Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
TODAY, Colonel (Retired) Thomas Ngwenya marks his 91st birthday, and for the highly decorated former army officer, the only wish he holds is for a quiet, unhurried afternoon spent in the company of loved ones at the Bulawayo retirement village he now calls home. There is no appetite for spectacle or celebration, only a longing for serenity and familiar faces.
For a man reflecting on more than nine decades of life — a milestone few ever reach — the liberation war veteran makes it clear that he has never been one for pomp or fanfare. If it were entirely up to him, this Saturday would pass without elaborate plans or public attention, just another peaceful day punctuated by reflection and gratitude.
Yet, he concedes with a gentle smile that his family will not allow the day to pass unmarked. Out of respect for his wishes, the compromise will likely be a modest, intimate gathering — just enough to honour the occasion without disturbing the calm he treasures.
Born on January 10, 1935 in Matobo District into a family of seven, Ngwenya was among the early pioneers of the liberation struggle. In 1962, with colonial forces closing in after he was branded a “terrorist” for allegedly distributing arms to destabilise the settler regime of Southern Rhodesia, he crossed into what is now Zambia, setting him irreversibly on the path of armed resistance.
Known during the liberation struggle by the pseudonym “Menu”, Ngwenya could fill volumes with wartime recollections — stories that offer a stark and often harrowing account of the suffering endured by Zimbabweans and freedom fighters under white colonial rule. But on this occasion, his thoughts rest elsewhere.
“But today I just want to talk about how I miss my two friends and fellow war veterans Moffat Hadebe and Roma Nyathi, the only two people that I met during the early stages of the liberation struggle in Zambia and Ghana who are still alive. We meet occasionally and talk about the days in the bush and how we survived the pre-independence war. Moffat lives in the western suburbs while Roma, who hasn’t been feeling well for some time is at his home in Douglasdale.
“Those are the people I would have really wanted to meet on my 91st birthday on Saturday and just enjoy a quiet afternoon. I know my grandchildren will want to do something for me but I prefer that it remains a small event and not one of these birthday parties that are attended by a lot of people. I was the last born in a family of seven and all my brothers and sisters are now late. My own family is big. I have five sons and divorced. Some of my children are here in Zimbabwe while some are in Dubai,” he said in an interview.
Beyond his military legacy, Ngwenya is a devout member of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) and an unapologetic supporter of Highlanders Football Club, where he once served as a member of the Board of Trustees.
“I would not have lived this long without the Grace of God and I’m a firm believer family values centred on love, trust and respect for one another. I used to drink alcohol but now take the occasional glass of wine,” he said.
To football followers — particularly Highlanders supporters — the sight of the unassuming former officer taking his customary seat among Bosso officials at Barbourfields Stadium is a familiar one, though few realise his allegiance to the club stretches back to 1953.
“I have seen Highlanders go through periods of turmoil on and off the pitch. I have witnessed the club’s success stories from winning cup trophies to league titles and all I can say is that it’s always an honour and privilege to be part of the Bosso family, be it as a leader or supporter,” he said.
Among his many memories from the liberation struggle, one stands out with striking clarity. Ngwenya vividly recalls the moment he personally saved the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo and other senior Zipra and PF-Zapu officials from an imminent bomb attack by Rhodesian forces.
Then serving among senior Zipra cadres, Ngwenya intercepted intelligence indicating a planned bombing of Dr Nkomo’s residence alongside co-ordinated raids on suspected homes of senior officials in Zambia.
“The message I intercepted was simple: ‘We are ready to hit’, I trusted my source very much hence I relayed the message to Zimbabwe House in Lusaka that every leader, including Dr Nkomo, should not sleep in their usual residence,” recalled Ngwenya.
“When Dr Nkomo related the story he told me that he was reluctant to believe the intelligence I had sent. It had to take his head of security, Cde Albert Nxele, to threaten him that if he did not want to comply they would have to lift him and force him into the car.”
Ngwenya formally retired from the Zimbabwe National Army in 1990, after which he ventured into contract work with the United Nations. His deployments included a stint in Iraq, where he was entrusted with overseeing logistics during a particularly complex period.
He is the holder of six medals, among them the Independence Medal and the Outstanding Performance during the Liberation Struggle medal — honours that stand as quiet testimony to a lifetime of service, sacrifice and steadfast commitment to Zimbabwe.
