THE Mthwakazi Republic Party has written to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland demanding an apology over the colonisation of Matabeleland by the British South Africa Company’s (BSAC).
In 1889, the British Crown granted a Royal Charter to Cecil John Rhodes’ BSAC, empowering it to acquire and administer territories between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers.
Under this authority, the BSAC invaded the Ndebele Kingdom in 1893, resulting in the defeat of King Lobengula’s forces, the destruction of the monarchy, and the annexation of Matabeleland to British dominion.
Though the BSAC acted as a commercial entity, it did so expressly under the authority of the Crown.
In the letter, MRP leader Mqondiso Moyo said the invasion and subsequent colonisation of the Ndebele Kingdom by the BSAC set in motion a series of profound and enduring consequences for the Ndebele nation.
“The acts of the BSAC under Royal Charter were executed with Crown authority and, therefore, fall within the realm of acts for which the United Kingdom bears continuing historical responsibility,” Moyo wrote in the letter dated October 7.
“The principles of state responsibility under international law, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2007), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights all affirm the rights of peoples to redress for historical dispossession and to freely determine their political and social development.
The letter is copied to the United Kingdom Prime minister, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of Commons, Privy Council Office, attorney general for England and Wales and the secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
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Moyo demanded a public apology as well as restorative compensation for the invasion of Matabeleland.
“Provide an official clarification of the legal authority and Crown role in the BSAC conquest and annexation of Matabeleland,” the letter read.
“Acknowledge and publicly recognize the injustices committed under British authority against the Ndebele people.
“Facilitate a dialogue process involving the British government, the people of Matabeleland, and the government of Zimbabwe to address issues of historical justice, land restitution, and cultural restoration.”
It added: “Support restorative measures, including heritage preservation, educational assistance, and development cooperation aimed at rebuilding Matabeleland’s socio-economic base.
“Issue a formal public apology, recorded in both the UK and Zimbabwean national archives.”
