Chronicle Editor
TODAY we conclude our interview with former freedom fighter, Lieutenant-Colonel(Rtd) Nimrod Ndlovu who during the armed struggle was known as Cde Osmond Fomoja or Vincent Sakala.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu operated in Mashonaland Central Province. In the interviews, he has told our Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda (MS) about how he joined the armed struggle, his training in Zambia and the then Soviet Union and eventually, deployment to the front in Guruve then Sipolilo in Mashonaland Central.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu’s unit was to combine forces with their ZANLA counterparts and operated together for about nine months. Last week, he ended his narration by talking about the announcement of the ceasefire period and preparations to move to Ruckomechi Assembly Point. Below, he continues with his narration. Read on….
MS: We ended our interview last week when you were talking about the guerillas moving into the Assembly Points (APs). May we resume our conversation from there?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: We had moved from our operation area to Mhangura as we prepared to get into the APs. We carried our belongings and moved to Ruckomechi, which was the designated AP for us. We then started seeing the large ZPRA forces that had remained behind in Zambia pouring in using Soviet-made trucks. Those comrades had a lot of heavy weapons. We stayed at Ruckomechi for more than two months and there were members of the Commonwealth Monitoring Force (CMF). They were drawn from Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, among other countries.
MS: How did the guerillas relate to them?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: The guerillas were naturally suspicious of them and at times showed some hostility. Our commanders then warned us against getting into disputes with them as that would have been violating the law. We stayed with those people till the situation was a bit normal.
MS: Who was your commander there?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: The first commander was Cde Todd Mpisi who currently lives in Gweru and senior commanders below him included people like Cde Joseph Sibuko Mbedzi who died in November last year. The elections that ushered the country’s independence were held while we were at Ruckomechi. When the results were announced, we were naturally disappointed that Zapu had not won so that it could form the Government.
However, ZPRA Commander-In-Chief and Zapu President, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo came with the party’s intelligence boss, Dumiso Dabengwa and addressed us. Dr Nkomo said the victory in the elections by Zanu and the loss by Zapu meant nothing. Dr Nkomo said we had been fighting for one cause, which was the attainment of the majority rule, so we should accept the election results as they were and look forward to serving the black Government. Wathi yena okukhona yikuthi amabhunu ayehlulwe. He said let’s work together for the good of our nation. A majority understood while a few didn’t. During that time the Ruckomechi River was getting dry so the AP was relocated.
MS: Where were you relocated to?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: We were moved to Mashumbi Pools. We were ferried in Government cars, lorries and buses. We found water abundant there. There was a place that used to be an irrigation scheme and we camped right around the place. We were many and we were told that ZANLA forces were nearby but we couldn’t see them. We would only see them when we boarded buses to Harare then Salisbury. I was at Mashumbi Pools until the process of forming the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was put into motion.
MS: Take us through the process of the formation of the ZNA.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: The first battalion to be formed in the ZNA was 2:1, which was based in Mount Darwin and was commanded by now late Colonel Smile Madubeko Moyo known as Cde Middle during the armed struggle. Then came 2:2 battalion based at Mudzi commanded by now former Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Major-General (Rtd) Happyton Bonyongwe who during that time was a Lt-Col. I was deployed to 2:3 that was based at Mutoko under the command of Toddy Mpala. We had been selected at Mashumbi Pools for the integration. The selection was targeted at those who will be officers.
MS: That’s interesting.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: I was one of those who were chosen to become commissioned officers. Firstly, we were taken to Mbalabala where we met comrades from ZANLA and a further selection was done when we were taken to Gweru. The order was that some would be sent to Guinea Fowl that was for non-commissioned officers while others would be taken to the Zimbabwe Military Academy to be trained as officers.
MS: How did the training go and do you remember some of the names who were part of your group?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: From the group meant to be commissioned officers, Todd Mpala came out as a Lt-Col and was the only one who came out with that rank. Then six came out with the rank of Major. Those were Cdes Majamu, Moyo, Stopper, Bhebhe, Nyauchi and Muzite. Then as for captains, we were many.
MS: List them if you still remember the names.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: Like I said above, I came out as a Captain, so were now Major-Generals Emmanuel Matatu and William Dube who are still serving. Also, there was now Brigadier-General Dzirutwe, now Colonel Nkiwane, TT Nyathi, Harahwa, Mapuranga, Nleya and Masungure. Now Maj-Gen Matatu was then assigned the role of Adjutant of 2:3, the same as the now late SB Moyo who had a similar role at 2:2. At 2:3 we had Major Mutumbi as the deputy battalion commander. That’s how we started working as the ZNA.
However, our battalion 2:3 was the only one in which guerillas were mixed with former Rhodesian Army soldiers. We had one in our battalion who joined us as a Major. There was a rapid promotion of blacks by the Rhodesian Army during the ceasefire period with non-commissioned officers such as corporals parachuted to commissioned ranks. It was their political strategy. So, we worked like that and for us our first operation as the ZNA was the border control in the Mukumbura area where the Renamo rebels of Mozambique were carrying out raids on villagers. That was in 1981.
MS: Let’s go through your career in the army.
Lt-Col(Rtd) Ndlovu: The 2:3 battalion was later disbanded and I was then moved to 2HQ Brigade in Harare where the commander was Brigadier Kindness Ndlovu (Cde Single). I was assigned to the board of inquiries at 2HQ Brigade. I was later deployed to 2:8 battalion, which was a pool like before being sent to 1:1 that is at Induna Barracks near Imbizo Barracks on the outskirts of Bulawayo. I was made deputy company commander there. I stayed there for almost 12 years.
I also once served at Mbalabala as the signals officer for a period of six months. I also went on a tour of duty as I was part of the Mozambican, United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (Unavem ) and the Democratic Republic of Congo campaigns.
MS: When we started these interviews with you, you alluded to the fact that you once served in the Pensions Fund. Tell us more about that.
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: It was in 1998 that I was seconded to the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare as the Deputy Director of War Victims (State Service Injury on Duty) stationed at Makombe Building in Harare. The Minister then was Cde Florence Chitauro, deputised by Cde Alois Mangwende with current Cabinet Minister, Cde July Moyo as the Permanent Secretary. A lot had been happening there with some disturbances as comrades having grown impatient about the slow pace of the disbursement of funds for injuries during the armed struggle would at times physically clash with the Ministry officials. It was a hot office.
I think the Government felt there was a need to deploy an ex-combatant or former freedom fighter whom the comrades would approach. I found myself being assigned to take that role. I was given 32 soldiers. To be honest with you, up to now, I am not even sure how the authorities settled on me. However, before going to the Ministry, I got a briefing from the now late Lt-Gen (Rtd) SB Moyo, who then was the Colonel in charge of the Pensions Officer Welfare in the ZNA.
MS: How was it working in a civilian environment?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: We kicked off with an induction workshop at a resort in Chegutu where Cde July Moyo introduced me to the Ministry staff. Our workshop was for four days, Monday to Thursday. I then told the staff that they could take Friday as an off day. I went to Makombe Building the following Monday in full military gear and we were shocked to find things upside down with blood stains on the walls. Cde Moyo then gave me a catalogue to choose from the furniture for the office and other provisions. The whole place was then repainted. My team and I managed to put an order there.
MS: What had triggered the ugly scenes?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: The comrades were not happy with the pace of the compensation under the War Victims Fund and were also of the opinion that senior Government officials some of them non-combatants were benefitting at their expense. That’s why they became aggressive. However, such funds don’t cover combatants only.
The people who are eligible are those who were injured as a result of the war. So, there was nothing wrong with non-combatants benefitting. Later on, we moved the offices from Makombe because of a lack of space to Mukwati Building where we took two floors.
MS: Besides bringing order what were your other terms of reference?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: We were meant to assess the applications, audit and approve payments. We were there for two years. I was promoted to the rank of a Major while I was attached to the Ministry. While there, I was allocated a brand new Mazda 626 sedan and a cellphone. I was probably one of the first people in the country to own a cellphone. From there, I was sent to 5:3 Battalion and then deployed to the DRC, first in Lubumbashi and then Katutu.
MS: Then, yourself, did you benefit from the War Victims Compensation Fund?
Lt-Col (Rtd) Ndlovu: I wasn’t really aware what was happening there, but like many others I had submitted the forms. When I was there, one of the workers asked me whether I had filled the forms and I told him that I had done that. He went and brought my file that had gathered dust. My application was then processed and I got the payment, but the amount wasn’t much.
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