is why
they were not
favored by the
B.S.A.CO administration.
vi.
Many
Africans adopted Christianity
due to the inability
of Mwari cult
and Mhimo cult to defeat
the white men. This
eventually resulted into
stagnation of African
culture.
vii.
The
company administration was
blamed for brutal
administration and oppression.
viii.
The
defeat of Chimurenga
war resulted into
total Colonial occupation by
the British in
both Mashona and
Matebele land. The two regions became a single country which was named
Southern Rhodesia by the British and the
Shona and Ndebele
were subjected into
divide and rule
policy.
ix.
Divide and rule policy. After defeating
the Shona and Ndebele, the
British introduced a
policy of administration called “ Divide and
Rule Policy” in Southern
Rhodesia.This was aimed
at disuniting the
Shona and Ndebele
so as to
weakening the Africans
and avoid another
uprising.
Tags
HISTORY