The First Chimurenga broke out at a time when Jameson had mobilised most European settler-forces and taken them south for the raid against the Kruger Government in the Transvaal, South Africa, writes Dr Felix Muchemwa in his book The Struggle For Land in Zimbabwe (1890 – 2010) that The Patriot is serialising.

Northern Matabeleland districts

FROM the south, Chimurenga flames gutted the northern parts of Matabeleland, in particular Inyati, Shangani and Gwelo (Gweru) districts.
It was in these districts, including Bubi and Mbembesi, where the native commissioner, Graham the ‘Bully’ of Inyati, supported by the Matabeleland Mounted Police (MMP), had become notorious for launching early dawn raids into Ndebele villages in search of young African males for ‘forced’ labour on European settler-farms and mines.
Some districts including Bubi District around Inyati had become deserted and de-populated due to the intensity of the dawn raids.
Many young African males had trekked north, far away from Inyati to become refugees in their own country.
Ntabazikamambo Shrine
Meanwhile, very close to Graham the Bully’s administrative camp at Inyati, Mkwati had turned Ntabazikamambo into the dominant Mwari shrine from which he initiated the Inyati uprisings in close liaison with other spirit mediums, in particular, Siginyamatshe, a prominent Mwari messenger who lived close to Bulawayo.
At the end of the war, the judge who tried Siginyamatshe believed that if it had not been for the Mwari messenger (Siginyamatshe), many Ndebele people around Bulawayo would not have risen during the First Chimurenga. (Ranger T.O. 1967: p.157)
The spirit mediums at the Ntabazikamambo, including Tengela, Mkwati’s wife, worked in close collaboration with Mpotshwana and his Nyamandlovu regiment, Mtini and his Ngnoba regiment, Nkomo and his Jingeni forces.
Mtini was also the overall commander of the northern First Chimurenga forces. The royal family led by Nyamanda also collaborated with Mkwati and the northern forces. (Ranger T.O., 1967: p.229)
Mkwati and his formidable allies exercised a powerful influence on the predominantly Shona people of the north and north-eastern Matabeleland, that is, the Shona tributary states around Amaveni, Lower Gwelo (Gweru), Gwelo (Gweru) and Selukwe (Shurugwi), to contribute to the Chimurenga forces under the overall command of Makumbi.
The men who formed Mkwati’s personal bodyguard, largely from the Rozvi of the Inyati area, were remarkable for the fanaticism with which they upheld the cause of the First Chimurenga. (Ranger T.O., 1967: p.154)
Midlands
In the same Amaveni, Lower Gwelo, Gwelo and Selukwe districts, Uwini was one of the most influential Rozvi chiefs to be influenced by Mkwati.
In March 1896, the chief instigated the Shona people of the Midlands to rise and deployed his own warriors to kill European settlers in these districts. (Ranger T.O. 1967: 154)
The first settlers were killed on March 25 1896 and they were Fitzpatrick, the land surveyor, and Durden who were caught in the outlying areas of Lower Gwelo District, possibly busy surveying land for European settlers.
At Hammond’s Mine in the Amaveni District, miners like Bowen and Van der Blerk had little chance of escape.
Also killed were Hammond, the owner of the mine and two engineers, Palmer and Johnson and by the end of March 1896, nearly 20 miners, farmers and mining prospectors lay dead in the Lower Gwelo, Amaveni, Gwelo and Selukwe districts. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-50)
Inyati District
In the north, the First Chimurenga broke out with the killing of a land surveyor, Edwards, around Inyati.
His body was found on March 25 1896 and, it was literally mutilated in a manner that registered the deep anger and resentment which Africans held against European-settler land-grabbing in Inyati District.
The major targets were of course, Native Commissioner Graham the ‘Bully’ of Inyati and his MMP. (Ranger T.O., 1967: p.266)
Mtini, the induna of Inyati and his Ngnoba regiment, hunted day and night for Graham and eventually caught up with him on March 26 1896.
The ‘bully’s’ attempt to escape from the Inyati administrative buildings was unsuccessful and he got killed together with an MMP sub-inspector, Handley and three other MMPs, Case, Corke and Hufford.
The lives of the nearby missionaries at Inyati Mission station were deliberately spared.
But, other farmers in the outlying areas of Inyati did not have similar luck.
At the West brothers’ farm, the three West brothers and their three colleagues, Osthuissen, White and Bolton had little chance of escape and all six were killed by Mtini’s warriors.
By the end of March 1896, more than 15 European settlers lay dead in the Inyati District (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-49) and, there is no doubt the high priest Mkwati was deeply involved in the killings. (Ranger T.O., 1967: 156)
Shangani District
Mkwati’s influence further extended to the Shangani District.
The first European settlers to be killed in the Shangani District were cattle inspectors in the countryside on March 25 in 1896.
Two more cattle inspectors lay dead by March 30 1896.
On March 30 1896, a farmer, Bartelsen and his family of six, were attacked and killed on the farm on the Shangani River, 12 miles north of Bulawayo along the Hartley Road. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: p.46)
Nyamandlovu
In the Mahlokohloko – Nyamandlovu area, Mpotshwana, Matshliwa and Mvelani, the regimental commanders close to Nyamanda, sent out patrols in search of European settlers and by April 2, more than 12 mining prospectors and a few farmers had been killed in the Gwai, Bubi and Bembesi Districts. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: p.46)
White settler counter-offensive
The First Chimurenga broke out at a time when Jameson had mobilised most European settler-forces and taken them south for the raid against the Kruger Government in the Transvaal, South Africa. (Palmer 1977: p.55)
The widespread attacks therefore shocked the European settlers whose initial reaction was that of trying to save as many lives as possible in the outlying districts of Insiza, Umzingwane, Gwelo, Bembesi and Inyati.
The first reaction was concentrated to the south, in Insiza, Essexvale (Esigodini), and Gwanda where, by March 27 1896, more than 40 European settlers lay dead in Filabusi District alone and many more settler-lives were still in danger. (Grey Report. pp 46 – 50).
The strategy was to draw all European settlers still alive into laagers at Filabusi, Belingwe and Gwanda and to search and destroy all Chimurenga warrior positions in those districts. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-50)
The first target was Malungwani Hills in Essexvale where a large force of Chimurenga warriors had assembled.
On March 25 1896, Captain Selous went there on a forced reconnaissance with a force of 35 men, but was forced to retreat under heavy fire.
A 44-man reinforcement force under Captain Gifford then arrived on March 28 1896 and took positions around Cumming’s Store where many civilian European settlers had been killed.
But, many Ndebele people had already taken refuge there and it was heavily defended by Chimurenga warriors such that after all-night fighting in which the settlers suffered heavy casualties, Captain Gifford was forced into an early morning retreat back to Bulawayo on March 29. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: p.23)
In the meantime, many First Chimurenga warriors in the Filabusi District were making a strategic retreat into Matopo Hills, taking along with them a large number of cattle.