I escaped death by the skin of my teeth

09 Dec, 2016 - 00:12 0 Views
I escaped death by the skin of my teeth

The ManicaPost

THIS is the month when unity between PF-Zapu and Zanu-PF was consummated and it is fitting that the narrative of the unsung heroes show that even in Mozambique, there was no tribalism.Last time, The Manica Post team heard that Cde Stan Zvionere left the killing zone and met the others at the Madende village after a ferocious battle against the regime forces.

Jonathan Marange from Marange High School wrote us saying: “Basa muri kugona wena. Bhora mberi.”

A brother to Cde Zvionere, Maxwell Jenya said: ‘‘The article yaCde Jongwe was well articulated. Thanks! I appreciate the way you played around with words and the power of the pen.’’

We accept the comments and wish to go from strength to strength. This was a people’s struggle for self-determination and it was never going to be picnics as several stories told by the unsung heroes testify.

Cde John Jongwe continues with his story:

I left the killing zone successfully and used the bushes and terrain to escape, but it was not easy as the battle intensified.

Neshava mountain attack

Close to Murambinda, there is Neshava Mountain. We used it as a retreat where as a detachment, we strategised. I had risen to become a section commander. Two sections met there; Cde Dennis Mago led the other section. Hardly had we started our deliberations did we hear the unmistakable whirring of helicopter blades. We realised it was too late to run for cover because the planes were upon us.

We fired back and pranced from rock to rock and tree to tree. We had been out- manoeuvred and we barked instructions to fire and retreat at the same time. I hit a gunner who was in one of the helicopters and he fell head long onto the cold hard earth and died instantly.

We lost Cde Trigger during the short-lived battle. Because we retreated, some of the girls who moved with us as chimbwidos were captured. Those were over and above the casualties that accrued in the fierce battle. The regime forces went to Buhera office with those captured girls.

They gloated that the gandangas had run away and left the girls at the mercy of the regime soldiers, thus, we were cowards.

Our gathering point was at Garawaziva. That is when we noticed a number of comrades, mujibhas and chimbwidos had minor scratches and Cde Trigger was missing.

For a moment, we thought chimbwidos had died, but after a day, we heard they were being paraded at Buhera office as saboteurs who helped the terrorists. Later, the girls were sent back home with clear instructions that they must stay clear of us, lest they get impregnated by the bloody communists.

Comrade eats food that

had a millipede in it

At Ruti Dam in Buhera, I had a rare insight into how some of the villagers viewed our presence in their area. Dr Tafirenyika was our medic. One night, villagers brought food to us as usual; it was distributed by Cde Tsotso. As Dr Tafirenyika ate his food, he realised that there was a millipede in the chicken relish. He informed others who immediately took the parents to task.

We ordered the povo to meet us the following morning. Then, a woman came to our base in the morning the following day. She introduced herself as a wife to Cde Kumbirai Kangai, a high ranking official within the leadership of Zanu.  She was called Mai Catherine. She had brought ‘‘stondido’’ meaning very delicious food. She begged us to forgive whoever did that unthinkable act. We went on our way and the matter was never referred to again.

Sell out incident

Our Jenya family doesn’t eat sadza prepared from millet. There is a long tradition along those lines. I had told the one in charge of logistics that I didn’t eat millet for me not to fall foul with my ancestors. On that day in June 1978, a woman prepared maize meal sadza specifically for me. I asked the chimbwido who had brought the food how many plates had been prepared and she said only one had been sent to me.

Each guerrilla had a girl who ate with him at meal times. She was almost like a special assistant.

I told her to return the plate and eat with other comrades close by. I began smoking and leaned against the rock. The woman threw the contents of the plates and ducks and dogs feasted upon the sadza and relish. They all died and it was confirmed by the sadza on their mouths or beaks.

Other comrades heard about it and they dealt with the woman. It was later revealed that the woman’s husband was a Rhodesian soldier.

I had just survived by the skin of my teeth. It was obvious that the food was laced with poison.

Ambush at Mavhaire

near Gaza

By 1979, whites used convoys to ensure the safety of trade and industry. There were long queues of the white men and some army trucks provided the needed security.

Whites were coming from Dorowa Minerals where mining of limestone took place. I crossed the road to Ogaden (a place without enough cover) and saw the convoy coming. The vehicles came near and I fired from a standing position. I used a Mortar 60.

The white soldiers fired back; leaves whirled in the heat of the battle as bullets flew in the air. There were many casualties mainly puruvheyas from the surrounding villages. As people ran away from the killing zone, they faced opposition from the barbed wire that they had to scale; their delay ultimately had dire consequences.

The Rhodesians had immense fire power on that occasion. I ran into a bean field and we realised that that was an unwinnable battle. Therefore, we retreated and met at our gathering point. Even then, we had fought tenaciously against an enemy which was ruthless; if we had remained there we could have been easy meat for the regime soldiers.

Meeting a chief who expressed surprise at his youthfulness

I crossed into Mozambique as a wet behind the ear 18-year-old who had not written the Grade Seven examination. In 1978, I became a section commander. At Garawaziva, a village head came to see us. I lay face up cradling my rifle and literally caressing it. He asked to see the leader of the group. Other comrades who were in a similar posture pointed at me.

‘‘Tongogara wava kurwara here? How can he send a young man like him to be a commander of his forces here?’’ he said that when he saw me.

I was 21 at that time; those comrades I led were noticeably much older than me although one would argue dzimwe ndebvu indebvu mupengo.

I did not take his jibe lying down, I was hurt. Perhaps, my youthfulness made me have exaggerated pride. At ceasefire, I approached Sabhuku Garawaziva to tell him I was still alive and leading my group.

After independence, I went there to reassure him that indeed the war had ended and we were going into a new dispensation.

At ceasefire, I had risen to become a detachment commander where I led a minimum of three sections. I could be called district commander.

As the Sungamberi Group, we were trained in the finer details of warfare and the regime realised how strong we were as we went eyeball to eyeball with them in terms of heavy weapons and tactics we employed. We could lay ambush for them as well.

I remember Comrade Tonderai Nyika nodding his head and urging us on as we went about the marching drills. We were the first ZANLA to march at Beira.

As we did so, Cde Tonderai Nyika would applaud us and say: ‘‘vana ve Zimbabwe here ava?’

After independence, I was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army on August 25, 1980 at Llewelyn Barracks. I went to ZMA with ZANLA and ZIPRA cadres. I had little respect for the Rhodesians.

I was given the rank of sergeant in 1980 and went to Mbalabala as a trainer. I went to 3.2 Infantry Battalion.

At Inkomo Barracks, I trained Signals with the British Training Team. Soon after my successful training, I became an instructor in signals.

From October 1982 to 1984 I was at Battalion Training School in Nyanga where I trained colonels and their troops in signals.

Later in 1986, I was promoted to staff sergeant. I left BBS and joined 10 Signals Squadron HQ at KGVI in 1993. I continued to train soldiers from our country and other Sadc states in signals. It gave me great satisfaction to hear colonels and brigadier-generals coming to me and express their gratitude to my zeal and ability in signals.

With the call by President Mugabe for soldiers to advance academically, I began studying.

Remember, when I left for Mozambique I had barely finished Grade Seven, but after independence, I took a correspondence route with Rapid Results College which saw me get a full ‘O’ Level certificate in 1986.

When the DRC war broke out I went there to restore sovereignty. I must reiterate that no comrade died under my watch throughout my leadership of other guerrillas. It is true that I at times looked after some comrades who may have been injured at the front but in my detachment, we were fortunate not to have a death.

As Zimbabweans, we must shun tribalism or racism because we fought for people to enjoy life in their motherland. Thus, the cancer that is affecting our beautiful nation must be frowned upon. Corruption is detrimental to development.

I am happy to say I went to the war as a teenager and now I am blessed with seven children; my wife is Chipo Gladys Chikangaise. We have a modest home in Chipinge ZBS section.

For your views and opinions please sms, call or whatsapp us on 0777582734 or email us at [email protected]

 

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