1. EXAMINE THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF MFECANE IN EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

1. EXAMINE THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF MFECANE IN EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

Approach
• Mfecane’s background.
• Examine the causes.
• Show the effects both positive and negative
• Conclude.
Background
Mfecane was a Ngoni word used to describe times of trouble, forced migration of various people from southeastern parts of present South Africa to other parts of south, central and East Africa. A Sotho- Tswana word for describing the mfecane is Defecane.
It was characterized by severe punishments that caused untold bloodshed and fortune of the Zulu people and other parts of central and EastAfrical begun from the northern Zululand and then to rest of the Bantu area in South Africa.
The causes of mfecane were not very clear; however the proposed causes for its occurrence included;
1. The rise of Shaka who was a great Ngoni and Sotho leader, he believed in the expansion of the Zulu kingdom. Between 1817 and 1826, he fought wars of expansion against the Pedi, Sengu, Ndwandwe societies which forced them to move north and east wards.
2. Advance of the Boers northwards increased land shortage particularly inthe south Eastern region of South Africa; they started fighting the Zulu, Xhosa. and Ndebele causing a lot of suffering.
3. Lack of sufficient land for grazing that generated conflicts among theindigenous tribes such as the Zulu, Xhosa Shona, and Tswana etc.
4 .Military innovations that involved the emergence of regimental forces i.e. the innovation of short stubbing spears, shields, cow homed system resulted into Mfecane.
5. Conflicts between chiefdoms and their leaders for example Z wide of the Ndwandwe, Sobhuza of the Ngwane and Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa.
6. The existence of strong communities along side weak ones. The strong ones like the Ngwane, Zulu and Mthethwa resorted to engulfing the weak ones which caused wars, displacements etc.
7. Growing desire to control the profitable trade for example Shaka and Dingiswayo who fought various wars in order to control Oelagoa Bay to get modem weapons in exchange for locally produced goods i.e. gold, ivory, animal skins etc.
8. The regimental system which involved recruiting young men for war and equipping them to teeth. It was copied by Dingiswayo in abid to implement the system it caused Mfecane
9. Population explosion, necessitated expansionist wars (mfecane). This issupported by Donald Denon and Nyeko Bala in their book "South Africa since 1800". They claim that, "Shaka andDingiswaya went into this war as a solution to get land for settlement of their subjects"
10. Need to engage in the prosperous trade Shaka and Dingiswayo wanted to control. A woman historian known as Monica contends that, "Shaka and Dingiswayo began to fight expansionist wars to control this Bay and trade with the aim of defeating the competitors leading tomfecane’
The existence of strong communities along side weak ones led to Mfecane
as strong communities wanted to absorb the weak ones. The penetration of the Boer trekkers into the interior.
Effects.
It's pertinent to note that the Ngoni invasion which swept across South, central and East Africa left an impact which was both positive and negative on the political, social and economic institution. They included the following;
1. Emergency of strong and well developed states i.e., formation of Ndebele kingdom by Mzilikazi, Gaza state by Shoshangane.
2. Rise and growth of defensive states, they were multi-ethnic states , they were multi-ethnic built to defend themselves against the Ngoni imperialism , they included Nyamwenzi empire of Miramb,Nyunguamawe,Urambo,Ukimba,in central Tanganyika and kolclo state in central Africa.
3. There were military innovations like regimental system resulting into standing armies by most states 1 e. the Rugaruga of the Nyarnwezi, Machaka of the Ndebele.
4. There was spread and use of a common language.
5. As a result of interaction there were intermarriages which created unity among the Ngoni communities.
6. Rise of strong personalities who mobilized comrnunities and becameimportant figures in history of cast and central Africa i.e.shaka, Mirambo, Nyunguyamawe.
7. There was transformation of cultures and languages by either some people adopting other people's language they came into contact i.e. Kololo imposed their language on the Lozi and the Zulu did the same.
8. Mfecane led to the evolution of strong centralized governments I.e. created kingdoms under kings with a lot of authority i.e.Ndcbele under Mzilikazi
9. Rise and growth of nations those were multi-clan and multi-ethnic in nature for example Zulu nation, Ndebele state, the Gaza state.
10. There was change of loyality from councils of elders, clan heads to state or individuals who initiated
them like Mzilikazi, Shaka, and Mirambo.
11. New methods and weapons of fighting were introduced which increased insecurity i.e. the introduction of short stabbing spears, cow hommethod, fighting bare footed, surprise attacks etc.
12. There was massive loss of life and destruction of property i.e. Shaka Zulu attacked the Basuto, the Tswana, and Tonga which wars claimed the lives of the natives.
13. It resulted into increased slave trade as such attacks were used by slave traders to carry out raids for slaves it was common among the N goni. Ndebele.etc
14. Mfecane created a state of insecurity which affected agriculture since people abandoned agriculture and famine set in.
15. There was moral transformation among African people more so in south and central Africa, for instance degrading practices like petty theft and bogging, some communities’ elevated i.e. Zulu and Ndebele.
16. There was abandonment of some traditional practices such as circumcision.This was because the long wars could not permit them.
17. As a result of many wars between indigenous people there was Chaos. Panic, human suffering, the Fengu for instance became cannibals because they lost land, cattle and destruction of settlements 18. Due to untold suffering many people migrated into other parts of South, East and Central Africa resulting into displacement of nations. 19. It created way for European penetration i.e. British, Boers into the interior of South Africa because of weakened and depopulated areas by Mfecane. 20.  Most states united to form strong kingdoms for security purposes e.g. the Kololo kingdom of Sebitwane and Ngwato of Pedi. 21.  Demographic changes occurred as peaceful areas became density populated while unsafe areas became depopulated. 22. In conclusion  therefore Mfecane constituted a period of trouble and. violence to many of the Bantu speaking people in south, cast and central Africa