Chapter 323: The Ndebele Uprising
Constantinoo's inspection of Dodoma was not only driven by curiosity about the East African highlands but also by a desire to supervise local governance. However, he did not get to enjoy his tour of Dodoma for very long.
April 2, 1871.
A telegram from Lusaka reached Constantinoo's hands—on the Matabele Plateau, the natives had launched an uprising against the rule of the East African Kingdom.
After reading the telegram, Constantinoo's face turned grim. Gritting his teeth, he said to Siweite, "It seems we have been too lenient with the natives on the Matabele Plateau. After we quash this rebellion, we must let the local Ndebele see what true colonialism looks like!"
Generally, the East African Kingdom pays little attention to African revolts. Most natives carry extremely primitive weapons that pose little threat to East African troops; even if uprisings occur, they are usually small in scale. But the Ndebele Uprising is different. It has practically engulfed the entire Matabele Plateau (roughly all of what was Zimbabwe in a previous era). The main force behind the revolt is the Ndebele people.
The Ndebele are a branch of the Zulu. They are not originally from Zimbabwe but arrived there after 1837, subjugating the local inhabitants.
They had once lived in the Zulu Kingdom under King Shaka's general, Mzilikazi. Around 1822, while on a northern expedition, Mzilikazi clashed with Shaka and separated from him. Taking his troops, Mzilikazi went to the Transvaal, subduing the Sotho and the Tswana along the way.
In 1836–1837, under attack from the Boers, the Ndebele were forced to leave the Transvaal. Crossing the Limpopo River, they conquered the Mashona people and occupied a vast area between the Limpopo and Zambezi Rivers, establishing the Matabele Kingdom with its capital at Bulawayo.
Just like Prussia, the Ndebele rose to power by relying on their military. Their ruling class, much like Prussia's Junker nobility, consists of military aristocrats. Their social structure is arranged around military needs:
"Matshatshas," boys not yet of military age. They tend livestock and receive basic military training."Machacha," unmarried warriors. A warrior can only marry after earning merit in battle."Mantoto," married warriors."Induna," that is, military officers.
Such a social structure gives the Ndebele a strong martial spirit. Moreover, the Ndebele fought against the Boers and the Portuguese in the past, so they are not an ignorant tribe.
East Africa had managed to take control of the Matabele Plateau rather quickly because, in 1868, Mzilikazi—the Ndebele's first leader—passed away. In 1869, the entire Matabele Kingdom became chaotic, as factions struggled for the throne. Not until 1870 did Mzilikazi's son, Lobengula, inherit the throne. When the East African Kingdom invaded the Matabele Plateau, the Ndebele were already greatly weakened.
Constantinoo said, "Siweite, since you're here, how do you think we should put down this large-scale revolt?"
As Chief of the General Staff for the East African Army, Siweite analyzed, "Your Majesty, the troops we can dispatch at this moment are chiefly the border forces stationed in Southern Salzburg Province by Lake Malawi. We cannot freely move the forces in Zambia, and the troops on the Matabele Plateau are mostly guarding the borders with the Transvaal and Mozambique. Because of communication delays, they might not even know about the uprising yet, and being on border duty, they dare not act rashly."
Because Zambia is in the interior of East Africa, its forces are not that strong—mainly militia, enough only to keep local natives in check. Deploying them elsewhere could invite chaos, perhaps undermining stability in Zambia.
East African rule in Zambia is very strict, relying on forceful suppression and using the East African highlands as a secure rear base. The kingdom is not worried about the local tribes resisting, as it can send troops from the highlands to help at any time.
Zimbabwe, however, is governed differently—through a looser policy that grants the local tribal rulers considerable authority, hoping for temporary stability. The plan was to thoroughly assimilate Zambia first, then later transform Zimbabwe.
Now it seems that loose rule was a failure. Constantinoo is furious because the Ndebele revolt has embarrassed him: in territories under strong control, the natives remain weak, but where the East African Kingdom showed a gentler face, they have given no respect. This is the old story of refusing the wine of courtesy and demanding the wine of punishment.
Siweite went on, "Our troops by Lake Malawi are there to guard against the Portuguese. They have some of our best equipment and greatest mobility. If they head south to the Matabele Plateau in time, they can swiftly suppress the rebellion. Once communications improve, the border troops on the plateau can also coordinate in quashing the revolt."
The Ndebele rebellion erupted almost instantly because they still have a centralized authority—King Lobengula, who likely has now consolidated the kingdom's internal factions. Meanwhile, East Africa's forces on the plateau are stuck at the Mozambique and Transvaal borders, leaving the interior less guarded, which gave Lobengula his chance.
Lobengula is quite a capable ruler. Historically, after coming to power, he continued strengthening the Matabele Kingdom's military system, emphasized building the army, recruited new soldiers from conquered peoples, followed Zulu military training methods, and purchased modern firearms to increase his troops' combat power. He also encouraged intermarriage between his people and other tribes, preserving the original social structures of conquered areas.
In this alternate timeline, the rise of the East African Kingdom disrupted his plans. Even so, Lobengula has shown his abilities and remains highly respected by the Ndebele.
He is also the first native in East Africa to mount such a large, organized, and deliberate rebellion. Constantinoo has never seen such a thing before. But Constantinoo has already decided that this man cannot be allowed to remain. The big Ndebele uprising has reminded him of how the Principality of Hechingen was ultimately merged into Prussia through a popular revolt.
Constantinoo said, "Siweite, you will personally handle the pacification. I have the following demands, so pay attention. First, we must capture Lobengula, the terrorist. Bring him back alive or dead. Second, after the war, all Ndebele are to be arrested. I want them all turned into slaves. Third, all persistent resisters are to be executed on the spot. And lastly, no more allowing local tribes to join forces. We'll separate them by region so we can rule them individually."
Having made up his mind, Constantinoo plans to seize the entire Ndebele people and force them to labor for ten years digging canals in eastern East Africa, teaching them the consequences of angering the kingdom.
The Ndebele uprising has also served as a warning: never again let a tribal power form a central authority. The East African Kingdom will begin dismantling all native central governments in its territory to prevent another Ndebele-style revolt.
To the East African government, the Ndebele uprising is a large-scale rebellion, the first time East Africa has faced a native revolt that is both organized and premeditated. They must deliver a crushing response.
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on February 2, 2026.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10