Unravelling the man behind the voice of defiance

Francis Mvalo
WHEN former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe became the suitable Zanu-PF blunt instrument deployed to inflict pain, insults, threats and verbal assaults to senior party and military comrades ahead of purges that culminated in her husband’s political demise, the country was struck with awe.

It was taboo to respond to the reckless, bullish, childish and immoral insults no matter how false, degrading and deriding they were but a cross section of war veterans provided both the hope and courage to political faithfuls that the First Lady was unknowingly readying Zimbabwe for a new political era.

One voice that broke the seemingly proscribed law was that of Cde Victor Matemadanda who became the voice of the voiceless by responding to the insults with calm and a collected voice booming with confidence in clips that circulated on social media. He attacked the First Lady and then President Robert Mugabe for trying to personalise the country and create a fiefdom where they intended to pass the political leadership baton to each other from husband to wife, to children at least according to his words in the famous clip that he bravely said, “It can’t.”

He promised then that the people of Zimbabwe would vote to choose a President of their choice in the coming harmonised elections without being coerced or intimidated. He became a voice of defiance and was like Mazzini in the unification of Italy who gave the Italians a vision and possibility of a united Italy.

However, little is known about Cde Matemadanda who together with Cde Chris Mutsvangwa refused to be bullied by the G40 cabal but stood their ground against all the odds that even threatened their lives. Sunday News spoke to Cde Matemadanda on his political career, his role as the voice of the voiceless during the chaotic period in Zanu-PF and various other issues affecting the country including the war veterans he is currently leading as Secretary-General and Secretary for War Veterans in the Zanu-PF Politburo. He said although he was not aware of the real outcome of the political process and how it was going to turn out like, he just sacrificed himself for the political good of the country just like they did when they went to war.

“I was not certain of the outcome of the political dynamics but I just decided to speak my mind. I was sure, however, that the old regime was not going to continue with excesses on the people because the revolution has its own way of putting itself in order,” he said.

He added that his only worry was the security of his family but when he got their support he continued to be the voice of defiance.

“My family was solidly behind me and none of them ever said STOP IT, they would all say go baba go and as for the churches, I would feel their prayers. Most of the encouragement came on the 18th of November 2017 when a sea of people came from all directions to the Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare,” he said. He added that those that wanted to recycle former President Mugabe should do it elsewhere.

“We cannot allow Robert Mugabe’s nightmare to haunt us forever. Those who wish to recycle him please let them do it elsewhere, not in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Cde Matemadanda has a 10-year plan which includes completing his academic degree which will contribute to his ability to work effectively in uniting the people of Zimbabwe. He has high hopes of bringing all people to equality in terms of economic and political participation and representation.

He said his prayer and concern for Zimbabwe was for the people to be united, financially sound and morally correct. He dreams of a corrupt free society where nepotism will be a thing of the past. On the much awaited harmonised elections, Cde Matemadanda said he was not better placed to predict the outcome of the elections but said he was confident Zimbabweans would vote for Zanu-PF, distinguishing boys from men. He also said after the harmonised elections Zanu-PF would be more focused on completing projects currently underway.

Cde Matemadanda said the current President of Zimbabwe Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa was the answer to the country’s national problems.

“You all know that he was sentenced to death but God saved him, he was poisoned and again God intervened. Many attempts have been made on his life but God protected him. This was done because God wanted to save Zimbabwe at this very moment. I cannot compare Mr Robert Mugabe and Cde Mnangagwa because the devil will never come to witness the Holy Passover,” he said.

On the war veterans and their welfare Cde Matemadanda said the war veterans have been neglected over a very long period of time, abused and unfairly treated. He also said war veterans have over the past years been at the mercy of people who use them to make money or achieve personal objectives. He said it was time to give the gallant sons and daughters of the land space and the respect they deserve.

“We are lobbying for all that is due to the war veterans. We are not asking for favours but for the observance of our rights. It is unfortunate that some people including Cabinet Ministers do not realise that they are who they are now because some people chose to fight for the country’s independence.

The days for war veterans to survive on leftovers are long gone. We want them to be a priority,” said Cde Matemadanda. He urged people across the political divide to remain peaceful during and after the harmonised elections. Cde Matemadanda was born on 3 March 1958 in Mvuma in what was known as Rhodesdale. He is the last born in a family of three boys and four girls. He had a nomadic childhood and became a victim of the Rhodesian colonial brutality when he was two months old.

Cde Matemadanda’s mother visited her parents who were staying in Mavaka area near Holy Cross Mission in Chirumhanzu and upon returning she found out that the rest of the family had been taken away to an unknown place and their home had been destroyed. She then went and stayed in Gokwe for three years not knowing what could have happened to the rest of the family.

“The family was then reunited by a certain Catholic priest who had met my father who was a Catechist in Kana who offered to accompany my mother to Kana and upon arrival he invited my father to meet his visitors. That was how my family reunited after three years,” said Cde Matemadanda.

His life changed in 1966 when he was told that his father had been taken by freedom fighters. He did not see him up until 1972 when he and the family were invited by a certain Cde Makoni to go and see his father who was ill at Lusaka Hospital in Zambia. Around 1974 Cde Matemadanda would join other boys whose parents had gone to war, and they would visit the Zanla Camp during school holidays.

In 1976 Cde Matemadanda left school to join the armed struggle and was in a group which was led by Cde Takawira Mzee to Mozambique via Feira.

Due to food shortages at the camp he was sent back to Zambia to organise logistics. His motivation for joining the liberation struggle was to learn and understand what his family had been subjected to by the colonial regime and to have a wider appreciation of what had happened to his father.

In 1978 Cde Matemadanda was sent to Mozambique in a group which consisted of the late ZBC personality Cde Mike Munyati and others. During the ceasefire he went to Delta Ndendera Assembly Point and then Chitungwiza. He was part of the first group of 50 Zanlas and 50 Zipra Cdes who trained as OPSEED OPSPANER instructors at Inkomo Barracks.

“We were meant to go back to assembly points to train other comrades on standard drills and small arms. This programme was, however, changed, we were transferred to Lewellyn Barracks (Lookout Masuku) to join the battalions already being formed,” he said.

Cde Matemadanda was then posted to 2:2 Infantry Brigade under the command of Cde Happyton Bonyongwe who is the former Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organisation. He was transferred to various sections and departments of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) before retirement. During his service in the ZNA he trained as a mechanic and obtained a class one journeyman.

After his retirement he did a Diploma in Marketing and Management with ZDECO. In 2000 he joined the Ministry of Youth and rose through the ranks to become commandant of Dadaya. In Zanu-PF he rose to become district secretary for information and publicity in Gokwe South. He later became the district chairman for Gokwe Central as well as war veterans chairman in 1998. He landed various posts in the party and in 2009 he was elected into the Central Committee.

In 2014 Cde Matemadanda was elected Secretary-General of the ZNLWVA and was later expelled by the G40 cabal. He was, however, readmitted in the party after the fall of the G40 cabal.

“I am very comfortable working anywhere and I want to make every office that I am appointed to be the office everyone wants because I put all my effort. Credit for this goes to all the war veterans who stood by us during the hard times,” he says.