CHRONOLOGY OF
1896 MATABELE REBELLION / THE FIRST CHIMURENGA
(continued)
It is becoming more and more obvious to the MRF (and to Cecil Rhodes, whose British South Africa Company was footing the bill), that the rebellion will be extremely difficult and costly to settle by force of arms. Carrington insists that he would require another 5 000 European troops if he is to continue the campaign, and have any hope of defeating the AmaNdebele.
Aug 11-20 Representations are made by Cecil Rhodes to the rebels to hold an indaba (or peace conference) to settle their differences.
Aug 21 Rhodes conducts the first Indaba near the Tshingengoma battlesite.
Aug 28 The second indaba is held 1 mile from Fort Usher No. 3, at the foot of Usher’s Kop (now called by the local inhabitants Lahlamkonto “The place where the spears were laid down”).
Sep The final indaba’s are held and a peace that would last for the next
70 years is finally sealed. The AmaNdebele rebellion is over.
Sep However, the Mashona rebellion has only just started. After the action at Intaba-zi-ka-mambo, Mkwati Ncube, one of the main instigators of the rebellion, escapes. Mkwati Ncube, not Ndebele but Kalanga, was one of the oracles of the Mlimo, the Kalanga deity.
The Mashona rebellion drags on until the end of the following year, and finishes only when the ringleaders1 are captured and executed.
GIANTS' PLAYTHINGS
Specimens of fantastic granite rocks seen in Matabeleland and Mashonaland.
Drawings of rocks seen by Baden-Powell - any person who can identify the location of these is invited to communtcate with the writer....
1Ironically, Mkwati Ncube was killed by his own followers at Umvukwes, ostensibly as they did not wish for further fighting.
|
