Online Reporter
Africa Moyo in KABWE, Zambia
VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday concluded his assessment of liberation war shrines in Zambia by visiting St Mary’s Cemetery and Mulungushi Liberation War Site in Kabwe.
His first stop was at St Mary’s Cemetery in Kabwe, which is 139km north of Lusaka. In the cemetery lie 14 of the 15 Zambian policemen who had been dispatched to Mkushi Girls Camp to rescue survivors as well as determine the magnitude of the attack on the camp launched on October 19, 1978, by Rhodesian forces, but were killed in the line of duty.
About 60 policemen were dispatched to the site on two buses by the Zambia government, but were ambushed and attacked by Rhodesian ground forces, killing 15 of them.
Of the 15 police officers, 14 are buried at the St Mary’s Cemetery while one was buried in his rural home.
The Zimbabwean Government later organised tombstones for the police officers to ensure a dignified burial for them.
VP Mohadi said Zimbabwe is willing to ensure the other police officer gets his tombstone.
Out of the 45 police officers who survived the attack, only two, Mr Alex Ostern Shimambo (72) and Mr Ignatius Katemba (69), are still alive.
In his remarks at the cemetery, Mr Shimambo told the VP that on October 19, 1978, they received a report that the Mkushi Girls Camp, also referred to as Mboroma Camp by locals, had been bombed by Ian Smith’s forces.
“The police command organised police officers to go to Mboroma Refugee Camp to give aid or assist the girls who were injured, take them to the clinic, and the dead to be buried,” he said.
“We spent a night and on October 20, 1978, we were joined by the Zambia army under the command of Captain Banda.
“We spent another night and on October 21, we left Mboroma Police Station and went to the refugee camp where the girls were massacred. When we were near the camp, we found ourselves ambushed and there was heavy gunfire. They started firing at us and all the police officers and the soldiers panicked and we ran in different directions.”
VP Mohadi also challenged Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Dr Omphile Marupi to ensure that more coverage was accorded to all liberation war heroes and heroines.
VP Mohadi was accompanied by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Reverend Paul Damasane, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia Charity Charamba, Institute of African Knowledge chief executive officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi and other senior Government officials.
He left Zambia yesterday evening.
