Anglo-Ndebele War

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Online notes with Çhihota

0718786253

*Anglo ndebele war 1893-94*


-a lot of issues should be included in highlighted in explaining the cause of the war
-There were long term,short term and immediate causes of the war

*Long term causes*


1 *boundary issue*

-After the arrival of the Pioneer group,settlers established a boundary under company control
-this boundary was established to divided the ndex and the shona
-Lobengula' was told not to let his warriors cross into mashonaland
-They were supposed to respect the boundary
-The ndebele king could not accept the border issue since no boundary existed before the coming
of the Whites
-Some shona leaders thought that the Whites Settler occupation meant the end of ndex raids, some
of them even stopped the payment of annual tribute e g chief Nemakonde and chivi
-This angered the ndex king hence creating conflicts between the ndebele and the whites

*Conflict over the control of the Shona*

-The question which could not be solved between the Ndebele and the settlers was to whom the
Shona belonged
- the settlers regarded the shona as their labourers who could work in their mines and farms while
the Ndebele regarded the Shona area as their raiding ground
-The Ndebele warriors Amajaya felt agitated that their raiding ground had been occupied by the
whites hence engagement in the war
-It is said that whenever the Ndebele raided the shona they left settlers with inadequate labourer
-Therefore the settlers felt insecure as long as the Ndebele people existed

: *Railway link*

-This was the conflict between the Ndebele and the Shona over the railway line
-Rhodes wanted to establish a railway line which was going to minimize cost
-The Ndebele stood in a way of the planned railway line from Salisbury to Mafeking S.A
-This communication rate was the wagon route used by traders and unfortunately passed through
Bulawayo, the Ndebele capital
-As such this route could only be used with the full permission of Lobengula and without his
approval the railway could not be established
-Rhodes wanted this way because it minimized cost to S.A
-The B.S.A.C could never get this permission since Lobengula did not want to see settlers in
Matabeleland
-therefore the settlers felt insecure as long as the ndex people existed

💰Failure by settlers to find the Second Eldorado in Mashonaland*

-The B.S.A.C and the settlers upon arriving in Mashonaland received a shock of their life and
found that the gold bearing reef in Mashonaland was poor and too expensive for them to work on
Furthermore, most of the area where gold was cheaper to find had been exhausted by the Shona
with their trading with the Portuguese
Hence the B.S.A.C turned its attention to Matabeleland (ndex capital) where they were optimistic
to find gold in abundance

*Reasons why Rhodes wanted to fight the Ndebele*

The BSAC was also attracted to the Ndebele land by large herd of cattle
If they had total control of the Matabeleland the BSAC was going to be saved from its bankruptcy
It was said that having failed to get gold in Mashonaland the value of BSAC had dropped from 3
pounds to rand shilling
It was exaggerated by rising cost of colonization , the taking over of the Ndebele's land with cattle
was expected to fit the packets of settlers who would ensure the colonisation of Zimbabwe
Rhodes also wanted prestige in personal fame

: *Immediate cause \short terms*

1, *Victoria incident*

a, *the chief Gomara\Gomala incident*


In may 1893,500 yards of telegram wire was cut by the grup of shona
The settlers asked for the culprits to be handed over and punishment or else pay fine
They chose to pay the collective fine belonged to Lobengula' which were given to them thru the
process called Kuronzera
However,they could not slaughter or trade them witht kings permission but they turned to pay fine
to whites settlers
Lobs saw this as an act of disloyal
Wen Lobengula' protested the cattle were returned hence the relationship between lobs and whites
continued to deteriorate

*Chief Bere incident*

Chief Bere store lobs cattle under the care of another another chief
Lobs decided to send an Impi to Victoria area under Mugandani to punish Bere
This impi (Zulu warriors) had the instruction not to interfere wth Europeans
The impi crossed the established boundaries hence lobs violated the boundary established by
whites
This led to the death of Umugandani
The chief Bere and Gomara incident worsened the relationship that was already in a bad shape

Course of the war*

The war started on preparation from both sides


Lobengula recalled the army of about 6000 men refused to accept the company's monthly payment
On the other side Rhodes sent 1000 armed men to defeat and destroy the Ndebele nation
The whites were also aided by 2000 Tswana ancillaries and 4000 Shona
The first battle took place at Shangani river and the Ndebele lost several warriors
The whites were dertemined to capture Lobengula capital hence on 31 October 1893 the Ndebele
made up for the night to destroy a larser that was a settler in that settlements
A fierce battle was fought but due to lack of soffisticated weapons the Ndebele were deafeted and
a lot of men
Lobengula felt the heat of the war when his three powerful regiments were destroyed
Lobengula finally abandoned this capital and set it on fire whilist on the run Lobengula pleaded
for peace with the settlers by sending a bag of gold as he retreated which never reached the
pursuers
He sent a message accepting defeat but the message never got to the settlers commander in time

*Results of the Anglo Ndebele war*

-lobs and the ndex were defeated


This is evidenced by the fact that lobs set his capital in fire
-one important result of this war was the complete colonisation of zim
In 1895 Matabeleland and Mashonaland became known as Rhodesia
The ndex lost their independence, they were driven to infertile areas of Gwai and Shangani
Under colonial adminstration,the Ndex were forced to pay a series of tax
The ndex were not allowed to elect another ndex king after the disappearance of lobs
The ndex ambutho were disarmed. They were forced to surrendere their assegais to the company
Ndex lost about 70% cattle to whites

Immediate cause

*Jameson raid of 1895*


-In 1895 there was an Anglo-Boer war in South Africa and British forces in Rhodesia were asked
to provide military assistance
-Jameson took many soldiers and only a few remained
-The Ndebele and the Shona saw this as an opportunity to fight the whites while they are few
-They were also motivated with the news that Jameson was defeated by the Boers -This was
evidenced when the Shona and the Ndebele attacking whites in several farms which sparked the
war

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