Zimbabwe Marks 42 Years of Independence

April 19,2022

Zimbabwe is an important birthplace of civilization in southern Africa. In the Middle Ages, there was a civilization built by the Shona people, and there are many cultural relics left, the most important of which is the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe, the capital of which is the city of Zimbabwe. The Munhumutapa Empire grew stronger in the 11th century through trade with Muslim caravans from the Indian Ocean coast, using locally produced gold, ivory and copper and other important materials to exchange fabrics from the Persian Gulf region With glass and other products, in the 15th century, it has become the largest state in southern Africa.

 

The prosperity of the Shona civilization came to an end in the 19th century. In 1837, the Shona people were conquered by the Ndebele (Ndebele) belonging to the Zulu tribe, while the Boers (Dutch South Africans) from the UK and the south came to an end. began to gradually encroach on the area.

 

Zimbabwe Marks 42 Years of Independence

 

Colonial Period (1888-1965)

 

In 1888, British colonist Cecil Rhodes obtained mining rights in their territory from King Ndebele, then in 1889 for the British South Africa Company (British South Africa Company), and in 1895 The colonial state "Rhodesia" was officially established in 1999, which was named after Rhodes. From 1896 to 1897, the Shona and Ndebele people began to resist the British colonial rule by force, and the first liberation war of Zimbabwe broke out. About 450 white people were killed.

 

Rhodesia split in 1911 into Northern Rhodesia (today's Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia, which became a British self-governing colony in 1922, today's Zimbabwe. In 1953, despite the opposition of the African people, the United Kingdom united North and South Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi) into a federation, named the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. referred to as the Ronnie Federation).

 

Under the opposition of the people of the three places, especially Nyasaland, the federation was dissolved ten years later in 1963. Shortly after the dissolution of the Ronnie Federation, in November 1965, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, Ian Smith, unilaterally declared the country to be independent from the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and established the Southern Rhodesia State, but this declaration was not subject to the Most of the territory is recognized by the black ethnic groups controlled by Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

 

Britain, which is in charge of hosting the area, claimed that the declaration of independence was an act of rebellion and denied it, but did not actually use force to regain control.

 

National liberation and national independence (1965-1980)

 

After the failure of international mediation between 1966 and 1968, the United Kingdom asked the United Nations to impose economic sanctions on Rhodesia, but the white regime still insisted on proclaiming a republic in 1970 without any international recognition.

 

During this period of white rule, black groups in Zimbabwe have been engaged in fierce guerrilla warfare to overthrow the regime. In 1978, under the cross attack of international sanctions and the black armed movement, the white government was finally forced to sign an agreement with many black forces, including the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZAPU) and the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), to jointly promote the Appointed Methodist Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa as Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of Rhodesia in Zimbabwe. Under British supervision, black guerrilla groups were finally willing to disarm to end the civil war. In 1980, the country's first democratic elections were held, although Muzoreva had the original Rhodesian white regime and the South African government. Support, but lack of trust among the majority of the black ethnic group in the country, his transitional government did not have the chance to stay in power in the general election, but was led by Robert Mugabe and the African nation of Zimbabwe. Union (ZAPU) gains power.

 

After the successful transfer of state power to the black government, the Republic of Zimbabwe officially became an independent state on April 18, 1980. Since then, Mugabe has won multiple elections in a row and has remained in power to this day.

 

On April 18, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city, Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa (middle) lit the torch that symbolized independence at the 42nd anniversary of independence.

 

On the same day, the government of Zimbabwe held a celebration of the 42nd anniversary of independence in Bulawayo. This is the first time the country has held an Independence Day celebration outside the capital since its independence on April 18, 1980.

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