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Simbi Mubako
Correspondent
“As I have always said, Lancaster is our second front, brought about by the freedom fighters. And so far, what I see, that has been achieved by the liberation forces of Zimbabwe, is . . . they have brought about the birth of a new Zimbabwe. That is one. Two, they have buried the so-called racial supremacy . . . And this is important, that in the near future, the people of Zimbabwe will be proud to have their new Zimbabwe . . . and this will never be reversed anymore”. — General Josiah Magama Tongogara, 1979
Like most African political leaders of his time, Zimbabwe’s legendary guerrilla war hero, General Josiah Magama Tongogara, popularly known as “Tongo”, had humble origins.
He was born on 4 February 1940 and raised in Nhema Communal Lands near Shurugwi, the fourth in a family of six siblings. His father was Magama Tongogara, popularly known as “VaChivi”.
With his two brothers and three sisters, young Josiah lived a rural life, ploughing the fields, herding cattle and attending local schools. He did his primary education at Joboringo School where he was a very bright student who always came first in his class and sang in the school choir.
He showed exceptional talent as a soccer player. The fans called him “Nyenganyenga” (swallow bird) to denote his speed and dexterity on the football field.
He had ambitions to pursue further studies and to become an accountant, but his parents were in no position to finance his education any further. Instead he had to help them to educate the younger siblings as he studied elementary bookkeeping privately.
As with thousands of other African families, Josiah’s father and mother worked on a white man’s farm.
By some historical coincidence, their bosses were the Smith family of Shurugwi whose son, Ian Smith, was to become Prime Minister of the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia and who was to make the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 in the name of white supremacy.
Land and education for Africans became the driving force in Tongo’s life. In 1960, at the age of 20 years, he trekked to Zambia and found work as a bar tender at the Royal Air Force bar in Lusaka, and later at Chainama Hills Golf Club where he learned to play golf. But Tongo’s mind was set on loftier matters.
Friends of the young Tongo recall his intensity, and a growing political awareness of the rising nationalist movement, not only in Zimbabwe but in Zambia and other parts of Africa.
In 1961, three years before Zambia’s independence, Tongo became an active member of Zambia’s United National Independence Party (UNIP), led by Kenneth Kaunda who was to become the first president of the country.
In a real sense, for three years, Josiah Tongogara worked for the independence of Zambia like a Zambian, as he later fought side by side with Frelimo for the liberation of Mozambique, with his sights always set on the need to liberate his own country.
He attended ZANU’s first Congress in Gweru in 1963 and became the first chairman of the Lusaka branch of ZANU. His main task was to recruit young Zimbabweans in Zambia into ZANU and select some for military training.
As the number of recruits increased, Tongogara was given the responsibility to transport the recruits to friendly countries in Africa, Asia and Europe for military training.
In 1965, Tongogara himself went for military training at Itumbi Camp in Tanzania. Early in 1966 he led a group to Nanking Academy in China, where they had training in guerrilla war strategies and tactics.
Tongogara returned to Tanzania in November 1966 to assume the new role of military instructor. He began organising and equipping ZANU infiltration groups and negotiated joint operations with FRELIMO in Mozambique with the main objective of opening rear bases in areas the enemy did not suspect.
General Tongogara worked for unity of the two liberation forces of ZIPRA and ZANLA and the formation of the joint military council of the two forces in Mbeya, Tanzania in 1972 which he commanded with late General Nikita Rogers Mangena.
That arrangement set a foundation for the Zimbabwe People’s Army (ZIPA) which he created with JZ Moyo in 1976 and the subsequent integration process that came after independence under the auspices of the joint high command.
General Tongogara’s military genius became apparent to all after the opening of the north-eastern campaign in 1970-71. Under Tongo’s direction, a new type of guerrilla warfare had taken root and the enemy could not dislodge the guerrillas from the local people. That philosophy was destined to lead to victory.
The strategy and tactics which had proved successful in the north-eastern campaign were applied to many more zones along the length of the Mozambique border and in districts further inland, and the name “Tongogara” became a household word.
When the final peace talks convened at Lancaster House in London, in September 1979, Tongogara represented the military in the ZANU PF delegation. At the negotiations he commanded immense respect, especially among the military advisors of various delegations.
Tongogara regarded a constitutional conference as the “second front” of the liberation war and he proved to be a shrewd and formidable negotiator. Between conference sessions he was consulted by all sides and chatted freely, even with members of the opposition, and with Ian Smith at a coffee break.
The success of the Lancaster House Conference was in large measure due to Tongogara’s confidence that the time had arrived to turn political mobilisation into electoral votes. To him victory was now assured, whatever the machination of the enemy.
General Tongogara left London determined to implement the ceasefire agreement that had been reached at Lancaster House. He briefed commanders who were in Maputo about the ceasefire arrangements.
The next day, 26 December 1979, Tongogara set out by road to brief other ZANLA commanders at their bush headquarters near Chimoio in Mozambique. The vehicle in which he was travelling crashed into the rear of a lorry and he was killed on the spot.
The leadership of both wings of the Patriotic Front, as well as the commanders of both ZANLA and ZIPRA, were shocked by the sudden loss of a highly-respected comrade whom they all expected to become the first African commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Tongogara’s name is synonymous with the Zimbabwe Liberation Struggle.
Like Che Guevara, Tongogara was an internationalist revolutionary; like Samora Machel, Comrade Tongo was a Pan-African soldier.
In General Tongogara, leadership, confidence and humility were combined with humanity and compassion.
Some of us were privileged to have known Cde Tongogara; there are still many amongst us today who actually lived and worked with him.
Future generations who will only learn about him from history books and films may wonder whether such a super hero was ever truly flesh and blood, who walked on this earth.
Yes, Cde Tongo is not just a legend, but he was a country boy who rose to greatness through sheer determination and self-sacrifice, virtues that young men and women can emulate and achieve in their own walks of life.
Ambassador (Professor) Simbi V. Mubako was Minister of Justice in the first Cabinet of independent Zimbabwe. He held other Cabinet posts and served as a High Court Judge and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the USA. He worked closely with General Tongogara during the liberation struggle and is the chairperson of the Josiah Magama Tongogara Legacy Foundation. His book on The National Liberation Movement 1960-1980 is ready for publication this year.
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