Lovemore Majaivana Tshuma has a song titled “Senginyoka eluhlaza, umabona abulawe” (I am the green mamba, which is killed on sight). ” This statement summarises the story of ZPRA.
During colonial times, they were the targets of the Rhodesian army, and after Independence, they became targets again, of the entire state security machinery of the ruling ZANU PF.
ZPRA was haunted, hunted, and humiliated by the new black government. The men who fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe had to run for their dear lives and renounce their identity. Some of those who were lucky to escape had to seek refuge in neighbouring countries like apartheid South Africa and Botswana.
Post-Independence, the Mugabe-led government adopted a deliberate strategy to “deal” with ZPRA. Using the pretext that ZPRA sought to overthrow the government, on April 28, 1980, the ZANU-PF government accused the late Dumiso Dabengwa, as the former head of ZAPU’s intelligence wing, National Security Organisation, writing to the Soviet Union’s KGB seeking assistance ‘in ZAPU’S next struggle.’
This marked the beginning of a tumultuous period for ZPRA.
Following the clashes between ZANLA and ZPRA on November 9 and 10, 1981, known as Entumbane 1, the state alleged that the former ZAPU military commander, Lt General Lookout Masuku, had visited the ZPRA assembly point in Gwayi, located near the famous tourist resort Gwayi River, about 70km from Hwange. Masuku was accused of instructing ZPRA to transport arms to different assembly points in anticipation of an attack.
The state further alleged that Dabengwa had also visited Gwayi, and had asked the ZPRA command element to cache arms at various farms around Matabeleland.
This marked the beginning of the arms cache saga, leading to the arrest of hundreds of ZPRA ex-combatants and their top commanders, including Dabengwa and General Masuku. This event was a turning point in the dismantling of ZPRA and the erasure of its history in Zimbabwean liberation historiography.
A long list of ex-ZPRA who were invariably accused of complicity in the arms cache conspiracy was concocted by the state. Most of these former combatants had been integrated into the national army, serving in various brigades nationwide.
Within a short space of time, the whole saga had degenerated into an anti-ZPRA campaign. Scores of ex-ZPRAs in the military were arrested at will. Many unlucky ones were abducted from their homes, never to be seen again. Life for ex-ZPRAs became unbearable to the extent that independence itself may have become meaningless to many.
Between April 1980 and January 1983, when the notorious 5th Brigade was deployed, a lot happened to the ex-ZPRA, which many scholars and historians have yet to pay attention to. The state embarked on a campaign of terror against ex-ZPRA, the highlight of which was massive detention of the formerly respected combatants. The campaign left no one unscathed, as demonstrated by the fate of Dabengwa and Masuku. Many were detained at Stops camp in Bulawayo, Esigodini, Kabrit barracks in Harare and many centres across the country. Accused of trying to overthrow a lawful government, most of these gallant fighters of Zimbabwe’s independence suffered serious torture and other, indescribable forms of humiliation .
See interviews by some of the former combatants who survived detention.
In August 1982, 250 ex-ZPRAs were dismissed from the army without due process by the late Army Commander Josiah Tungamirai after accusing them of being dissidents.
Tungamirai also shot dead Cyprene Ndiweni after he questioned why they were dismissed from the army.
Robert Chapaev Ndebele, an ex-ZPRA who had been integrated into the army as an instructor in the 5th brigade, was demoted from Captain to Sergeant when the 5th brigade finished training. He was transferred to 4 Brigade in Masvingo, where he was told to look after broiler chickens. He left the army and went to join the teaching profession.
One of my early childhood memories is when I and my brother were sent by my mother to go and bury my uncle’s “army uniform” and some pictures.
I later learnt that we buried my uncle’s ZPRA uniform, which he had taken in the early 80s in his ZPRA military regalia.
In the early 80s, if the army found anything that linked you with ZPRA, the punishment was death.
I also remember another occasion when the 5th brigade arrived at our homestead and turned the whole place upside down because they were looking for ZPRA memorabilia or ZAPU material. We are not the only family that buried or burnt ZPRA memorabilia; a lot of people in Matabeleland were forced to destroy “evidence”, and this is how the ZPRA’s history was lost.
The history of liberation movements like ZPRA is crucial for numerous educational, cultural, social, and political reasons.
These movements, which seek freedom, equality, and justice for oppressed or marginalised groups, have significantly shaped societies and continue to influence contemporary struggles for human rights.
In 1980, Mugabe was obsessed with the idea of the one-party state and wanted only his history to be remembered. Today, our history is so contested that it is difficult for the young generation to know what is true and what is not.
The history of the liberation struggle has been bastardised and personalised; to the point that many who contributed to the struggle have been forgotten.
The objective of this Newsletter is to honour the ex-ZPRA who valiantly fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe, contributing to the rich national history of our country. It is also crucial to document the history of ZPRA.
After Independence, there was a deliberate effort to undermine the role of the ZPRA in the liberation struggle and destroy the ZPRA archives. This is a significant task that requires substantial resources and involves traversing neighbouring countries like Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa, where some of the war veterans are now based.
We invite you to be part of this important mission.
We are appealing to those willing to contribute to get in touch with us as we start this Journey. Those willing to contribute anything, be it articles or resources you, can get in touch with Zenzele Ndebele on +263 773 103 262 or email zenzele @cite.org.zw
