Early Peasant Struggles through Associations, Unions and Societies (1900-49)

Rhodesian Infantry in the 1900

Petitions

• After the defeat and silencing of national movements in the late 1890s,
• some leaders continued to gain their land back
• Nyamanda, the oldest son of Lobengula led the movement in Matebeleland and wanted a home for his people
• In Mashonaland a similar movement called the Matthew Zvimba movement also tried to gain the land back
• The two groups appealed to the British government to consider the land issue through petitions and correspondence
• However the movements did not achieve anything out of all their effort as the government ignored their petitions and concentrated on ending the BSAC rule and setting up of the Responsible Government
• The government formed the Responsible Government and although they remained responsible for the affairs of Africans on paper
• The Africans however did not like this as on the ground, the settlers abused them

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