ZBC Presenter Blames Colonial Era Abuses On King Lobengula "Who Loved Sugar"
A ZBC presenter has been criticised for repeating a decades-long unfounded claim that King Lobengula sold his dominions to European fortune hunters for sugar.
NewZimbabwe.com identified the ZBC presenter as Victoria Manase, and the co-host as Farai Magada.
Speaking last week live on air as they discussed apartheid in South Africa, Manase claimed that King Lobengula was enticed with sugar into selling his lands to colonialists.
Magada argued that despite its “ills” colonialism was a necessary evil as they could now “sit in front of cameras and wear proper clothes not nhembe.”
Manase and Magada said this live on national television while hosting Wednesday’s Good Morning Zimbabwe (GMZ).
Commenting on the issue, respected journalist Nqaba Matshazi said the remarks by the two presenters show that tribalism is institutionalised in Zimbabwe. He posted on X (formerly Twitter):
This bellend from ZBC is discussing apartheid South Africa & somehow she finds a way of linking it to Lobengula and his love for sugar.
What stupidity is this & why is it allowed on a public broadcaster? Zimbabwe is institutionally and inherently tribalist.
One says colonialism was a necessary evil and another talks about weak points. How are these two still in jobs?
Political and social commentator Setfree Nherera Mafukidze said the remarks are unacceptable. He wrote:
One of the ladies in this @ZBCNewsonline video blames King Lobengula for colonial-era abuses because he loved sugar.
Honestly, who allows these people to speak on National Television running with colonial narratives which were created to put a wedge between tribes in Zimbabwe?
In all this no-one wants to mention how King Lobengula led a war against the colonialists, no-one wants to say that he fought against the invasion.
I don’t think we should continue with such narratives.
Human rights campaigner Samkeliso Tshuma said ZBC should be taken to task for propagating distorted history. She said:
I’m so disgusted by this. Ngicela ungithumezele ivideo. I want to send organisations like lbhetshu, MRO and other Mthwakazi orgs.
We need to write letters to ZBC speaking against this. This is not on. I am tired of distorted history.
There was an uproar recently when a local publication fused an image of CCC activist Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be the party’s Interim Secretary General, and King Lobengula while holding a pack of sugar.
The mainline CCC party allege Tshabangu was given money by ZANU PF to destroy the opposition, an allegation the political activist has rejected.
More: Pindula News
