Africa Day 2024: 25 May 2024

The month of May is recognised as Africa month – a time when the continent of Africa commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

Our Africa Month Online Exhibition:

The Brutality of War:

LORD KITCHENER IN SUDAN AND SOUTH AFRICA 

The brutal effects of colonialism were felt through the whole of Africa. Many Africans suffered at the hands of colonial powers who waged war and colonised their countries for various reasons such as the mineral wealth or strategic position.

One such a contested figure is Horatio Herbert Kitchener. His actions against people in the Sudan and South Africa speaks of the brutality of colonialism.

Horatio Herbert Kitchener is known for the significant roles he had in various colonial wars and conflicts, including the Sudan and South African Wars. Born in 1850, Kitchener rose quickly through the ranks of the British Army, eventually becoming one of the most prominent military commanders of the late-Victorian Army.

Kitchener’s involvement in the Sudan War of 1896-1898 marked a crucial chapter in his military career. The conflict arose from tensions between the British Empire and the Sudanese Mahdist revolutionaries, who sought to resist foreign influence in their region. Kitchener was appointed as the Sirdar (Commander-in-Chief) of the Anglo-Egyptian army tasked with quelling the Mahdist uprising. He achieved a decisive victory at the battle of Omdurman, but it resulted in heavy losses for the Sudanese Mahdist revolutionaries because about 10 000 were killed, 10 000 was wounded and 5000 had been taken prisoner.

Kitchener’s approach to warfare was characterised by a relentless pursuit of victory and brutality. In the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, Kitchener used modern weaponry including Maxim guns and artillery. The use of these modern weapons was one of the reasons for the heavy losses on the Sudanese Mahdist suffered. Kitchener became known as a ruthless military campaigner. His legacy in the Sudan War is tainted by the controversial tactics employed, such as the widespread use of brute force and the implementation of scorched-earth policies, which would later also become a feature of his military campaign in South Africa.

Following his success in the Sudan, Kitchener was appointed as the British Commander-in-Chief in South Africa during the South African (Anglo-Boer) War of 1899-1902. The conflict, which pitted British forces against the independent Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, was marked by guerrilla warfare and protracted battles. But his ruthlessness was not only confined to the enemy of Burghers and Agterryers (coloured and black auxiliaries), but also their families.

Kitchener’s tenure in South Africa was defined by his implementation of controversial brutal tactics, most notably the establishment of concentration camps to intern both black and white women and children. While Kitchener defended the camps as necessary for controlling the civilian population and depriving Burgher guerrillas and their Auxiliaries of support, both the black and white concentration camps became notorious for their harsh conditions and high mortality rates, with thousands of black and white women and children perishing due to disease and malnutrition. More than 50 000 black and white women and children died because of these camps.

His ruthless pursuit of the Republican guerrillas, combined with the use of scorched-earth tactics, the black and white concentration camps and the introduction of blockhouse lines, ultimately forced the Burghers to have peace-talks in 1902, effectively bringing an end to the conflict. The war impacted all South Africans, and the effects of this devastating war would be felt for many years to come.

In conclusion, Lord Kitchener’s role in the Sudan and South African Wars was characterized by the use of controversial tactics. While his strategic acumen contributed to significant British conquests, his use of brutal tactics and disregard for civilian lives have left a complicated and disputed legacy intertwined with the scourge of colonialism in Africa.