ZIMBABWE this week celebrated the 35th anniversary of the death of Josiah Magama Tongogara who many describe as a military strategist par excellence.
The adage that heroes do not die… but fade away is true as evidenced by the legacy of General Tongogara who still lives on years after his departure.
Speaker after speaker at the commemorations held at KGVI Barracks in Harare on Wednesday described the man who was affectionately referred to as ‘Cde Tongo’ as a revered ZANLA commander, a military strategist, a principled cadre and a man who fought tirelessly for the freedom of Africans from colonial bondage.
Deputy Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Monica Mutsvangwa said the story of modern day Zimbabwe would not be complete without the inclusion of the life history of prominent people like Cde Tongo.
“The lives of President Robert Mugabe who is a national builder, the late Cde Joshua Nkomo who was the father of modern nationalism, Cde Hebert Chitepo the ideological architect of military movement and Cde Tongo a military genius should be part of the curriculum,” said Mutsvangwa.
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Constantine Chiwenga who worked under the leadership of Cde Tongo described him as a true hero of the Zimbabwean liberation, a patriot and a man who stood by his principles.
General Chiwenga, said the best way of honouring such a great commander was to safeguard what Cde Tongo died for, but never saw, a free Zimbabwe.
He urged all comrades particularly those that were in the High Command never to sell the revolution, but preserve Cde Tongo’s legacy.
“For those Cde Tongo commanded what we must do today going forward is to fulfill what he would have wanted had he lived to this day,” he said.
“Members of the Politburo and former commanders of the High Command, you should never sell the revolution, never under any circumstance, no matter how much you are offered, it does not matter what you are promised in life.
“Let’s keep the legacy of Cde Tongo and pass on the baton to the next generation so that Zimbabwe remains Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans.”
Patron of the Josiah Magama Legacy Foundation and, Vice-President, Emmerson Mnangagwa said the day was important as it gave the nation an opportunity to share the positive memories of a high profile, veteran warrior, whose devotion to the total liberation was incontestable and unwavering.
The Josiah Magama Legacy Foundation was founded in December 2012 by Mrs Angeline Kumbirai Tongogara in honour and memory of the freedom fighter.
In a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Defence, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, VP Mnangagwa said General Tongogara envisioned a free Zimbabwe, unshackled and having equality.
“His was an illustrious life and career whose simplicity, humility and spirit of servant leadership, continue to be the torch-bearer of the founding principles and ideology of our Party,” he said.
“He envisioned a Zimbabwe that is free and unshackled by settler colonial racism, a Zimbabwe of equals in all spheres of life.”
It is against this background that, Cde Mnangagwa said the legal process for renaming KGVI Barracks to General Tongogara Barracks had begun.
In addition, a monument will be erected in Mozambique in honour of Cde Tongogara.
General Magama Tongogara was born in Nhema near Shurugwi in 1940 and stayed with his parents at a farm owned by the parents of the unrepentant racist and Rhodesia Prime Minister, the late Ian Douglas Smith.
The racism and repression, under which his family lived embedded in him a deep hatred of colonialism and injustice for the rest of his life.
He joined ZANU and worked in the youth wing in Zambia before moving to China for training in military intelligence, political science, mass media and guerrilla war tactics and strategies in 1965.
On returning he trained ZANU cadres at Chunya and other camps in Tanzania, together with the late President Samora Machel, he was instrumental in orchestrating the coming together of ZANLA forces and FRELIMO to fight the Portuguese in Mozambique and the Rhodesians through the north-eastern border.
He also played a critical role in the establishment of mutually beneficial relations between ZANU and FRELIMO; hence Zimbabwean liberation fighters were able to launch their battles from bases in Mozambique.
In 1972 he was appointed Military Commander of ZANLA and Chairman of the High Command.
By 1973, he had ascended to become the Chief of Defence in Dare ReChimurenga, the ZANU Supreme Council which was charged with the responsibility of directing the prosecution of the liberation war in Zimbabwe.
The end of Portuguese colonial rule in Mozambique in 1975 marked a turning point of Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence and Cde Tongo was one of the masterminds of the three fronts guerilla infiltration strategy (North East, East and South East) all bordering Mozambique, into the operational provinces of Tete, Manica and Gaza respectively inside the then Rhodesia and covering half of the country.
In 1977 Cde Tongo was re-elected into the Party’s Central Committee as Secretary of Defence a post he held until his untimely death in 1979.
It was because of Cde Tongo’s unparalleled leadership qualities and the way he had popularised the war throughout Zimbabwe that the enemy agreed to go to the negotiating table at Lancaster House Conference.
General Tongogara also played a pivotal role at the Lancaster House Conference, where a ceasefire was negotiated between the Rhodesian and the ZANLA/ZIPRA forces on 21 December 1979.
Unfortunately, Cde Tongo never saw the freedom and Independence that he fought for as he died on December 26 1979 in a car accident on his way to the ZANLA military headquarters to personally inform the commanders about the Lancaster House agreement and the way forward.
Exactly, three and half months after his death, Cde Tongogara’s dream came true as Zimbabwe gained Independence on April 18 1980.