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HARARE INSTITUTE OF ENGENDERING AND COMMERCE
National Certificate
NASS NOTES
N.B.The notes below are meant to serve as a guideline in studying the topic. You are required to research and add more information to the guidelines.
The Second Chimurenga
What was the Second Chimurenga?
This was a struggle between Africans in Southern Rhodesia, and the British who had colonised Southern Rhodesia.
The Second Chimurenga was an act by Africans of reasserting control over economic, social, and political spheres which were now under the control of the British.
Africans wanted to reimpose their influence on the space now occupied by the British.
The war began with the outbreak of the Chinhoyi Battle in 1966.
The Causes of the Second Chimurenga
There are various reasons which contributed to the outbreak of the Second Chimurenga. These reasons encompassed social, economic, and political issues.
Economic Causes
- Payment of taxes such as wife, dog, and cattle tax.
-Forced labour in mines and farms
-Land repossession
-Cattle keeping restrictions
-Need for Indigenisation
-Poor working conditions i.e. long working hours in farms and mines, low wages, lack of protective clothing, no compensation upon injury, no medical treatment upon injury at work, poor accommodation, lack of representation, and job colour bar.
-Harsh laws such as the Land Apportionment Act and the Native Land Husbandry Act which affected the Africans economically.
Social Reasons
-Lack of medical and health care
-Poverty -Inequalities in the education sector
-Poor and squalid living conditions
-Racial Segregation-Africans were viewed as sub-human, denied access to facilities used by
whites e.g. toilets, shops, and churches.
-Declaration of UDI by Ian Smith which led to sanctions being imposed by Britain. These sanctions led to a lot of suffering within the black populace in Southern Africa.
Political Reasons
-Need for political Independence
-Disenfranchisement-Africans were rated as third-rate citizens as they were restricted by
legislation. They could not take part in politics, and were not eligible to vote.
-The attainment of independence by some Africans countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Tanzania.
-The Federation which exposed a lot of unfair practises directed towards the blacks.
-The formation of political parties such as the NDP, Zanu and Zapu
-Banning of political parties
-Arrest and detention of Nationalist leaders.
Major events/highlights of the war
In 1966 seven Zanla trained combatants fought against British forces in Chinhoyi, and all the seven combatants were killed. This incident triggered the beginning of the war.
-Various clashes between Zipra, Zanla combatants and British forces ensued or occurred.
-The South African Government sent troops to help Ian Smith.
-Countries in Africa namely Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Tanzania assisted Zanu and Zapu. Other International countries such as China, Russia, and Yugoslavia also assisted the blacks in Southern Rhodesia(Describe the kind of assistance rendered by these countries)
Zanla and Zipra combatants attacked various areas controlled the whites, e.g. Altena farm attacked by Zanla combatants.
-Zanla based its operations in the rural areas, whilst Zipra concentrated in the urban areas.
-Day to day living was very difficult for the combatants, and also for the populace in general (Identify some of these difficulties or hardships) -In 1968 Ian Smith and the Harold Smith the British Prime Minister met on the British cruiser the HMS Tiger to discuss on the Southern Rhodesia issue. No agreement was reached in these talks.
-The Pearce Commission (1971/72) which led to a 50-year framework for majority rule, and an end to racial discrimination. The proposals were rejected by the Africans.
-During the war Zanu and Zapu military forces combined to fight against the white forces.
-In the early 1970s peaceful negotiations (détente exercise) were started with the support of the South African racist leader Vorster. In 1974 the Lusaka Declaration (Lusaka Unity Accord) was signed. This led to the formation of the United African National Council comprising of Zanu, Zapu, Muzorewa’s ANC and Chikerema FROLIZI.
-In 1975 Zanu leaders were arrested in Zambia, and this led to the Mgagau declaration in Tanzania. In this declaration the Zanu leaders stated that if they could not live as freeman, then they would rather die as free men.
-Henry Kissinger the American Secretary of state initiated the Geneva Talks in 1976.However Zanu and Zapu opposed the talks.
-In 1977 Ian Smith initiated the Internal Settlement, an agreement signed by Ian Smith and African leaders such as Abel Muzorewa, James Chikerema, Ndabaning Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau.The African leaders were allowed to form their own armies which would fight on the side of the Rhodesian forces. This settlement led to the appointment of Abel Muzorewa as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.
-The Lancaster House talks took place in 1979 in Britain. The talks included British government officials, Zanu and Zapu representatives, Abel Muzorewa and his ANC party, and Ian Smith and his Rhodesia Front. This led to the signing of the Lancaster House Constitution which contained various provisions and also led to the independence of Zimbabwe.
Results of the war
-It led to the end of minority rule leading to the attainment of independence by Zimbabwe.
-It led to the introduction of various reforms economic, social, and political reforms such as free primary and secondary education, free medical and health care, land distribution, and Indigenization (Research on these various reforms) -
