It was forbidden to carry loaded weapons in Moza

Last week, CDE TAYLOR GWIRAMBIRA, whose liberation war name was Elias Chimurenga, chronicled how his father’s public humiliation by the Rhodesian police for a crime he had not committed inspired him to join the struggle. This week, he recounts to our Features and Arts Editor PRINCE MUSHAWEVATO his experiences after crossing the border into Mozambique for training.

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Q: In our previous discussion, you told us how you successfully crossed the border into Mozambique and joined a training camp. Can you elaborate your experiences there and subsequent events?

A: Around 1976, I joined a group of comrades already undergoing training. There was a crash programme, as individuals could be trained in just three weeks and deployed.

The training was demanding, but I persevered. Upon completion, there was a policy that those trained in ZIPRA or ZANLA camps were supposed to blend for deployment to promote unity and avoid conflicts, like the one that happened between UNITA and MPLA (Angola).

Cde Dumela, a prominent figure who had guided me from Chikamba, joined the ZANLA camp from the ZIPRA side for pending operations. He was the sectoral political commissar (PC) for the Monomotapa sector.

Around that time, we received news of confrontations and skirmishes at the border.

Rhodesian forces were attacking potential recruits on their way to Mozambique. Frelimo soldiers intervened, exchanging fire with the Rhodesian fighters. Airstrikes followed and the Rhodesian forces called for backup.

Frelimo also received reinforcements and the battle lasted for some time. We were instructed to remain on high alert as there was a risk of fighting spreading to nearby camps.

Q: Having just joined camp, were you prepared for battle?

A: The training programme was so intense that it quickly got you in the groove. At the camp, we started with physical training before moving on to weapons. There was also an orientation part designed to educate us about the war and its purpose.

Coming from a civilian background, you did not have much detail about the struggle beyond the need to win back the country. But there was more to it, which we learnt through the orientation processes during training. The base camp specialised in training for two types of weapons — a rifle (SKS) and an AK sub-machine gun.

They also had lessons for the Chinese bazooka. However, in Mozambique, there was a law prohibiting us from carrying loaded guns.

Security was the responsibility of Mozambican soldiers. We were only allowed to be armed once we crossed the border.

All weapons were kept in an armoury during training.

One day, while on guard duty, I was seconded by Cde Bhowas, a medical officer trained at Mgagao (Tanzania), who eventually operated in Buhera. We received a report of movement near our camp. We tried to investigate and it turned out to be the site of Mozambican graves, which led some to assume that it could be zvipoko (ghosts) but we remained on high alert. Another incident occurred when Cde Herbert Shungu, thinking we were under attack, went to the armoury and took Cde Bhowas’s gun. He and Cde Dumela moved towards the direction of the noise. Shungu then shot Dumela from behind.

Cde Dumela’s gunshot wound caused his stomach to rupture, forcing his intestines to protrude. Other comrades fired in that direction, assuming it was the enemy, but there was no return fire. Bhowas, returning from getting food, found Shungu with his weapon, attempting to stealthily return it to the armoury.

Q: You can carry on.

A: Cde Shungu had chosen not to use his own weapon. Instead, he took Cde Bhowas’ gun with the intent to murder a fellow comrade. Unfortunately, he was caught before he could return it. Meanwhile, medics tried to treat the injured comrade, but there was little they could do.

It was decided that he should be transported to a larger camaradas base, the one I had passed through upon crossing into Mozambique.

We laboured to carry the comrade on a makeshift stretcher. The journey was difficult due to lack of proper roads.

Q: Did you manage to get the injured comrade medical assistance at the Mozambican soldiers’ base?

A: Upon arrival, he received medical attention and later regained enough strength to write a report. The report revealed that Cde Shungu had shot him because he was investigating a bank robbery that happened in Chipinge.

A group of comrades had stolen approximately $250 000 in the robbery. There was a rule that such funds were supposed to be surrendered to the rear for use as an emergency fund. The money would be given to comrades entering a new area as backup in case locals did not provide food support.

When reports surfaced about the theft and disappearance of a large sum of money, the leadership conducted investigations to uncover the truth. Shungu was implicated in the heist and the findings were not in his favour.

As a result, he shot Cde Dumela to prevent him from revealing the truth. Around 9am, an ambulance summoned by Frelimo soldiers arrived, but Cde Dumela had already passed away. Our camp commander was furious and disturbed that we were harming each other while facing attacks from Rhodesian forces.

He immediately closed the camp.

Before the camp was closed, security forces from Mozambique arrived to investigate the issue, in collaboration with some of our investigators from Chimoio.

Shungu attempted to blame me, claiming I was young and inexperienced and might have fired accidentally, injuring Cde Dumela.

However, Cde Bhowas defended me, stating that Shungu had taken his gun from the armoury and he had caught him trying to return it.

Thorough investigations cleared my name and Cde Shungu was arrested.

I do not know what happened to him after the arrest.

If found guilty, I would have faced serious consequences.

After the camp was closed, we all moved to the camaradas camp.

Q: What was the plan after the incident?

A: We were scheduled for deployment, but a senior comrade decided not to risk my life by sending me to the front with other trained comrades.

I was yet to complete my training.

This is how I continued my journey in Mozambique.

The tragic murder of Cde Dumela occurred on the same day as the Nyadzonya attack.

We stayed in temporary shelters along the road until we regrouped with surviving comrades from Nyadzonya.

We later established the Doroi refugee camp, which had limited facilities.

We stayed at Doroi for two or three months.

Cde Elias Hondo, a member of the High Command, later visited us.

His arrival caused panic among the traumatised comrades due to the Nyadzonya incident caused by (Morrison) Nyathi.

As there was no transport to Gondola, our intended destination, we had to travel on foot from Doroi.

The journey was long. Upon reaching Gondola, we boarded a train to Dondo, a camaradas camp near the airport.

Next week, Cde Gwirambira will share some of his daring exploits during the liberation struggle.