First Chimurenga prisoners

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: The First Chimurenga: Why were the Ndebele and Shona Defeated?

  • There were an estimate 188 injuries and 450 deaths among Europeans and 8000 deaths among Africans
  • They were defeated because they had inferior weapons
  • The whites had dynamites, maxim guns and powders whilst the Africans has bows, arrows and spears
  • The Africans army was not effectively organized as compared to the BSAC forces.
  • The BSAC forces were one force divided into units whilst for Africans, the Ndebele and Shona fought the greater part of the war divided
  • When the Africans joined forces, they did not establish national or regional army leading to their defeat
  • Some Africans were not interested in war as they stayed away or helped the whites
  • The Africans lacked effective battle strategies and relied on false prophecies by religious leaders
  • The Europeans used scorched earth policy and many Africans were affected by hunger and thirst
  • The White were receiving aid from Britain, Botswana and South Africa

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