In the early 19th century, the Ndebele under Mzlikazi migrated from the south and established and the Ndebele Sate near Bulawayo around 1850. Another group  established the Gaza State in the south-east area extending to some parts of present day Mozambique. Mzilikazi hosted the first missionary Robert Moffat of the London Missionary Society. A treaty, Rudd Concession, was signed between the Europeans and Lobengula in 1888. With the help of the British South Africa Company (BSAC) Cecil John Rhodes eventually colonized the territory to the north of Limpopo and named it Southern Rhodesia in August 1890. In 1891 a British Order in Council declared Mashonaland a British Protectorate. There were rebellions in Matebeleland (1893) and Mashonaland, which was actually the First Chimurenga  (1896-1897), but both were suppressed.

The Company rule ended in 1923 after a referendum voted in favour of the establishment of responsible -government. Responsible government ended after Southern Rhodesia became part of the federation that lasted from 1953 to 1963. The ‘wind of change’ and nationalist movement gained momentum from the mid 1960s, especially after the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI), followed by 15 years of armed liberation struggle leading to political independence in 1980.