‘How I became a dissident’

Just the mention of names such as Gwesela, Castro, Ndevu Ziqamula Amankomitsho, Ngayaya, Danger, Gayigusu and Thambolenyoka used to send shivers down the spines of many villagers in the Matabeleland region and the Midlands Province at the height of the country’s civil disturbances between 1982 and 1987.

These were code names of former Zipra combatants who operated as dissidents during that painful period.

The civil unrest at that time, which the dissidents also played a role was brought to a halt when the country’s eminent nationalists, the now late former President, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe of the ruling Zanu-PF and also the now late State Vice-President, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo signed the Unity Accord on 22 December 1987.

As the country waits to mark the 37th anniversary of the Unity Accord, our Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda (MS) on Friday last week traced one of the former dissidents, Cde Phumuza Ndlovu, now an active member of Zanu-PF who also at some time served as Deputy Secretary for Education in the national structure of the war veterans association, which then was under the leadership of Cde Jabulani Sibanda.

Cde Ndlovu, a beneficiary of the Government’s amnesty as a result of the Unity Accord said unlike other former dissidents, he has nothing to hide and promised to open up on the dissidents operations. His argument is that the country’s history should not have missing pages on its book. Below are excerpts of the interview:

MS: Phumuza Ndlovu you operated as a dissident soon after independence, what led you to go back to the bush and fight a black Government, was it because you were not happy that PF-Zapu or Dr Joshua Nkomo had lost the elections to then Prime Robert Mugabe who led Zanu-PF?

Cde Ndlovu: I think it would only fair to relate my story from the start when I joined the armed struggle. I want to relate the story step by step. While I can’t deny that I was a dissident, a commander for that matter, people should know that I fought the Ian Smith regime as a Zipra combatant. Ungajahi lapha kimi ufike kahle, l will tell you everything. Wena nguwe ozakwesaba ukubhala okunye I know. I was in the administration of dissidents from Nkayi to Beitbridge. I was one of the first fighters to become a dissident, people like Thambolenyoka only joined us towards the end. Thambolenyoka only came to join us in 1986. So, let me start by telling you how I went to war, take you through all events that led me to being a dissident. I will also tell you about our operations, I have nothing to hide.

MS: Okay, go ahead Ndlovu.

Cde Ndlovu: I come from Wenlock here in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South Province. But now some people identify me with Plumtree, but in Plumtree I will only be there for my farming activities. I own a farm there. I was born at Wenlock under Chief Mathema on 6 April 1960.

I did not do much schooling at the local school, Sibhula Primary. Although I am able to read and write, this is all through my personal efforts, I am a self-taught person. So, in other words I did not do much in formal education. When I left for Zambia via Botswana in April 1977, we were three of us, myself, Philip Ndlovu and Bhikani Dube, who unfortunately did not train as he was deemed too young for that during that time.

We walked through our neighbouring district, Kezi all the way to Mangwe that is areas around where there is Ingwizi Irrigation Scheme.

We were getting lost and we were directed towards Mambale, that is where we crossed the Shashe River into Botswana. When in Botswana we managed to reach Selibe-Phikwe where we did not stay long as we were soon flown to Lusaka in Zambia. From the Lusaka International Airport we were sent to Nampundwe Transit Camp where I was shocked to find people in that state.

That is where we were taught the basics of the military. I don’t know what commanders there like Killion, who was the camp commander and other seniors like Thodlana (Tshaka Moyo), Teddy, Tonderai and Hungwe saw in me as I was given some tasks to do.

That resulted in me delaying going for training. Then in 1978 I was sent to Libya for full military training and we went with some female combatants who were going to do nursing. I remember one of the female combatants was later on married by now national hero and former director in the NSO, Cde Swazini Ndlovu. Leading us to Libya was a Zipra instructor, Cde Alfred William.

MS: For how long were you in Libya?

Cde Ndlovu: I stayed in Libya until the ceasefire period and only came back into Zimbabwe in 1981. In Libya I did a lot in terms of military issues, I learnt all aspects of the military science. We did all the weapons, from the small arms to big arms. The Zapu representative there was Gordon Munyanyi who had been moved from being chief of military intelligence and deployed to the party’s diplomatic service.

In 1981 when we came to Zimbabwe, we were with Lookout Masuku, who of course had been in the country soon after the ceasefire. Masuku had also gone to Angola to collect the last group. All in all I think the number of guerillas left outside the country could have been between 2 000 and 3 000.

I then went to Gwayi River Mine Assembly Point, then taken to Inkomo Barracks outside Harare where I was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA). I was posted to 3:9 battalion, which was close to 3:8 battalion. Our camp was in Odzi and we used to go and bath in the Odzi River.

MS: Okay. Then tell us about your life in the ZNA.

Cde Ndlovu: I did not stay long in the army. The reason being that when we were beginning to settle down, stories started doing rounds that there were some former Zipra combatants who were now being sighted in areas like Tsholotsho District telling people that they had returned to the bush.

There was the story of Oliver who was now operating in Tsholotsho. First it was reported that those people were doing some banditry activities, robbing shops and buses. Then the wording changed that they were doing dissident activities, which meant those activities were politically motivated.

Banditry from my own understanding is criminal activities carried out by an armed person, who belongs to a military set-up. When all that was happening as former Zipras we found ourselves in a difficult situation because our colleagues from the former Zanla painted everyone one of us with the same brush. They called us dissidents although we were still serving in the army and very loyal to the Government.

Then ex-Zipras found themselves being arrested at roadblocks while returning to report for duty. I remember myself and other former Zipras being fished from a bus along the Mbalabala-Zvishavane Road on our way to Mutare.
We were accused of being dissidents, taken to Brady Barracks where we spent the whole April of 1982 detained there. We were released in May after undergoing serious interrogation. I then went to my battalion in Odzi and quickly left for my home area in Gwanda. The situation was unbearable. Sensing more danger I crossed into Botswana, but did not stay long.

I returned home and when I heard that there were people from the security services who were looking for me, I turned to the only option available to me that was to return to the bush. It was better that way.

MS: Who armed you? Where did you get the weapons from?

Cde Ndlovu: I raided a local farm where I managed to disarm a guard there and took his weapon. That is how my dissident activities started.

MS: When you talk about being harassed in the army, who was responsible for that?

Cde Ndlovu: I have to be honest, the ex-Rhodesian soldiers especially those who were in the Military Police caused a lot of havoc. They are the ones who were harassing the ex-Zipras and that was a political ploy to set us up against our colleagues from Zanla. Even in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), the former Rhodesian security officers were in the fore-front.

They did all the damage. They manufactured all the lies so that Zapu and Zanu would not have peace with each other. Unfortunately at that time we were not mature enough to read the situation politically. We were tricked and driven into doing what we ended up doing. So, the signing of the Unity Accord should not be taken lightly, it was a master stroke by our leaders. We should cherish and celebrate it.

To be continued next week. The Sunday News