Joice Mujuru helped Mugabe join war — Rugare Gumbo

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Joice Mujuru helped President Robert Mugabe get acceptance from freedom fighters when he crossed into Mozambique to join the liberation struggle, says Rugare Gumbo, a veteran of the anti-colonial war and elder in the newly formed Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party.

Gumbo, who was at one time in charge of the Zanu information portfolio during the war, told Nehanda Radio on Monday that the former vice president to Mugabe was among trusted fighters who received the now 92 year old statesman when he was taken into Mozambique to lead the struggle in the 1970s.

She received Mugabe in 1975 in the company of top party leaders and her late husband, Solomon Mujuru, a high ranking guerilla commander at night, according to Gumbo.

“Joice and her husband, Solomon, were among key people who sneaked Mugabe into camp when he arrived in Mozambique after being helped cross the border by Edgar Tekere,” said Gumbo.

Mugabe was detained together with Tekere when they arrived in Mozambique.

Then Mozambican president, Samora Machel, and commanders of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) were suspicious of Mugabe.

Machel preferred the military commanders taking over the political leadership of the liberation movement.

“I see there is this nonsensical attempt by some desktop historians such as George Charamba and George Rutanhire to deliberately trivilaise the role Joice played during the war and, in the process, distort history of the liberation struggle,” he added.

Charamba is the presidential spokesperson and secretary for information in government.

Rutanhire and Charamba recently claimed that Mujuru did not fight at the war front but got promoted because she had a series of sexual relationships with liberation army commanders.

“Before his arrival in Mozambique, no-one knew Mugabe and the Mujurus were instrumental in having him accepted as one of the leaders,” added Gumbo, who was expelled from Zanu PF for alleged links to Mujuru.

Gumbo said Mujuru must be hailed for a “dramatic and heroic transformation from being a teenage female fighter to a national mother”.

“In any case, is it not hypocritical that those people are questioning Mujuru’s liberation war credentials when, for all these decades, they have been quiet and even glorified?

“Does that not show that her self-proclaimed critics are simply riled by the fact she has finally decided to stand for democracy and expose Mugabe for being a dictatorial hypocrite whose participation in the armed struggle is full of controversies? They are just trying to smear her, but historical facts will defy that,” said Gumbo.

Gumbo insisted that Mujuru fought in the war and rose through the ranks to become one of the most respected commanders.

“I would not be sure about her sexual escapades during the war but what everyone, including those now spreading crass lies about her, knows is that Mujuru was a dedicated fighter who fought in many battles,” said Gumbo.

Mujuru reportedly downed a helicopter during a contact with Rhodesian soldiers, but Gumbo said it would always be difficult to prove who actually did it during a battle.

“The major problem with Zanu PF at the moment is that those spreading propaganda want the world to believe that Mugabe is the only person who fought in the war. The truth, of course, is that he was just one lucky guy who rose to leadership when others were busy fighting,” Gumbo said. Nehanda Radio