By Simbarashe Gwirambira

MY father Cde Taylor Gwirambira whose Chimurenga name was ‘Elias Chimurenga’ joined the liberation struggle in 1976 and was briefly trained for three weeks at Chikamba Base Camp in Mozambique.
He later left for Doroi Refugee Camp soon after the Nyadzonia attack in 1976.
At Doroi, he was injured on his leg by grass which was poisoned by Portuguese soldiers and the wound would not heal until he went for further training in East Africa, Tanzania, Nachingweya farm 17 HQ in November 1976.
He was trained by ZANLA instructors, Tanzania Defence Forces and Chinese instructors.
After training, he left Nachingweya back to Mozambique through Kilimani Airport to Mukuba then to Nasiyaya farm.
From Nasiyaya, he went to Mumango Base then to Mavhonde.
From there he went into battle in Rhodesia through Tangwena sector in Manica Province.
The 1977 Chimoio attack was carried out by Rhodesian forces when their group of 250 comrades were in Makoni detachment.
Cde Mupfurutsa, Cde Chihombe Madhara the late and Cde Magomatute were some of their commanders.
His first battle was at Nyakuyima Village in Makoni.
About five white soldiers and one black were killed in the battle including their dogs.
He later left Makoni detachment for Hwedza detachment.
On arrival in Hwedza, they were received by comrades Mwakaruda, Tawanda Magorilla, Gungwa Reropa, Serious Hondo, Nyikayavanhu and Handeyi Pamwe, among others.
My father says they fought many battles in Hwedza.
Some of these were, Makwarimba, Zenda 1, Goto Mission, Mapiye, Ganda Masungo.
He says at Zenda 1, a large number of whitemen and other soldiers were killed in surprise attacks.
It was reported to them by the villagers that about 48 soldiers were killed and many others injured.
The Goto battle was near Goto Mission when my father and other comrades were ambushed.
On retreating from the battle, my father was surrounded by enemy helicopters and while trying to capture him, he escaped by sliding down a mountain cliff of about 40m deep.
To date, he complains of a severe backache because of that escape.
After this battle, they ate food poisoned by a certain chief from Goto and the whole group of 13 cadres nearly perished, had it not been for a quick emergency procedure taken by their medical officer.
At Mapiye after another ambush, my father was injured on his right femur. The rescue operation was carried out by Cde Hilton and others and father was moved to a hill near Hwedza Mountain called ‘Pamutsakani’ where he was treated by two nurses mobilised from Mt St Mary’s Mission Hospital.
They removed some bullet fragments from his leg.
At Pamutsakani hill there is a tunnel (ninga) where they kept him for four months.
An unknown man would bring food during the night using a rope.
This happened for four months until my father recovered and he finally met a man called ‘Mutsakani’.
Some of the comrades who fought alongside my father were Cde Alberto, Cde Cho/Airline, the late Chief Ziki, Cde Alberto, Cde Lucks Roparinoera and many others.
When the Rhodesians finally surrendered (ceasefire) my father and other comrades from Hwedza, Svosve detachment were the first to open Dzapasi Assembly Point before settling in a free Zimbabwe.
My father is married to my mother Lyna and we are four (children) in our family.
We live in Queensdale.
He is now 51 years old and is into mining.