The Story of Cde Simon Dopo

LIKE any other student in the then Rhodesia, I aspired to become a school teacher since that was an esteemed profession for Africans.
But my dreams were shattered by Rhodesian forces when they closed my primary school, Kadzunge, in Nyazura on July 22 1976.
I was in Grade Four then.
I was deeply disappointed by the closure of my school and as such, I became an active participant of pungwe meetings, young as I was.
Political orientation, preached by ZANLA freedom fighters like Cdes Ringo Star and Innocent Tanganeropa, convinced me to join the local mujibhas to assist vanamukoma.
Cdes Sindi Mago, Maxwell Dzenga, Mhuru Musango, Tanganeropa, and Star were among other ZANLA guerillas I knew in my home village Kadzunge and in Gonese, Ruombwe, Chiduku, Rukweza and Mazendera Villages.
As mujiibhas, we were the eyes and ears of freedom fighters and together with my fellow villagers, Luke Nyakudumba, Hoza, Maria Chapiriminda, Florence Ngorima, Coster Mutiro, Drungo Gunure, Rebecca Binha, Florence and Siyu Nyakudumba, we committed to be runners for our liberators.
September 28 1978 will forever remain etched in my mind as this was the day I witnessed first-hand the horrors of the liberation struggle.
On that fateful day, I witnessed an air-raid by the Rhodesian Special Air Services on ZANLA cadres, a scene that stubbornly refuses to escape my mind.
It still haunts me to date.
I woke up in the morning, and as usual, went to the base.
The base was on Kadzungire Mountain.
I was sent, together with my fellow mujibha Andrew, to Rukweza Business Centre where we were supposed to collect jeans from a businessman who ran a shop there.
These were part of our duties as mujibhas.
Suddenly I started feeling weak that hot morning and was soon bleeding, but I could not go back home because we were on a mission.
It was war and I had to be strong.
I was getting weaker by the minute and could not proceed to the base.
Then suddenly, a strong wind blew and somehow I regained my strength.
My instincts told me there was impending danger, but I kept assuring myself I had nothing to fear.
Because of my small physical build, it was difficult for Rhodesians to identify me as a mujibha.
The businessman did not waste time when we handed him the letter which we were given by Cde Tanganeropa.
The jeans were put in sacks with groceries and we left for Kadzungure Base.
After walking for about a kilometre, through mountain passes, we were intercepted on Sobaya Mountain.
We just bumped into a ZANLA Base which we were never aware of.
Cde Nyikavanhu, who seemed to be the leader, interrogated us and we told them the truth.
By this time I was feeling weak and it was around lunch time.
Chimbwidos who operated in that area brought sadza just before we were released as Cde Nyikavanhu told us to rush to our base.
After walking for about a kilometre, we heard loud sounds coming in our direction.
We thought they were haulage trucks coming from Dorowa Mine.
I was about to collapse and I told Andrew I needed to rest.
We rested under a muhacha tree.
The sound became louder towards our direction.
We were shocked when a swarm of helicopters flew past us going in the direction we were coming from.
This was indeed an air raid.
Instinctively, we rose from under the tree and ran towards Rutanhire Village.
The Rhodesian forces had dropped paratroopers along Nyazura and Mutorahuku Rivers which surrounded Gatsi Mountain.
We rushed to Saruchera homestead in Rutanhire Village.
Much to our surprise, the homestead was deserted.
People had fled to the caves.
Saruchera homestead was on top of a hill, giving us a clear view of that historic battle.
Teargas was sprayed and bombs dropped, then there was heavy gunfire.
I vividly remember seeing two helicopters blown in the air.
Although the raid was scary because it was my first time to see an air raid with many dreadful helicopters, I was delighted to see one of the enemy’s helicopters in pieces.
The blowing off of the helicopter made the enemy flee.
The battle lasted about 30 minutes.
We proceeded to our base, but by this time ndakanga ndava nesimba, handizivi kuti rakabvepi.
We safely managed to deliver the jeans and cigarettes without any interceptions.
Nanhasi ndichiri kurota hondo iyi.
Compiled by Emergencey Mwale-Kamtande