Sundaymail Editor
CDE RAYMOND DZINGAI TAKAVARASHA, whose nom de guerre was Ray Che Ncube, concludes his account by discussing his experiences on radio and sharing personal accounts of his interactions with liberation struggle leaders. He tells our Features and Arts Editor PRINCE MUSHAWEVATO about the intricate yet accommodating base setup in Lusaka, as well as how his life changed after independence.
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Q: Last week, we concluded our discussion with you now active on radio. Can you continue from there?
A: During that time, Lusaka was essentially the ZAPU hub.
Everything was happening there, as it was the headquarters where all the leaders were based.
In addition to those I mentioned previously, during my time at Zimbabwe House in Lusaka, I had the privilege of working and interacting with our secretary-general Cde Joseph Msika; administrative secretary Cde John Nkomo; and party secretaries Edward Ndlovu, Jane Ngwenya, George Silundika and Sikhanyiso Ndlovu.
My scope of work expanded, and I received more responsibilities due to my efficiency and diligence.
Light Machine Gun (LMG) choir songs began to be recorded while I was in Zambia, and I recorded some of them.
I also designed the ZAPU and ZIPRA logos.
At one point, I also became responsible for writing and recording speeches for the Patriotic Front leadership, headed by then-president of ZAPU Cde John Nkomo and then-secretary-general of ZANU Cde Robert Mugabe.
Upon recognising my capabilities and the work I had done within Zimbabwe, particularly regarding the “No” vote for the 1971 British government’s proposals (the Pearce Commission) and my other work in Zambia and on radio, I was granted a scholarship to study mass communication in Czechoslovakia.
Subsequently, I left for Prague at the end of 1977.
In 1979, I was elected president of the Zimbabwe Students Union in Czechoslovakia.
During the Lancaster House talks, I travelled to the United Kingdom and was appointed to staff the ZAPU London offices on Goodge Street, while the party’s chief representative, Cde Arthur Chadzingwa, participated in the talks.
Cde Pamela Maponga and I were tasked with compiling information on the talks for the party’s archives.
Q: Did you receive military training at any point?
A: Before I answer that, I would like to take you back slightly.
I think it is important to also mention that I was the one who smuggled Ariston Chambati, who was then a lecturer at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now the University of Zimbabwe), and George Kahari, who was also a lecturer at the same institution.
This occurred in 1975.
I drove to the university at night to transport them to a secret meeting with Joshua Nkomo.
This is how they were recruited into the ANC-Z.
Everything was done in secrecy because they feared for their reputations as academics.
Eventually, Kahari and I established a newspaper called “The Star”.
Now, back to your question, yes, I did receive military training.
While still in Zambia, I left Lusaka for the Mwembeshi Training Camp in the Zambezi Valley, where I trained under Commander Sigoge.
The training was rigorous and some trainees struggled.
I recall a humorous incident: There was a comrade who brought vinyl records with him when he joined training.
When asked why he had brought them, he replied that he wanted to listen to his music during his spare time, especially on weekends.
He probably thought the struggle was like a formal job where fighters had set operating and resting hours.
After training, I was sent back to Lusaka to continue broadcasting and performing various security duties.
I lived in the Lilanda suburb of Lusaka in the same house as Joseph Msika, George Silundika, revolutionary council member Philemon Makonese, Advocate Svotai Katsere, John Mbedzi, Joseph Masuku and Jack Ngwenya.
Q: Can you give us some insight into some of the leaders?
A: Well, I interacted closely with most of them and can easily share a thing or two about each of them.
However, the combination of Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri (Retired), Nikita Mangena and Elliot Masengo was particularly intriguing.
They were always together and seemed to understand each other well.
In fact, they complemented each other effectively.
Brigadier-General Mutinhiri, who is probably the most senior-ranking former ZAPU commander alive, was an inspiration to us. He was incredibly eager to liberate the country and would motivate us even when times were tough. He trained Rex Nhongo (Solomon Mujuru) and several other comrades, some of whom still serve in the army and various Government portfolios as heads. General Mutinhiri specialised in training and played a key role during the historic Wankie (Hwange) battles, when ZIPRA cadres joined forces with South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), soldiers to wage a heroic battle against the Rhodesian forces in August 1967.
They were a group of combatants led by MK and ZIPRA commanders, including Mangena.
If you were to interview him (Mutinhiri), he could also tell you more about the battle, including the Rhodesian Viscount downing.
He was the commander of the ZIPRA group that carried out the mission(s).
I could go on and on.
I was at one point a driver, particularly for Cde Munodawafa, who was then the national chairperson of ZAPU.
So, I was in a privileged position to interact with commanders.
Cde Msika, who was the party secretary-general, was flexible and would sometimes insist on cooking for everyone.
He wanted to be on duty like everyone else.
Vaitopisawo sadza tovaseka.
During training, he would take instruction even from junior trainers.
Q: A lot has been said about Edson Sithole. Did you have an opportunity to interact with him? What kind of person was he?
A: Edson Sithole became the first doctor of law (holder) around the age of 38 (in Zimbabwe).
He was very vocal and rebellious to the extent that he once fiercely clashed with Joshua Nkomo, who, in turn, labelled him “one of the most disruptive elements in the struggle”.
I still remember those words from the late Nkomo perfectly well.
He did not have good relations with other nationalists.
He had an attitude similar to that of Zvobgo (Eddison), akin to how Zvobgo related to Mugabe.
Perhaps this was influenced by his legal background.
There was also Michael Mawema.
I feel he was overqualified to be a national hero, but he went off the rails along the way.
When the National Democratic Party (NDP) was formed on January 1, 1960, Joshua Nkomo was out of the country and Mawema kept the seat warm for him.
However, he later lost credibility by betraying Cde Mnangagwa and his Crocodile Gang, who bombed a Rhodesian locomotive.
The accusations of him selling them out were true.
There was also Nelson Mawema.
He was once a central committee member of ZANU but was also a member of the Rhodesian Centre Party, led by Pat Bashford. He claimed he joined the enemy to gather intelligence on their operations.
Leopold Takawira wanted to be the president of the NDP in 1960.
He contested against Nkomo (Joshua) and lost.
He came to the election donning a leopard skin and was called the Lion of Chirumhanzu.
It is alleged that Takawira was a member of the Capricorn Africa Society (a multiracial pressure group in British colonies in Southern and Eastern Africa).
He was feared by ZAPU members because of his alleged affiliation to this group.
Q: Can you briefly take us through your journey at independence and the years that followed?
A: In 1980, I was summoned by the ZAPU leadership in Lusaka from Prague to participate in the Zimbabwe independence general elections campaign for the Patriotic Front.
I travelled extensively throughout the country with the then-national chairperson of the party, Cde Samuel Munodawafa, before and after the elections.
I returned to Czechoslovakia the same year to resume my studies.
Between 1981 and 1986, as the president of the Zimbabwe Students Union in Czechoslovakia, I attended several international conferences and workshops.
In 1989, I joined the Ministry of Political Affairs as assistant secretary (external affairs department).
I was responsible for foreign delegates to the 1989 ZANU PF National People’s Congress.
I was instrumental in drafting the Commissariat Programme of Action for 1992, leading to the Presidential Meet-the-People tours.
I later worked in the party’s department of administration under Cdes Didymus Mutasa and current President Mnangagwa and in the commissariat department under Cdes Moven Mahachi, Border Gezi and Elliot Manyika until 2005.
Q: You can continue.
A: I was instrumental in initiating the introduction of the new party organ, the District Coordinating Committee (DCC), and the personal data form (PDF) for all party members.
We travelled to all 10 provinces with the then-national chairperson, Cde Msika, mobilising the people following Western-sponsored opposition attacks against the Land Reform Programme.
After leaving the party civil service, I was one of the ZANU PF rapporteurs in Manicaland province during the outreach programme on the constitution-making process, spearheaded by the Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC).
After that, I was also the JOMIC ZANU PF political liaison officer in Masvingo province for two years, until immediately after the July 31 harmonised elections (2013).
I attended all the ZANU PF congresses and most conferences from the one held in 1989.
I actively participated in the 2000 Draft Constitution of Zimbabwe process and its subsequent referendum.
I was nominated National Consultative Assembly member for Chivi district.
I was secretary of the Politburo for a good 11 years.
That is it in brief, but there is more.
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