The story of Rebecca Kunaka

AFTER comrades Member, Lobo, Wonder, Damage Bombs, America States, Take Time, Nhamo and Norest successfully bombed the BP Shell tanks on December 11 1978, in Southerton, in the then Salisbury, leaving the city in an inferno that turned the hearts of Rhodesians cold with fear, we had a hard time in Ngwerume Village, Domboshava.
Never mind we were some 40 kilometres away from the capital.
These legendary fighters who had struck at the core of Rhodesians, the centre that fuelled its war machinery, had passed through Domboshava and we had hosted them.
While in our village, they stayed on Gutsa Mountain and would later proceed to Zimbiru Village.
The news of the destruction of the tanks got to us that very day of the attack.
The world got the news that very day; that Rhodesians were in trouble.
The inferno raged for days and was put out with external assistance of fire fighters from South Africa.
War had now been brought to the very doorstep of the Rhodies.
It was a message loud and clear; the so-called ‘terrorists’ (freedom fighters) meant business and were not backing down from the fight.
Already the Rhodies were overstretched while hundreds and hundreds of blacks were joining the liberation struggle on a daily basis.
The blaze could be seen kilometres away from the city and a dark ominous cloud created by the burning fuel overhung the city.
Its blackness matched the mood of the Rhodesians who were not just furious and seriously weakened, but very much afraid.
If such a strategic place could be bombed, what of their homes in the leafy suburbs.
The illusion of safety was in that instant stripped away.
Immediately Rhodesian soldiers began hunting for the perpetrators of this ‘heinous crime’.
Naturally our area, being close to the city, saw swarms of Rhodies descending on our village, Ngwerume.
And we believe one of the fighters who had been dropped from the mission for committing adultery had sold out.
After committing adultery he had been forbidden by Sekuru Zimbiru, a local spirit medium, to go on the mission.
He had been given a thorough hiding by his fellow comrades.
The comrades passed through the village after completion of their mission.
We knew they were back because we were instructed to take food to Gutsa Mountain where they were based enroute to Mozambique.
We prepared the food which we took to the mountain with fellow chimbwidos.
I remember it was sadza and chicken.
The food was wrapped in sacks and then in cloths before putting it on our backs as if we were carrying babies.
Just before we got to the mountain, we made our presence known by a password.
I could clearly see Cde Norman Hwiza, a war collaborator, resting on the mountain top.
Hwiza had assisted with information when they came to Mbare for their final mission. He was there when the tanks were bombed and the comrades were taking him to Mozambique for military training.
As we climbed Cde Hwiza gave us the sign of danger.
We swiftly changed direction and pretended to be looking for firewood.
Cde Hwiza was the first to see the Rhodesian ambush team.
A battle ensued.
So heavy was the gunfire that Cde Hwiza could not escape despite being ordered to do so by the comrades.
He was shot in both legs.
Instinctively I took cover behind a big rock.
Sarudzai tried to run away, but was shot dead.
There was nothing I could do.
I had no gun or anything to fight with.
All I had was the food on my back.
I also saw the Rhodesian who shot Cde Hwiza and all I could do was keep still.
The other comrades managed to escape.
It was all in my eyes.
Among the soldiers who shot Cde Hwiza was the notorious Selous Scout, Roy ‘Muzezuru’ Bennett, the former MDC-T treasurer-general currently in self-imposed exile.
Bennett, after brutally assaulting the injured Hwiza, drove him to Susuman Farm in Shamva where he handed him over to the Special Branch.
Trembling when the enemy had dispatched, I hastily gathered some firewood, which I carried as I made my way home in case I met the murderous Rhodies again.
Still I carried the food on my back.
I was not thinking straight at that moment.
Fortunately I arrived home safely, but was filled with trepidation, wondering about the fate of the captured Cde Hwiza.
Compiled by Emergency Mwale-Kamtande