This week Dr Felix Muchemwa, in his book The Struggle For Land in Zimbabwe (1890 – 2010) that The Patriot is serialising says, the most widespread and most vicious attacks on European settlers came on March 25 1896 when the Amakondeni indunas and their people killed more than 20 settlers in Essexvale (Esigodini).

WHEN the First Chimurenga eventually erupted in Matabeleland in March 1896, it was with unparalled vengeance.
Primarily instigated by Mpotshwana and Manyeu Ndiweni in collaboration with Mkwati, the high priest at Ntabazikamambo, the uprising started with a war-dance by Ndebele warriors at a cattle village in Essexvale (Esigodini).
The war dancers were warriors from the indunas (Chiefs) of Godhlwayo, including Chiefs Maduna, Mahlabeni and Mafu.
The dance was remarkable for its military zeal and anger against the British South Africa Company (BSAC) Native Police deployed by the Native Commissioner on March 20 1896.
In the mêlée which ensued, a policeman and a war dancer were killed and the war dancers escaped to the Matobo Hills.
Selous realised that the uprising had been instigated predominantly by the Ndebele Zansi and Enhla, with royal involvement being evidenced by the anti-white Nyamanda, eldest son of Lobengula, who was joined on the Bembesi by Lobengula’s formidable widow, Lozikeyi, who distributed ammunition at the beginning of the rising.
Also involved were about a dozen of Lobengula’s other queens, his full brother Tshakalisa as well as Karl Khumalo, the only other son of Lobengula of fighting age and Mvelani too, Lobengula’s one-time secretary.
Selous’ hope was that the uprising would be limited to the Ndebele Zansi and Enhla and that the majority Shona and Kalanga would not join. (Selous p.26)
However, the events that unfolded completely dashed his hopes.
Virtually all the Ndebele tributary states of Venda, Birwa, Mhari, Dumbuseya, Lemba and the northern Kalanga had joined the First Chimurenga by the end of March 1896. (Cobbin 1977: pp.67-71)
They all had common grievances of land, cattle and ‘forced’ labour or ‘slavery.’
The only exceptions were Chief Faku Ndiweni, residing on the headwaters of the Khami River, as well as Gampu and his south-western Kalanga who were influenced by the Mangwe Shrine which refused to sanction the First Chimurenga. (Ranger, 1967: p.148)
The treacherous Gampu-Faku Ndiweni alliance produced a ‘collaborator’ belt south-west of Bulawayo and it was Gampu who held open the European lifeline road between Palapye and Bulawayo for the relief of the besieged Bulawayo laager. (Cobbin 1977: p.71)
Filabusi District
The large scale syndicated European settler-farms of the Essexvale (Esigodini) Estates of the Matabeleland Goldfields and Estates Company, managed by Heany and Selous in the Umzingwane River valley with over 221 000 acres or 88 000 hectares of land, 775 gold claims and 1 200 Ndebele ‘loot’ cattle were the first targets (Selous pp. 18 – 26) by the chiefs of Godhlwayo, Maduna and Mahlahleni Mafu (Lobengula’s nephews) on March 20 1896.
These were supported by Lobengula’s other nephews Ntembuzane Matshazi of Ndinana in the Insiza Valley and Manyagavula Masuku of Matshetshe on the upper Umzingwani. (Cobbin 1977: pp. 64-68)
March 23 1896
On March 23 1896 some Ndebele Zansi who included Lobengula’s brother, Fezela and the commander of the Godhlwayo regiment, Mahlahleni, killed many European settlers in and around Edkins Store, Essexvale in Filabusi District. (Selous p. 35)
Those killed at the Edkins Store were E.C. Edkins, V. Reddan and Johnston.
At Cunningham Farm, near Edkins Store, Cunningham and his family of seven; his wife, son, two daughters, a granddaughter and two grandsons were all killed.
Four hours’ walk from the Cunningham Farm was the Nelly Reef Mine belonging to the Nelly Reef Development Company which was managed by Maddocks and two mining engineers, Hocking and Hosting.
The mine was attacked and the three occupants of the mine were killed.
At the Celtic Mine in Filabusi, more settler-prospectors and miners, among them, Levers, Ottens, Welhem and White, were killed.
The Filabusi Native Commissioner, T. Bentley, was shot and killed at a nearby police camp in Essexvale on the southern boundary of Selous’ estates. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-49)
March 24 1896
On March 24 1896 Foster, Eagleson and Anderson were killed at Foster’s farm in Essexvale, less than four miles from Selous’ farm homestead. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: p.47)
March 25 1896
The most widespread and most vicious attacks on European settlers came on March 25 1896 when the Amakondeni indunas and their people killed more than 20 settlers in Essexvale. Among these, Cumming, Crawley and Woods were killed at Cumming’s Store.
Then, two miners were killed at Ancient Reef Mine.
Kock, Ayerst, Elhert and Jefferies died on one spot.
Dr and Mrs Langford met the same fate at Rixon’s farm in the Insiza Valley, Essexvale, where large numbers of cattle were taken and driven into the Matobos. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-50)
April 2 1896
Much later, on April 2 1896, the Fourie family of seven; Fourie, his wife and five children were all killed on the Tokwe River in Essexvale.
Gwibu, a nephew of Lobengula, came armed to the teeth, captured cattle from Selous’ company and neighbouring settler-estates and drove them off to the Matobo Hills.
On Gwibu’s heels, another Ndebele warrior, headman Inxonozan, well known to Selous, burnt down the Selous homestead, stables, storehouses and huts and then destroyed everything else on the farm.
He then proceeded to round up the rest of the remaining Selous’ Company and personal cattle and again drove them off to the Matobo Hills.
Many of the Ndebele cattle-herders on the estates deserted, took refuge in the hills and never came back.
Over all, by April 2 1896, more than 40 European settlers had been killed in Filabusi District alone. (Grey in The ’96 Rebellions, rpt. 1975: pp.46-50)
Belingwe (Mberengwa) District and the Matonjeni shrine
In the Belingwe District, the shrine system was a powerful factor in influencing south-eastern Matabeleland to rise during the First Chimurenga.
South of Essexvale lay the Matonjeni shrine, where Mwabeni was the resident high priest. Situated close by, on the Umzingwane River, was Umlugulu, the Khumalo high priest’s village in Essexvale.
In the turbulent days, he (Umlugulu) was recognised as one of the most powerful men in the whole Ndebele Nation and accordingly played a major role in instigating the First Chimurenga. (Ranger T.O., 1967: p.137)
Belingwe District rose en masse at the end of March in 1896 and in April 1896, it was predominantly the Dumbuseya Shona people, including the Rozvi in the district, who threatened the Belingwe Laager in military alliance with the Godhlwayo Ndebele (Cobbin 1977: pp.70-71)
Gwanda District
In Gwanda District, Lobengula’s one-time aide at the royal village, Umsolo, openly rebelled and joined the First Chimurenga in March 1896 (Ranger T.O. 1967: p.135)