Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Reporter
PIONEERS of the country’s struggle for independence did not have it easy, which is why most of them were arrested and spent years behind bars.
Speaking at the burial of liberation war hero, Comrade Elliot Maphenduka Moyo at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes’ Acre yesterday, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said those who were the earliest to go for military training outside the country faced many difficulties.
“Things were tough that’s why most of the first people to go for training, were arrested. it’s not because they were foolish. I also went to prison with others in the 1960s,’’ said Rtd Col Dube.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo is one of the freedom fighters who were arrested in 1965, charged under the Law and Order Maintenance Act for undergoing what the colonial regime termed unlawful training. He was in 1966 sentenced to 10 years, which he served at Khami Prison together with President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Even after serving his sentence, Cde Maphenduka Moyo was re-arrested on his wedding day in 1976, incarcerated at Whawha Prison and was only released during the ceasefire period in 1979.
“Maphenduka was one of those who went to jail, he stayed at Khami for a long time. Even President Mnangagwa, they were together with Maphenduka. We are laying to rest a hero who sacrificed his life to liberate this country,’’ Rtd Col Dube said.
The Zanu-PF Politburo member recalled how they had a tough time preparing to go for training while in Zambia as the Zapu office had just opened, with resources being limited. It was in Zambia where, together with the late Cde Maphenduka, they met President Mnangagwa who had just returned from training in China.
“In 1964, when we were in Zambia preparing to undergo training, we were together, we lived together, things were tough those days because the Zapu office had just been opened, we had nothing and food was a challenge. On one of the days when we were standing in front of the office, President Mnangagwa and someone else arrived, they had just returned from training in China, we looked at them with amazement when we heard they came from training, we envied them a lot because they had learnt such amazing things.
“In Tanzania, we survived on sweet potatoes due to limited resources. We bought sweet potatoes and filled a bucket. We survived on that in the morning, afternoon and evening. We shared a blanket. We went first and he (Cde Maphenduka Moyo) remained in Dar es Salaam, he followed later,’’ he said.
Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association Bulawayo vice chairman, Comrade Killion Muvuti said: “If there were people who were senior in Zapu, they were going to present his case to the Zanu-PF HQ and he was to be given his recognition. It must be presented by the party for him to be a national hero, it must be through the party channels, we just arrange the burial, the recognition comes from the party. His case was never presented to the hierarchy of the party, if it was presented, they were going to adopt it.’’
Cde Maphenduka Moyo, who was born in Kezi died at his Nkulumane home at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife Simangaliphi Maphenduka Moyo (nee Ncube), eight children and 10 grandchildren. Six of his children are based in the United Kingdom while two are domiciled in South Africa. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted international travel, his children were not able to attend his burial. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter