Andrew
This week, we continue our discussion with CDE STANFORD PEACE MOYO (SPM), a former ZIPRA freedom fighter who claims to have been present when the late ZIPRA commander RODGERS ALFRED NIKITA MANGENA was killed by a landmine in Zambia. In our previous discussion, the former freedom fighter took us through the journey he travelled from Bulawayo to Zambia via Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa.
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SM: Cde, we concluded our previous discussion with you telling us about your arrival in Zambia. Kindly continue from where you left off.
SPM : After our arrival in Zambia, the Zambian army took us to Nampundwe in the central part of the country. It was around September/October 1975. When we landed at Lusaka International Airport (now Kenneth Kaunda International Airport), we were welcomed by both members of ZANU and ZAPU. We had gone there as members of (Abel) Muzorewa’s ANC and were kept at Nampundwe for a while.
Saunyama, the ANC representative whom I spoke about previously, visited us and told us that the Zambian government was not willing to help us establish military training centres.
The only option we had was to go to Mozambique for military training.
At that time, we were itching to go for military training.
At the base, we had a Mozambican who had been trained by ZAPU.
We had previously met him in Francistown, Botswana.
I, together with five of my friends, begged him to give us basic military training.
He agreed to train us, even though he did not have the blessings of the Zambian government.
However, the Zambian government later gave the go-ahead for us to be trained in that country.
My group was taken to Mwembeshi for military training. Since we had been trained earlier by our Mozambican friend, we were far ahead of our colleagues.
This created problems for us as we were now suspected of being members of the notorious Selous Scouts. We were interrogated, but cleared.
From Mwembeshi, we were taken to the Mgagao military training centre in Tanzania. At Mgagao, both ZIPRA and ZANLA recruits were trained together under the ZIPA banner.
I remember there were disturbances in Morogoro, Tanzania, where freedom fighters had some misunderstandings and resulted in loss of lives.
We ran away from the camp and walked throughout the night. We wanted to get as far away from the camp as possible.
The following morning, we reached the highway that goes to Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian villagers welcomed us and gave us food. We were later on taken into the custody of the Tanzanian militia called Fanya Fujo Uone.
The militia took us back to the camp, where we buried our dead comrades. After burying the dead, we parted ways with the militia and were taken into the custody of Tanzanian soldiers.
We spent a week with the Tanzanian soldiers, who treated us very well. After a week, we were taken to Morogoro Camp. When we arrived at Morogoro, the camp had been closed after the disturbances that I mentioned earlier.
The majority of the military instructors were briefly arrested.
I blame the military commanders for the disturbances that resulted in the loss of lives at both Morogoro and Mgagao. Without the political leaders, who were far away, the military leaders should have taken steps to diffuse the tension that had been simmering for a long time.
SM : You can continue with your narration.
SPM : I was trained for six months under ZIPRA. That was in 1976.
One of our military instructors was Cde Philip Valerio Sibanda, the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. We also had Cde Jack Mpofu and many others.
After training, we were deployed to different war zones.
In my case, I was deployed to Matabeleland North, where I operated in areas that are between Bulawayo and the Gwayi River. We also operated in Munyati and Mvuma.
I operated in these areas from January 1977 until the ceasefire period.
SM: In our previous discussion, you talked about you having worked with the late ZIPRA commander Cde Rodgers Alfred Nikita Mangena.
SPM : Yes, I worked with him briefly when I was in Zambia, where I had gone to collect war materials.
That is where I first met him. You know, in February 1978, the Rhodesian army had deployed many soldiers along the Zambezi River. The Rhodesian army had gathered that ZIPRA was deploying to the front many fighters who had been trained in conventional warfare in Angola.
During that time, the war was at its peak, with fierce battles taking place in battle zones. Battles were being fought in Lupane almost daily. Our group was at one time forced to retreat from Silobela after we ran out of ammunition. Like I said earlier, I was in Zambia to collect war materials that I intended to take to the warfront.
SM: You also said ZIPRA was planning to introduce conventional warfare. . .
SPM : Yes! Many fighters who had trained in conventional warfare were being deployed to the war zones. In my view, I think this was an ill-conceived idea because the Rhodesian army was clearly better-equipped than us.
So, from the warfront, I went back to Zambia, via Botswana, to collect war materials.
When I arrived in Zambia, I was taken to Nampundwe, where I met Cde Mangena and later on witnessed his demise.
Next week, Cde Moyo will give us his account of how Cde Nikita Mangena died
Online Reporter