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IN our Lest We Forget Column former Zipra chief of military intelligence Retired Brigadier-General Abel Mazinyane remembers some of his late colleagues he was with during the armed struggle. Some of them died without witnessing our hard won Independence which we are celebrating tomorrow. Below is his piece:
During our war of liberation, I worked with a number of comrades. Each one left an impact on my life. Each one challenged me to do more than I thought I was capable of doing, encouraged me to overcome my fears, disabilities, thrive to be brave and discover myself-belief. One of these comrades was Lemmy Nkomo (I am not sure whether this was his real name or pseudo name). I only met Lemmy at Deka Drum along the Zambezi River on the Zambian side.
He was with the logistics department under Comrade (Phelekezela) Report Mphoko. I had just come from training in Tanzania. I was attached to the logistics base. My department was the Military Intelligence. We were only two at the base. The whole front had about 15 guerrillas. This was early 1972. He was very vigilant that I thought it bordered on cowardice, because almost everyday he would wake me up in the middle of the night and order me to run and occupy a high point which was a hill. I was carrying a machine gun and an ammunition belt running up a gorge. When we reached the summit he would tell me that he had dictated a suspicious movement approaching the base. After making sure it was safe, he would order me downhill.
He used to order that we change positions before first light. I grudgingly followed his orders which I thought took vigilance to the extreme. His alertness saved my life one day when he left me alone to fend for food from the Tonga villagers. The Rhodesians came to the base at midday. After this incident I had more respect for this comrade. On his return, he found me with the captured Rhodesians whom we handed over to the Zambian authorities and were jailed as spies.
Lemmy became my hero after the above incident.
Lemmy died in Tanzania in 1976.
Songo Sipho Msimanga (Gadaffi). I first meet Gadaffi in 1973 at Chakwenga Transit Camp in Zambia. I had just returned from the Soviet Union (USSR) where I had gone for further training. He was among recruits who were at Chakwenga Transit Camp. The other recruits were George Mlala, Marshal Mpofu, Kenneth Chitambo, John Hungwe (Magwaza), Teddy Mpisi (Ndebele), Patrick Mhandu, Cecil Bhanda, Phinda, Teez, Charles Grey (Mike Reynolds) Kembo Mohadi and others. It was a group of 43. From Chakwenga later to be known as CTT (Chakwenga Transit Camp) Gadaffi and his group were sent to Morogoro training camp in Tanzania in 1973.
After completion of his military training he was deployed in operations and later sent to the USSR to be trained as a regional commander together with Jevan Maseko, Phinda, Kenneth Chitambo, Christopher Sibanda, David Dube, Senzangakhona Chuma and others. On their return from the USSR Gadaffi was sent to Mozambique under ZIPA (Zimbabwe People’s Army). In late March 1976 Gadaffi was deployed in Namande/Belingwe (now Mberengwa) together with Calvin Mashila (Brian Mahlangu), Committee Dube, Farayi, Muzorewa and Thatha. This group was deployed by Zipra commander (Alfred Nikita Mangena). Gadaffi commanded this group and it remained operational there despite logistical challenges. This unit of guerrillas was the nucleaus of Zipra’s Southern Front.
Under Gadaffi the unit became resilient and reinforced itself by recruiting locals to boost its strength. Some of the locals who were recruited by this unit included, Buster Magwizi, who had been a Zapu activist in Harare and Bulawayo, Pavanoda Ndlovu, Kenias Dube, Thifani Moyo, Thomas Moyo, Leornard Nzima, Mr Ndlela, who was from Mawarire in Belingwe.
Mr Ndlela joined with his sons. The above recruits operated with Gadaffi’s unit and others lost their lives during the process such as Pavanoda who died at Rushumbo. Bernard who was from Highfields and four girls who were from Harare who are thought to have been killed when they were ambushed by the Rhodesians on their way to join Gadaffi’s unit.
Despite the setbacks Gadaffi’s unit soldiered on. Re-supply for this unit was through Botswana. The supplying of the unit was a headache for the Zipra High Command. I recall sometime, mid-1976 when I was tasked to be part of comrades that were on the two Zambian aircrafts that were to uplift what we called refugees in Francistown/ Botswana. From Zambia its cargo was clothing for these refugees in Francistown. Hidden among the clothes were weapons of war. From Francistown material was delivered to this unit by a chain of Zapu cells. This included Zinyoka Moyo, Smart Ncube, The Togwes and others. The same chain was responsible for transporting Gadaffi from Belingwe to Botswana and Zambia when he got injured in combat.
Whe Gadaffi arrived in Zambia most comrades who saw him did not think he was going to survive, he had been shot around the abdomen but he survived. He had become pale and grey, I understand some of his colleagues had also lost hope and were thinking of stopping him from falling into enemy hands. It is said the young Muzorewa (from Binga) quashed the thoughts with aid of a RDP (Russian machine gun).Gadaffi was appointed the first commander of Freedom Camp. He died in Zimbabwe in 1986. What a man!
Some of Zimbabwe’s gallant sons and daughters lie buried in foreign land as below:
ZAMBIA: Jabuli Akanyang, Rafael Bhebhe, Roma Dube, Mzanya Nyathi, Nhathaniel Mudzi, Worship Tafirenyika, Tsistsi Gwanzura, Patience Vundura, Ben Gumbo, Miriam Madema, Leon Dzuke, Tapiwa, Imaculate Sibanda, Jonathan Maranda, Lebany Mawande and others.
TANZANIA: Josiah Nkomo, Shepard Sibanda , Lenard Nleya, Jacob Chigubu, Philip Mashila, Tobias Chiwande, Eliot Nkonzo Ndlovu, Lemmy Nkomo and others.
ANGOLA: Davison Matenga, Wikson Tshili, Zwelibi Hlabangana, Lovemore Mhlophe, Saul Toringepi, Chakarisa Dube, Simon Marutu and many more. Other areas: Sikhokhotha Dube (Mthoko), Andreas Dube, Simon Nyathi, Navigator Nyathi, Jaconiah Mdzungaeri, Netso Shumba, Themba Mandeya, Sobala Mugutha (MOZAMBIQUE). Many more are buried in unmarked graves around Zimbabwe. May their Soul rest in ETERNAL PEACE.
One hopes that one day the names of these gallant sons and daughters of our war of liberation and Zimbabwe shall be displayed for all to see. I believe all Zimbabweans irrespective of their political learning and persuasion owe these heroes and heroines a duty. This duty is to guard our Independence jealously. On the eve of celebrating our hard won Independence may we all take a moment to appreciate and engrave the names in our hearts and memories.
LONG LIVE OUR INDEPENDENCE!!!
Online Reporter