The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure: Senior Reporter
When news of the death of war veteran and one of the longest serving Makoni Rural District council policy makers Alderman Samuel Bakare started to filter a few hours before New Year – hundreds of shocked and disbelieving mourners flocked his home in Mabvazuva, Rusape – to pay last and apt respects to an astute military strategist and iconic liberation hero revered for his bravery and sharp tongue.Cde Bakare, who represented Ward 17 in Makoni RDC, died in a road accident in Kwekwe on December 31, 2016.
He was 63.
Ald Bakare was declared a liberation war hero, but was interred at Silverbow Cemetery in Rusape, on Wednesday, after insistence by his family.
He was remembered by fellow comrades as a fearless guerilla tactician whose bravery to confront the enemy was second to none. This was befittingly so, for how else can such supreme sacrifice to his loved country, which saw him endure 18 years of excruciating pain with bullets lodged in the head and palm and still never compromise, be described?
Sometime in July 2012, this reporter had a rare opportunity to glean vital information about the life of Cde Bakare, a gallant fighter, whose Chimurenga name was News DzeZimbabwe.
Cde Bakare joined the liberation struggle at 18, in 1975.
He missed death by a whisker in 1978 when his skull was shaved by a bullet. The bullet shrapnel was only removed in 1996 after his head had swollen and his eyesight blurred.
Frequent interaction with ZANU nationalists in Highfields, intense politicisation and indoctrination by the late Cde Edison Sithole coupled with personal experience of discrimination, brutality and exploitation, led Cde Bakare to join ZANLA combatants.
Cde Bakare also grew up in family that had an established link to nationalism, and actively participated in ZANU youth wing as the secretary of the Lusaka Branch in 1974.
“We orchestrated an underground movement for ZANU, where we would conduct door-to-door political campaigns at night to avoid arrest. We would meet at Cde Edison Sithole’s offices before his kidnapping with the likes of Cde Manex and Cde Clive Goremusandu with whom I later left with to Mgagao in Tanzania in 1975. Cde Sithole’s teachings motivated us and he actually sponsored us to cross into Mozambique early 1975.”
Cde Bakare crossed into Mozambique through Villa Katandika and first reported at Zhunda Base where he first came into contact with President Mugabe and the late Cde Edigar Tekere.
He was then posted to Nyadzonia and was among a group of intelligent and technically minded cadres sent to Tanzania for six months guerrilla warfare training. He left by ship.
On arriving at Mgagao, Cde Bakare trained with the likes of Cde Perence Shiri, General Constantino Chiwenga, Cde Rugare Gumbo, Cde Hamunyari and Cde Dewetewe.
“I trained in guerilla warfare, and specialised in the manufacturing and use of war explosive (zvimbambaira). I was trained by the Chinese. We would use these weapons to blow railway lines, and bases of the enemy. It took me six months to master, and even today I can still do it,” said Cde Bakare in an earlier interview.
“After training I was posted back to Mozambique, where I stayed briefly at Dhondo and was given early mobilisation by Cde Josiah Magama Tongogara before further deployment to Gaza province. On our way to Gaza and at Marivhenya or Chikwala-kwala, we were attacked by the enemy and we lost seven comrades. It was a surprise attack and we had to scurry for cover in the bush. Our retaliation mechanism was compromised because we were scattered all over the bush. To their advantage, the enemy attacked using aerial power and this greatly exposed us,” said Cde Bakare.
“We then crossed into Zimbabwe through Chiredzi, into Gona Rezhou. We encountered serious problems because there were some boob traps (zvimbambaira) that were planted there by the enemy. In our first day, because we were not familiar with the environment, we suffered lots of causalities. I had to draw wisdom from my experience with these explosives and coined a survival strategy. Those who heeded my call survived and vice-versa,” said Cde Bakare.
“The boob traps were planted all over the area; they were very dangerous and would kill even elephants. I had to coach my colleagues into following my footsteps after a careful survey of the area. The other challenge we encountered was that of lack of safe drinking water. The enemy used to comb the few areas where there was water and pounce as we drink. We also had to ascertain if there were live aquatic animals in the water because the enemy used to lace it with poison. It was tough, you can deny a fighter anything because they can improvise, but not water,” said Cde Bakare.
Cde Bakare then proceeded to Detachment One at Mpapa, where he fought alongside the Duri brothers Willard and Zororo, Cde Amos Shana, Cde Alex Shumba (Desmond Chivhu), surviving on bush meat as the villagers were rounded up and confined to camps.
“One of the battles I will never forget I was with Cde Alex Shumba. We were attacked when it was raining with the enemy riding on horses. It was during that battle that my head was shaved by the bullet and shrapnel lodged in my skull and palm. I suffered great pain. My clothes were soaked in blood and it was very cold. My situation was almost helpless. When you are in a war situation it’s either you make it or you die. I was ready for the worst, but I am happy I managed to survive and the fragments were only removed in 1996. My head had swollen and it was blurring my eyesight, especially when it’s cold or when I get angry. That is why I do not engage in petty political talk, I feel the pain, especially when people do things that destroy Zanu PF. Some people in the party do not have its ideology,” said Cde Bakare
He also fought another battle along Binya Road, where they planted explosives to immobilise a convoy of the enemy’s vehicles carrying food and military replenishments from South Africa.
“I lost a friend Cde John Rupiza in that Binya Road battle. We managed to immobilise the convoy, and seized some of the equipment. We proceeded to raid Triangle Estates where we escaped with huge trunks with money after blowing the safe using the explosives. We sent some of the money to Mozambique, for the comrades’ upkeep. That was the essence of war, taisava nembayo”.
In 1978 he was promoted to command the newly opened Detachment Two in Mberengwa and worked with the likes of Cde Kilford Rutsati, Cde Kuseta Chimbabaira, Cde Balemba Nzou, Cde Joseph Kunyarara, Cde Tiki Kambayo, Cde Dustfour Makuwa, Cde Bushman and Cde Alex Shumba.
Cde Bakare’s area of command stretched from Mberengwa, Nuanetsi, Chegati and Sanda wana.
He served in Mberengwa up to 1979, during which he engineered the seizure of Buchwa Mine, stripping it of the conveyor belts, which they later used to carry their military weapons.
Cde Bakare was then recalled back to Mozambique where he was thrust to General Staff (Political Commissariat) and worked under Cde George Rutanhire’s supervision.
“I was teaching politics to new recruits and those returning from training. I would explore issues of the majority suppression by a minority regime, history and effects of colonisation, and intention of the liberation struggle. It was important because we encountered several incidents of betrayal from other guerillas. It was an orientation and a way of enlightening the comrades and ensuring that they have the ownership of the liberation war. I worked with Colonel Romeo Daniel Mutsvunguma”.
After the war, he was among the first group to be deployed back into Zimbabwe. He briefly stayed at the University of Zimbabwe before being posted to Bulawayo as he was fluent in Ndebele.
“I worked as the late Cde Herbert Ushewokunze’s campaign manager in Matabeleland North. We campaigned for Zanu PF and I am happy that the late Cde Ushewokunze was the only Zanu candidate who won there. The rest lost. We worked hard. I later left for training and worked in Bindura as a senior promotion officer in the Ministry of Local Government.”
He left to join the Ministry of Youth in 1988 and worked as the Kwekwe district youth officer up to 2000 when he was transferred to Rusape.
At the time of his death Cde Bakare was writing his memoirs with the help of Cde Patrick Chinamasa. Former freedom fighters who feel they have a story to share are free to contact us on 0773037326; 0719037326 or WhatsApp 0774459669.
