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 Form 3 History: European Invasion and the Process of Colonization of Africa

Why the Ndebele and shona were defeated.

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Answer Text:
Why the Ndebele and shona were defeated:
a) Disunity among Africans and between Shona and Ndebele. They fought on different fronts.
Even some African communities supported the British against the shona and Ndebele.
b) The Ndebele social class lacked unity of purpose. The former aristocrats fought on their own while the former
slave classes chose to even cooperate with the British.
c) British soldiers were well trained as compared to African soldiers. They also got reinforcement from Botswana and South Africa.
d) The arrest and execution of African leaders like Nehanda, Kagubi and Singinyamatse demoralized the people.
e) The British had superior weapons as compared to African inferior weapons.
f) The magic failed to protect them against the enemy bullets. Many people were killed by the British including the leaders of the Mwari cult.
g) The determination of Cecil Rhodes, who negotiated for peace with Ndebele thus ending the war.
This made the suppression of the Shona by the British easy.


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