First Chimurenga
A revolt by Matabele and Shona against British South Africa Company rule.
The First Chimurenga, sometimes conflated with the Second Matabele War, was fought between 1896 and 1897 in the region that later became Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The conflict was initially between the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and the Matabele people, later expanding to include the Shona people in the rest of Southern Rhodesia. In March 1896, the Matabele revolted against the authority of the BSAC. The Mlimo (or M'limo, or Umlimo), a spiritual figure or oracle associated with the Ndebele (Matabele) people, was credited with fomenting much of the anger that led to this confrontation. According to contemporary accounts, the Mlimo convinced the Matabele and the Shona that the settlers (almost 4,000 strong by then) were responsible for the drought, locust plagues and the cattle disease rinderpest ravaging the country at the time.
- Conflict
- First Chimurenga
- Years
- 1896–1897
- Location
- Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
- Belligerents
- Matabele and Shona peoples vs. British South Africa Company
- Spiritual Leader
- Mlimo (M'limo or Umlimo) — a spiritual figure or oracle
- Key Figure (BSAC)
- Leander Starr Jameson
- Outcome
- BSAC suppression of the uprising
Lore & Background
The Mlimo planned to wait until the night of 29 March, the first full moon, to take Bulawayo by surprise immediately after a ceremony called the Big Dance. According to widespread belief among the rebels, the Mlimo promised through his priests that if the Matabele went to war, the bullets of the settlers would change to water and their cannon shells would become eggs. His plan was to kill all of the settlers in Bulawayo first, but not to destroy the town itself as it would serve again as the royal kraal for the newly reincarnated King Lobengula. The rebellion started prematurely on 20 March when Matabele rebels shot and stabbed a native policeman. By 24 March, nearly 2,000 Matabele warriors began the rebellion in earnest. Within a week, 141 settlers were slain in Matabeleland, another 103 killed in Mashonaland, and hundreds of homes, ranches and mines were burned. At the Insiza River, it has been recorded that Mrs. Fourie and her six small children were found mutilated beyond recognition on their farmstead. Two young women of the Ross family living nearby were similarly killed in their newly built home. Crucially, the rebels cut the telegraph line connecting Bulawayo to Mafeking around 23–24 March 1896, isolating Bulawayo for several weeks until it could be repaired.
Reader's Guide
The First Chimurenga is significant as a major anti-colonial uprising in southern Africa. The Mlimo's call to battle was well-timed because only a few months earlier, the British South Africa Company's Administrator General for Matabeleland, Leander Starr Jameson, had sent most of his troops and armaments to fight the Transvaal Republic in the ill-fated Jameson Raid, leaving the country nearly defenceless. The settlers quickly built a laager of sandbagged wagons in the centre of Bulawayo and mounted patrols called the Bulawayo Field Force under such figures as Selous and Frederick Russell Burnham. Within the first week of fighting, 20 men of the Bulawayo Field Force were killed and another 50 were wounded. The Matabele made one critical error: they neglected to cut the telegraph lines connecting Bulawayo to Mafeking. Late in May, relief columns appeared near Bulawayo. With the siege broken, an estimated 50,000 Matabele retreated into the Matobo Hills. By June, the Shona joined the fighting on the side of the Matabele. The war raged on until October of the following year.
Did You Know?
- According to rebel belief, the Mlimo promised that if the Matabele went to war, the bullets of the settlers would change to water and their cannon shells would become eggs.
- The rebellion started prematurely on 20 March 1896 when Matabele rebels shot and stabbed a native policeman.
- Within a week of the rebellion, 141 settlers were slain in Matabeleland and another 103 killed in Mashonaland.
- The telegraph line connecting Bulawayo to Mafeking was cut by rebels early in the uprising (around 23–24 March 1896), isolating Bulawayo for several weeks.
- Burnham shot the Mlimo just below the heart inside a sacred cave in the Matobo Hills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the First Chimurenga?
The First Chimurenga was an armed uprising by the Matabele and Shona peoples against the colonial administration of the British South Africa Company in the territory now known as Zimbabwe. It is occasionally conflated with the broader Second Matabele War.
When and where did the First Chimurenga take place?
The conflict unfolded between 1896 and 1897 across Southern Rhodesia, the colonial name for the region that would later become the independent nation of Zimbabwe.
Who were the main belligerents in the First Chimurenga?
The Matabele and Shona peoples fought against the British South Africa Company, which had governed the territory under a royal charter. Leander Starr Jameson was a prominent figure on the BSAC side during the suppression of the revolt.
What role did the Mlimo play in sparking the First Chimurenga?
The Mlimo, a spiritual oracle figure among the Ndebele (Matabele) people, is widely credited with stirring the anger and resolve that ignited the March 1896 uprising. His spiritual authority helped galvanize the initial Matabele revolt against BSAC rule before the conflict spread to the Shona regions.
How does the story of the First Chimurenga end?
The BSAC forces suppressed the uprising by 1897, reasserting colonial control over the territory. Despite its military defeat, the revolt is remembered as a foundational act of resistance in Zimbabwe's long path toward independence.
More in African Wars Of Independence 1-19
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