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THE skull of one of King Lobengula’s lieutenants Mgandane Dlodlo is believed to be stuck in one of Britain’s museums after his head was decapitated during the Anglo-Ndebele War in 1893 in Masvingo, which was then known as Fort Victoria. Although historians say not many First Chimurenga icons from the Matabeleland region were decapitated, they believe Dlodlo was the only hero from that region whose head was taken to Britain.
Renowned historian Phathisa Nyathi said most of the people whose heads were decapitated were from Mashonaland.
“We know the skulls that were taken around that time are those of the Makonis,” said Nyathi. “They should certainly be among those that are in the UK.
“This side (Matabeleland), we are not aware of any who were decapitated, but the only person we suspect to have been beheaded and his head taken to the UK is Mgandane Dlodlo who was the leader of the group that was sent by King Lobengula to Fort Victoria to collect cattle that were taken by the whites. That led to the Anglo-Ndebele war.
“The whites then followed Mgandane and his party and they beheaded him. What we can’t say is whether they took his head to the UK or not. But what is clear is that beheadings started in 1893, then the Makonis were beheaded in 1896.”
Social commentator and theatre director Cont Mhlanga said there was a likelihood that the heads of people from Matabeleland could have been decapitated.
“There is a tree at an open space at Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo Street and Masotsha Ndlovu in Bulawayo where the whites used to hang blacks in 1896,” he said.
“It is, however difficult to say, so and so was decapitated, but from the research I have done, most people’s heads could have been decapitated because the settler regime believed that if they captured Africans who were challenging the settler regime, they would have to hang them in public to instil fear in other Africans.”
Addressing thousands of Zimbabweans and foreign delegates who attended the National Heroes Day celebrations in Harare on Monday, President Mugabe said the British Government acknowledged that it had Zimbabwean human remains in its museums.
He said Government believed the skulls were of some of the heroes of the First Chimurenga among them Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Chingaira Makoni, Chinengundu Mashayamombe, Mapondera, Mashonganyika and Chitekedza Chiwashira.
President Mugabe said once the remains were repatriated, Government would consult with traditional leaders about how to bury them at the sacred shrines in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter