By Tariro Matsiga

THE liberation struggle was fought in different fronts and this enabled the black majority to successfully attain independence in 1980.
Some fought as war collaborators, others as recruiters while many went for military training.
Born in 1952, my father Matsiga Mhonda participated in the liberation struggle through being involved in the internal politics in the People’s Movement Party.
He says, together with some youths they started politics in the 1970s.
They began to understand it through attending meetings in Highfield.
Highfield was one of the places where the revolution was planned and started.
Those days, the blacks were segregated by the Rhodesian government hence there was need for a complete revolution for blacks to be emancipated.
In terms of education, very few blacks were educated and chosen to go to secondary school.
This resulted in many blacks being unable to reach Form Two and to continue with education.
The late Cde Chinamano formed a community school scheme to allow blacks to be able to attend school.
To encourage education among blacks, the classes were held in churches.
Lecturers in these schools were ex-detainees who stressed the evil of the Rhodesian government and how it was crucial for blacks to fight for their country.
Father says the lectures were important since some among them thought the whitemen was superior therefore had to rule the country.
Father and the late Cde Ephraim Masawi went to join other war cadres such as the late Witness Mangwende, Webster Shamu and Edward Tsvarai at Hunda music shop.
Father and his friends could also run errands for the comrades.
At this place, the comrades could discuss and give each other information about the liberation struggle.
In December 1974, the nationalists that included Cde Robert Mugabe were freed opening avenues for a fresh start of planning the liberation struggle.
Father talks of how he was able to initiate and plan the movements of comrades to Mozambique and Zambia.
The year 1975 came with the death of a dedicated cadre, Herbet Chitepo and the independence of Mozambique.
The people joining the liberation struggle increased and father talks of how they also increased recruiting using a bus to ferry people.
The bus would start from Mutanga Night Club in Highfield before proceeding to Blue-Bar in Mbare.
This was coordinated by Cde Shamu to enable youths recruited by father and others to go for military training.
Some of the youths recruited include, Cdes Mako Vheremu, the late Solomon Maimbodei, Rwizi Ziyenge, Robert Marere and Paul Gunda.
Apart from recruiting, father could do tasks such as sending clothes for comrades and delivering information.
The People’s Movement was formed as an organisation in 1976 with Edward Munatsirei Tsvarai as the chairman.
It was divided into districts and my father operated in Mbare district which was supervised by Kenny Madora while Ephraim Masawi was the leader of the youth wing.
My father, became the first treasurer of People’s Movement youth wing.
Through this leadership, they were able to recruit many youths by having discussions about the liberation struggle.
Father says during that time, it was difficult to talk or to be heard talking about the People’s Movement organisation.
Many were arrested and detained, but those who were like my father continued with the struggle.
The People’s Movement were the structures of ZANU within Zimbabwe therefore they used to visit operational areas to communicate with the comrades.
They supplied information such as maps of Harare for the intelligence officers who were getting ready to come back after the Lancaster House Agreement.
The People’s Movement became a powerful organisation and some of its members were selected into government after the 1980 elections.
Its members such as Cde Tsvarai became deputy minister of Health while Kenny Madora was the first Councillor in Mbare.
My father became the political commissar for Mbare.
He says he never forgets the first rally held by President Mugabe when he came to meet the people.
It was the millions of people who gathered that showed that Zimbabwe had come back to its people.
He knew that Zimbabwe gained its independence through the black majority who fought for their freedom.
The sad story about my father is that although he is happy that he is living in an independent Zimbabwe, he feels that he is not being recognised by his fellow cadres.