Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa
Senior Reporter
FAMILIES of the Chinhoyi Seven Heroes have, for the first time in decades, met in a breakthrough engagement convened by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, yielding fresh leads on the heroes’ possible burial sites and origins, while unlocking long-suppressed family histories.
The family members said they received revelations about the possible burial sites, sometimes through dreams, visions, or even possessions from strangers.
Among the cases, a sister to one of the heroes said a man once came to their house, leading them to the possible burial site, narrating that a white man instructed him to secretly bury seven men at night without recording their names on their graves near Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.
She said they visited the place where there are eight graves, including one said to have clothes of the deceased and took photographs before the witness passed away some time back.
One of the families also said a man reportedly possessed by the spirit of one of the Chinhoyi Seven heroes in Hurungwe told a stranger that he had been sent to show relatives the hero’s burial site so they could retrieve and rebury the remains properly.
In another intriguing issue, one of the Chinhoyi 7 heroes is said to have left his 14 cattle after a misunderstanding with his stepmother before going to war. Since then, there has never been peace at the farm, despite it being sold and ownership having changed hands multiple times.
One of the relatives, while sitting beside a stranger during a funeral, suddenly started reciting information about the Chinhoyi 7s’ possible burial site.
This came out during an engagement, convened by the First Lady at her Zimbabwe House offices in Harare on Monday, bringing family and relatives to chart a new way, despite being linked by a single tragedy 60 years ago, the Chinhoyi Battle of 28 April 1966.
“As families shared lineage details and recounted what they knew about their departed loved ones, the fruitful meeting helped unlock structured efforts to trace the burial sites of the fallen heroes believed to be buried in Chinhoyi, where eight graves are located, one of which contains their clothes.”
A team has since been assembled to visit the possible burial site in Chinhoyi with the guidance of relevant authorities.
The process, directed by the Zanu PF Politburo, is being spearheaded by Dr Mnangagwa as the Secretary for Environment and Tourism to ensure that the Chinhoyi Seven Heroes are also honoured through lasting legacy projects that directly benefit their families and communities.
The process also included verification of the deceased heroes’ family bloodlines, which will also guide the implementation of planned legacy support projects for the fallen heroes.
This is a major milestone by the Second Republic in efforts to bring closure to families who, for 60 years, have carried the pain of losing their loved ones during the historic battle which ignited Zimbabwe’s armed struggle.
During the meeting, the seven families were also each allocated residential stands in Chinhoyi, as part of an empowerment package aimed at ensuring that the families have a permanent stake in the town whose soil carries the history and memory of the heroic battle.
The Chinhoyi Seven, Cde Arthur King Maramba, Cde Godfrey Matsikidze, Cde Christopher B. Chatambudza, Cde Simon Chingozha, Cde David Guzhuzhu, Cde Chubby Sawana Mutendadzamera and Cde Godwin Manyerenyere, remain a symbol of courage and patriotism after standing their ground against heavily armed Rhodesian forces.
Their sacrifice, made at the tender ages of between 13 and 21, continues to be regarded as one of the most defining moments in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
The First Lady said the Politburo mandated her to spearhead initiatives that bring closure to the Chinhoyi Seven heroes while also honouring them through tangible legacy projects that benefit both their families and communities.
Family members were visibly emotional as they expressed gratitude that the nation, through the First Lady’s guidance as directed by the Zanu PF Politburo, had moved swiftly to address their concerns.
Mrs Elizabeth Sawana Mutendadzamera, sister to hero Chubby Sawana, has narrated how she was shown a possible burial site, saying she was guided by the late national hero Father Ribeiro, who introduced the family to a man from Chinhoyi Council, then Sinoa.
She said that since 1966, when they were still young, their late father, who was a Member of Parliament, would often cry about not knowing the whereabouts of his son.
Mrs Mutendadzamera said after his death, the late Father Riberio then contacted her brother, who was in the neighbouring country, before he introduced them to the man who showed them a likely burial site.
“The man came with us to Chinhoyi, where he showed us a possible site where the seven heroes were buried. The area is a cemetery near Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital. We also took some pictures at the place.
“The man said he did not know the names of these people, but a white man from the council instructed him at night to collect the bodies and bury them. He said he buried seven bodies, but there is an eighth grave where he placed their clothes,” she said.
The sister added: “We visited the site together with my daughter and simply took photographs, which I still have in my old mobile phone. The man has since passed away, but he clearly told us that he was advised to keep it secret that the white man advised him to bury the heroes.”
Cde Christopher Chatambudza’s relative, Mr Brethwell Marowa, echoed the same sentiments.
“It is said that when they died, there was an intention to bury them in a mass grave. However, a town manager at Sinoa Council, a white man who said he had fought in the Second World War, insisted that these people, as soldiers, should be buried with honour. He said it was not necessary to bury them using tractors. He requested the bodies, but was advised to bury them without placing names on the graves.”
“We went to one Chikapora, and he was the one who showed us the place. There was just tall grass and bushes, but he pointed directly and said, ‘This is where they are.’ No names were placed because there was an effort to avoid identifying them as heroes.”
Mr Shadreck Guzuzu, a brother to the late hero David Guzuzu, also said that someone was reportedly possessed by the hero’s spirit in Hurungwe and went to a certain family to convey his request for a proper burial.
“I was phoned by one Gray Gambiza Moyo, who said there was a person who came to his farm in Hurungwe. He said he suddenly heard a voice. When he questioned him, the person said, ‘I am David Guzuzu. I have come here to tell you to advise my relatives to come and collect my remains and bury me where my relatives are.’”
“Gray then started searching for our relatives until he met my brother in Chinhoyi, and they later called me. While speaking, he said the person explained that he had no connection with them, but that he had been instructed to show them where David is buried. If they came, he would be able to show them the burial site,” he said.
Mrs Florence Deliwe Mutaiza, a relative of Cde Godfrey Matsikidze’s family, said the hero lived a miserable life after the death of his mother while staying with a stepmother who allegedly mistreated him.
“He ran away from home, joining the war and leaving behind his 14 cattle. Since then, no one knew about his whereabouts. The stepmother then sold the farm while buying another in Chiwundura, but since then, there has never been peace at the farm in Masvingo Province. “Despite it being sold and ownership changing hands multiple times, there is currently a worker staying at the farm.
“The owners fled and are now pleading for a cleansing ceremony at the farm.”
One of the relatives also shared her sentiments during the funeral regarding the burial of the seven heroes.
“In one of the years, I travelled to Chinhoyi for the funeral of my daughter’s mother-in-law. While I was there, some elderly women I did not know approached me and started talking about the Chinhoyi Seven Heroes incident, where seven young men were killed.
“She said officials from Chinhoyi Municipality later came and dug a grave where the seven young men were buried. She added that there was a mother who had been keeping the young men’s clothes, and she asked what would happen to the belongings if they were buried. That is when the clothes were also thrown into a separate grave and buried.”
Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Monica Mavhunga applauded the First Lady for spearheading a process to trace where the fallen heroes are buried while honouring their families and communities through legacy projects.
“This has shown that our First Lady, as a mother, has a zeal to comfort and heal families. If you lose a loved one and you are not shown where he or she is buried, there will not be closure.
“We are going to retrace all unknown fallen heroes and heroines, starting with the Chinhoyi 7 heroes. We are calling on anyone who may know where the remains of heroes and heroines are buried to come forward, while those with relatives who never returned should also come forward so that we work with them,” she said.
Minister Mavhunga said President Dr Mnangagwa, who is passionate about the welfare of heroes and heroines, created the Ministry of War Veterans, which has a department of memorialisation to push this agenda.
The swift follow-up by the First Lady, coming immediately after the commemorations, has been hailed by the families as a clear demonstration that the Second Republic is working flat out to close historical gaps and ensure that heroes’ families are not left behind.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Marian Chombo said that during the Valour Run led by the First Lady last Saturday, and when she met the families, one could tell that a spirit had been revived, echoing Mbuya Nehanda’s words that “mapfupa amuka”.
She said that 60 years later, the issue is now being discussed openly and solutions are being found.
“The families would inquire where their relatives are buried, but we had no answer. Her Excellency then called them to her office and, true to her word, we came together and discussed frankly. You could see that the answers were there, but the time was not yet right. Now everything is falling into place,” she said.
Every family member or relative of the Chinhoyi 7 Heroes who attended the engagement also received complementary food hampers courtesy of the First Lady through her usual act of kindness.
A representative from VineCity Housing Trust, Mrs Gloria Chatambudza, who developed the stands, explained the purpose behind the gesture.
“Chinhoyi is the place where the famous seven heroes were killed. As a developer from Chinhoyi, I felt it was important to remember and honour the families of the seven heroes. Each family has been given a 300-square-metre residential stand.”
“If these heroes were alive, they would have had a place to stay with their families, but they missed that opportunity as they were fighting for our freedom. Hence, the need for deserving recognition for the sacrifices they made for all of us.”
When the Seven Heroes Valour Run was held last Saturday, organisers revealed that on the eve of the event, the venue had been infested with ants and was temporarily unusable. This prompted elders to appeal to spirit mediums, seeking a smooth flow of events on the day of the run.
On the day of the event, attendees were surprised to find the area free of ants. Some described the development as symbolic.
With the process now officially underway, the families said they were hopeful that the long journey towards full recognition, dignity and closure had finally begun.
Can someone with good research skills determine exactly who the seven heroes were and clearly identify their names. There are a few variations in the names that are quoted. It is possible that some of the names were changed in the process of writing this history hence it is important that true identities of these heroes be accurately determined and history corrected for the sake of future generations. During our armed struggle we were always told that the gallant fighters who fell at the Sinoia Battle of April 28 1966 were:
1. Simon Chimbodza who was the commander.
2. Christopher Chatambudza
3. Nathan Charumuka
4. Ephraim Shenjere (sited as Godwin Dube in some write ups)
5. David Guzuzu
6. Arthur Maramba
7. Godwin Manyerenyere.
Some of the names coming up now were not part of our original knowledge. Perhaps it was because we use multiple family names in our culture but this must be established before we get too excited. And I think it is prudent that we recognise these gallant sons of the soil but let us not separate them from the rest of our fallen heroes. Anyone who survived Chimoio massacre will attest to the bravery that was displayed by those who tried to defend the camp. I am almost convinced that the Chimoio event was a replay of the Battle of Sinoia of 1966.