Chimurenga Chimurenga is a word in the Shona language , roughly meaning " revolutionary struggle " . The word ' s modern interpretation broadly denotes a struggle for human rights , political dignity and social justice . In specific historical terms , it also refers to the Ndebele and Shona insurrections against administration by the British South Africa Company during the late 1890s — the Second Matabele War , or First " Chimurenga " — and the war fought between black nationalist guerrillas and the predominantly white Rhodesian government during the 1960s and 1970s — the Rhodesian Bush War , or Second " Chimurenga " . The concept is also occasionally used in reference to the land reform programme undertaken by the Government of Zimbabwe since 2000 , which some call a Third " Chimurenga " . Proponents of land reform regard it as the final phase in what they hold to be the liberation of Zimbabwe through economic and agrarian reforms intended to empower indigenous people . The expression is also used in context with modern Zimbabwean music , " Chimurenga " music . First " Chimurenga " . The First " Chimurenga " is now celebrated in Zimbabwe as the First War of Independence . It is also known in the English speaking world as the Second Matabele War . This conflict refers to the 1896 – 1897 Ndebele - Shona revolt against the British South Africa Company ' s administration of the territory . Mlimo , the Matabele spiritual / religious leader , is credited with fomenting much of the anger that led to this confrontation . He convinced the Ndebele and Shona that the white settlers ( almost 4 , 000 strong by then ) were responsible for the drought , locust plagues and the cattle disease rinderpest ravaging the country at the time . Mlimo ' s call to battle was well timed . Only a few months earlier , the British South Africa Company ' s Administrator General for Matabeleland , Leander Starr Jameson , had sent most of his troops and armaments to fight the Transvaal Republic in the ill - fated Jameson Raid . This left the country ' s defences in disarray . The Ndebele began their revolt in March 1896 . In June 1896 , Mashaykuma led the uprising of the Zezuru Shona people located to the South West of the capital Salisbury . Mashayamombe worked with the local spiritual leader Kagubi , and during this period a British farmer Norton and his wife were killed at Porta Farm in Norton . The third phase of the First " Chimurenga " was joined by the Hwata Dynasty of Mazoe . They succeeded in driving away the British settlers from their lands on 20 June 1896 . Three months later , the British South Africa Police regrouped and establish control over the Hwata people after their Mambo ( King ) Hwata surrendered together with his spirit medium , Nehanda Nyakasikana . Hwata and Nehanda Nyakasikana were sentenced to death and executed . Mlimo was eventually assassinated in his temple in Matobo Hills by the American scout Frederick Russell Burnham . Upon learning of the death of Mlimo , Cecil Rhodes boldly walked unarmed into the native ' s stronghold and persuaded the Impi to lay down their arms . The First " Chimurenga " thus ended on October 1897 . Matabeleland and Mashonaland were unified under company rule and named Southern Rhodesia . Second " Chimurenga " ( 1966 – 1979 ) . The Second " Chimurenga " , also known as the Rhodesian Bush War or the Zimbabwe Liberation War , refers to the guerrilla war of 1966 – 1979 which led to the end of white - minority rule in Rhodesia and to the " de jure " independence of Zimbabwe . Black nationalist politicians have always regarded Rhodesia as a British colony that paid allegiance to the British crown with British courts having appellate jurisdiction over Rhodesia . Its physical manifestation was , however , as a conflict between the predominantly white minority government , headed by Ian Smith , and the black nationalist movememnts of ZANU ( mainly Shona ) and ZAPU ( mainly Ndebele ) , respectively led by Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo . Black nationalist perspective . This conflict is seen by the majority of Zimbabwean citizens , the present day Zimbabwean Government and the official Movement for Democratic Change opposition as a war of national liberation from colonialism and racism . At the time of the conflict , the Zimbabwe African National Union ( ZANU ) and the Zimbabwe African People ' s Union ( ZAPU ) held this view , as well as the British government , the Organisation for African Unity , the United Nations , the People ' s Republic of China , the Warsaw Pact , and many members of the Commonwealth of Nations such as Canada , India , Ghana and New Zealand . Rhodesian government perspective . At the time , however , the Rhodesian government saw the conflict as a fight between one part of the country ' s population ( the minority whites ) on behalf of the whole country , including the blacks against another , externally financed party , made up of what it saw as black radicals and communists , in defence of the country and of claimed Western ideals . While the nationalists claimed to represent the majority black Shona and Ndebele population , the Rhodesian administration saw the traditional chiefs as the legitimate voice of the Shona and Ndebele peoples and the nationalists as dangerous usurpers . In music . " Chimurenga " also refers to a style of music first branded by Thomas Mapfumo , who mixed indigenous African rhythmic patterns and instruments such as Mbira ( thumb piano ) , drums , gourd rattles with Western styles ( electric guitar ) in songs that achieved wide popularity among the protest movement against white minority rule . Today the term " Chimurenga " music refers to popular Shona music from Zimbabwe .