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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
The Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa continues to honour those who paid the ultimate price for the liberation of Zimbabwe, with the President soon expected to inaugurate the Kamungoma Liberation War Memorial Site in the Nemashakwe resettlement area, Gutu East, where 105 people were massacred by colonial forces in 1978.
On the fateful night of May 14, 1978, 104 villagers from communities around Kamungoma farm and one freedom fighter, “Cde Killer”, met their death at the hands of gunfire from Rhodesian forces as they attended a political gathering or night vigil commonly known as “Pungwe”. They just opened up fire on the civilians and gunned them down, with only one combatant being present.
The cold blooded murder of 104 villagers listening to Cde Killer, who was addressing at the “Pungwe”, is one of the largest mass killing of people at the same time and place during a political gathering during Zimbabwe’s bloody war of independence.
President Mnangagwa’s Government has been building liberation war sites like Kamungoma to memorialise key places that help depict and tell the story of Zimbabwe’s gruelling war for independence for the benefit of future generations.
At Kamungoma, President Mnangagwa is expected to commission a liberation war site that houses a new field museum and exhibition gallery that tell the history of Zimbabwe’s struggle to end colonial rule.
National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe Masvingo regional director Mr Lovemore Mandima confirmed the impending inauguration of Kamungoma by President Mnangagwa.
“The President will commission a field museum and an exhibition gallery at the memorial site which tell the story of the liberation of Zimbabwe and in particular the story of Kamungoma where 105 people, including one freedom fighter, were massacred by Rhodesian forces on 14 May 1978,” said Mr Mandima.
“There is not any other single biggest massacre of ordinary people during a political gathering (pungwe) in Zimbabwe’s war of independence that was recorded which surpasses the callous killings at Kamungoma and this memorial site is thus one of our historical realities of the years of the bloody struggle for independence where brutality was exerted on unarmed masses of people.”
Mr Mandima said those killed were drawn from Nemashakwe and Chin’ombe areas in Gutu East, saying information gleaned appears to show that Rhodesian soldiers attacked the political gathering after an apparent tip off from a sellout.
“Among the deceased villagers was one Reuben Kamungoma, who was son to the owner of Kamungoma farm and is buried at the farm. We are happy to announce that the rehabilitation of the liberation war site also included erecting a tombstone at Reuben’s grave and in the subsequent phase of remembering those who perished on that fateful day we will also erect tombstones at their graves in surrounding communities.”
In the interim, the National Museums had built a memorial grave at the liberation war site to allow visitors to lay wreaths in memory of those who were killed on the fateful night.
The marking out and upgrade of the Kamungoma site was a boon for the Gutu East economy and was in sync with the leaving no one and no place behind principle.
“The opening of Kamungoma liberation war site will attract learners and researchers and also tourists who will flock to Gutu East and this presents an opportunity for communities there to also take advantage of open avenues to trade goods and services found in their area to visitors who will be coming to Kamungoma.
“Just like communities around Great Zimbabwe monuments have exploited tourist arrivals, those around Kamungoma monument have the same scope to do likewise and boost their incomes,” said Mr Mandima.
The Second Republic is embarking on a phased programme to build or upgrade liberation war sites to memorialise key episodes and events in the struggle to engender autonomy in Zimbabwe and serve a reminder to future generations that the country’s independence did no come on a silver platter.
Online Reporter