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Cde Elias Chirambai, whose Chimurenga name was Jikinya Masendeke, concludes his narration by detailing to our Features and Arts Editor PRINCE MUSHAWEVATO the dramatic climax of his wartime experiences. He also reveals how life unfolded after independence.
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Q: Last week, we ended our discussion when you had just lost Cde Kasikai. What happened next?
A: It was a painful experience, but we never lost sight of our mission. His death and that of many others would have been in vain if we did not win the war. Therefore, we continued with our offensive. I remember, a few days later we went to Chinyamuganhu. The white man came for us after we established a base in the area.
I do not know how Rhodesian trucks stealthily found their way into our territory called Nededzo.
The povo (public) was startled by this development, as heavily loaded military trucks passed through their villages.
They ran towards us, obviously seeking protection. Our commander was livid.
He never allowed us to let the enemy into our fortress, let alone with trucks. I immediately summoned my troops and we advanced. When we got closer to the approaching enemy fighters, we took cover. Somehow, they suspected our presence and fired some lance grenades. However, we did not respond. That gave them the impression that there was no threat. They continued with their journey. We, however, blocked the path they had used.
Q: You can carry on?
A: We made a cow horn formation and they got into our killing bag. They had three trucks that we destroyed. A few managed to escape unarmed as they abandoned their weapons.
It was a smooth battle for us. I kept firing and bellowing out instructions.
Sensing victory, I started showboating and even instructed one of the comrades to give me an AK47 to pursue one of the enemies who had taken cover behind a shrub. I fired towards his position but was not sure if I was hitting the target.
Meanwhile, I was not aware that all this while the enemy soldier was waiting for a clear shot on me. When he got it, he fired back and fragments from his bullet hit my hand. I immediately pulled out the fragments with my teeth.
However, I was badly injured and bleeding profusely. I informed my colleagues that I had been hit and surrendered my gun to them.
The colleagues I was with included Cde Sub and Cde Tendai (now called Chibanda).
They were very angry that I got injured. I assured them it was not a serious injury. Our other comrade, Fix Mapara, had also been hit. I ended up taking his gun and handed it over to a colleague.
After moving for about 50 metres, we got to a secure place. Our medic worked on the wound to stop the bleeding because we knew the enemy would track the blood trail.
The bleeding stopped and we set another ambush.
Q: You had just destroyed their trucks and some Rhodesian soldiers abandoned their weapons and escaped. What was the reason for the ambush?
A: It was rare for them not to follow up on injured comrades. We took positions and sat for about two hours. It was cloudy and there was mist. Footsteps alerted us when they were drawing close to our position. Patiently, we waited for them to get into our killing bag again. When they did so, we fired, killing three of them on the spot. As they were still confused and trying to regroup, we strategically retreated. We were ecstatic about the victory.
After that, we tracked down our fellow comrades who were at the Tarambavamwe Base. Morale was high in camp that day.
Q: What else did you do during the struggle?
A: I was involved in so many battles that I could go on and on. I was the leader of a three-man team that attacked the Macheke Police Camp.
We also burnt down the Macheke Grain Marketing Board depot; attacked Swift trucks just after Macheke River and took radios. Similarly, we also destroyed railway lines and shops.
We did not always fire the gun on every mission. We only did so when necessary.
We carried out several ambush missions.
One of the incidents I remember was when we left Monte Cassino Mission and went to a farm that belonged to a troublesome white lady.
After monitoring her movements for some time, we set an ambush, some 10 metres from her home. She opened her gate and reversed her car out as usual. She then disembarked to close it (gate) but we opened fire and shot her.
The woman died on the spot and her car was destroyed. We . . . searched the damaged vehicle . . .
I carried out several missions with the likes of Cdes Santana and Chisora. However, the two comrades were later killed while we were crossing a river on one of our missions.
Q: Just to take you back, what aspects of your military training do you think were vital in your survival throughout the struggle?
A: There are a lot of aspects.
Tembwe had Base 1 and Base 2. At Base 2, there was training on the use of mortars, recoilless rifles and big bazookas (M90). It gave us an appreciation of all weapons, which was essential in combat.
It was not always that you would fire a gun you felt comfortable with. Sometimes you would use an injured or dead colleague’s weapon to save others or yourself. Likewise, food shortages made us innovative. During training, when we did duty for the senior officers, we would get makoko esadza to trap rats when we went to bed.
Waimirira kuti gonzo ripinde mumaoko, woridzvanya, worovera pasi, the next thing, wakutogocha, wobva wadya. But we were not allowed to eat outside the set timetable, which was a way of conditioning us to endure hunger. Eating outside set times was a punishable offence. We continued using these and many other strategies throughout the battle.
However, I was the best in what we called chirenje (food raid missions within communities). We would . . . make use of coats or blankets for the missions in which we would exchange clothing items for food. For a blanket or coat, we would get two maize cobs and we preferred to get it roasted to avoid detection and possible consequences.
We became known as the Z Battalion because we were very fit due to food raids. Food scarcity then was mainly due to détente.
Sometimes we would get dried meat from camaradas and we used to hide it in the bushes.
What was readily available was coarse salt.
So, we would make sure we kept some all the time. Sadza was never served in plates; it was simply spread on a wooden bed and you would get what your palm allowed you. That would be your share for that particular meal. Matemba was just boiled in water and a bit of salt added.
Again, you would get as much as your hand would allow you. The camp had about 13 000 trainees, so people were not allowed to rejoin the queue after eating.
Q: To conclude our discussion, briefly take us through your journey after independence?
A: After independence, I joined the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA). Fierce battles that I have been involved in from the time of Chimurenga and the period after joining ZNA, including peacekeeping missions, amount to 48, according to my records.
After 1980, I was part of the team that fought dissidents and I also operated in Mozambique, including guarding the pipeline. I worked with current Lieutenant-General (Anselem) Sanyatwe in Rusape; he was a commander like me.
We had the same rank. He was an extremely good soldier. I did not go for demobilisation. I felt going home was wrong since the enemy kept showing tendencies of a possible resurgence.
I moved to Harare in 1982 and eventually retired from the ZNA in 2007.
Online Reporter