Online Reporter
Continued from last week…
Irvine Sibhona aka Barbetone Muzwambira
We continued being together at Zezani and a series of meetings in Gwanda in which we drove together with Major Marshall who had also gained confidence in us.
I recall him saying we fought each other but we were soldiers and not politicians who have different lines of thought. He instilled in us some sense and showed us how confidence building was done.
I had an experience in Mozambique but for Brig-Gen (Rtd) Rungani it was his first time to be around a Chuwachuwam a derogatory term for a ZPRA. While before we called each other names such as Pasi referring to ZANLA comrades and Chuwachuwa for ZPRAs, at Juliet Assembly Point all that fizzled out.
We quickly started being very comradely towards each other. At that time I had not known that Brig-Gen (Rtd) Rungani spoke iSiNdebele very well.
While the two camps had two different management styles I liked one thing that he always wanted to learn about the other side and was very open.
On one occasion we were visited by Josiah Tungamirai who we, myself and Brig-Gen(Rtd) Rungani, took around and made demonstrations of our double barrel anti- air guns.
While the ZPRA and ZANLA camps were near each other our supplies were brough to the same point and we never had any conflict. I wondered why the same had not happened in Mboroma in Zambia, Mgagao in Tanzania, Tembwe and Tete in Mozambique at the height of the armed struggle.
We had so much peace at Juliet Assembly Point, the only thing we feared was being invaded by the Rhodesian Security Forces and South African Defence Forces.
The likelihood of such, was always a possibility. Elections that were due were not a security threat to us as we didn’t know what the outcome would be.
For instance, one day we went to Gwanda for a meeting at the police station and there was a question of supplies being driven to Zezani instead of being flown in. As we discussed I had kind of thrown my thoughts that it was not necessary to change the way we were being supplied but the Rhodesian officers wanted to bring supplies by air.
I didn’t agree with that idea as I feared our men being bombed. We would hear trucks from far away if they came to attack but planes would be over the Assembly Point quicker and the other reason was that deployment could be seen easily by air.
However, they did not take my thoughts, the arrogant police and army officers who were from Bulawayo decided against my thoughts. They then sent road equipment traders and rollers to come and clear the area for an airstrip.
On arrival I refused that they make the airstrip in fear of the South African and Rhodesia armies attacking us.
Brig-Gen (Rtd) Rungani totally agreed with me and years after we used to talk about it. The traders and rollers and other equipment were returned to Gwanda and the airstrip was not done.
Then one day I received a call shortly after the elections and ZANLA/ZANU had won. We got so puzzled and we received no instructions from head office, which was now in Harare. We had to use our own sobber heads.
I called all my command element to await orders in the event the things were going to get out of hand. Luckily the meetings still went on the following day and days that followed. I then got a call from Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku talking of something different, related to ANC/MK Umkhonto we Sizwe, that they must be removed from the camp and be taken back to Zambia.
It would appear the discussions had already been going on in Salisbury (Harare) between the Intelligence Branch and the Prime Minister designate’ office. I was a bit puzzled. Firstly I offered them the easier route, to leave the camp and head to Botswana continue with the journey to South Africa.
However, Victor and Ali the commanders of MK in the field said there were too many to embark on such an act. We then devised a plan for them to split into two groups but they said the group was still too big.
While planning what to do there was a second call from Salisbury later Harare, in which I was given a number, but when the Special Branch and CIO officers came down they would take non of it as they had nearly specific numbers.
That got me angry and drew my arrogance as this Special Branch officer from Bulawayo a Mr Bradfield (nicknamed Mahlathini) said he would not leave the camp unless he had the number that was in his head.
He had been provided a number by the BOSS a South African Intelligence organisation. Finally he accepted as my arrogance as a commander, I would not to be drawn to intelligence issues I did not understand.
I gave him the final number of 88 cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and those are the numbers that he brought Puma trucks to pick them up with.
I then undertook to guarantee their return to Zambia via Victoria Falls.
The journey was smooth in a convoy of 10 trucks but upon getting to Cinderella Hwange, one truck had an accident. I was watching it and for the first time in my life I saw the Puma fly over any embankment on the corner and with such force and threw out the MK comrades and by the time it lay on its side by the ditch it was above two comrades.
A Puma being an armoured vehicle, it was a non-starter to try to lift it . It took an hour before the truck was removed above them by the help of Hwange Colliery machinery.
They were sent to Hwange Hospital and the two who were seriously injured were sent to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. After the sending off of MK comrades across to Zambia I returned at Zezani Juliet Assembly Point.
However, I did not stay long at Zezani as I was moved to the headquarters in Harare. I only learnt later on that the Assembly Point was dissolved and closed.
The Assembly Point was probable the first trial to orderly unify the forces in a peaceful atmosphere. From December to April the place was peacefull.
The place in Zezani may be significantly important as a pillar of unification of a people. I currently live away from the region where I commanded and had pleasure in knowing villages and villagers by name, and so I hear that this year will be the year the Independence Torch will be lit at Zezani.
I find it interesting that Matabeleland South Province is hosting the Independence Day of 2026, at Maphisa in Kezi where one of my late commanders of SF1, Cde Mphini died in a battle at Ratanyane.
The Government, through the Museums Department, will erect a monument in remembrance of our footprint and the commander of the region, Mphini who was born from the same area. This also reminds me of the death of three comrades that died within the vicinity being Vasco who took the children from Manama Mission in January 1977.
The same children later excelled and some became senior members of our Government and professors which is a statement that our endeavours did not go down in vain.
I hope this Independence Day will be a roll call of my Command element who have since left this world.
In a roll call, I would like to remember the following comrades who fought and made Southern Front that the enemy dreaded to enter. The commanders are George Chavunduka, Casper Dube, Col Dutsa, Reeves Nyandoro, Thathani Nkaka Dube, Mphini, Black, Witness Moyo, Dusty Ndlovu, Sylvester who was commander Beitbridge and became the Front Logistics officer as well as others whose names I can’t remember at the time this letter went to the press.
Not forgetting ZANLA comrades and commanders of the likes of Cde Rungani who we met at Zezani Juliet Assembly Point. The torch that will start from Zezani is the very pivotal essence of unity that signifies the place that the unity of our combatants started from.
The people of Plumtree, Kezi, Gwanda, Mberengwa, Filabusi, Wenlock, Beitbridge and Matopos will remain the most winners of this war and deserve more in terms of development for them to realise the fruits of their efforts.
We made promises to them when we politicised them in exchange of food and that we would upon our freedom give them the freedom befitting their sacrifices. Irvine Sibhona aka Barbetone Muzwambira was the ZPRA Commander for the Southern Front that covered Matabeleland South, Midlands and parts of Masvingo
