By Sydney Mukwenje

AFTER schools closed, we were gradually ‘attested’ into the ‘Mujibahood’ and ‘Chimbwidoism’ (war collaboration).
Permanent bases were established in homesteads.
The bases were given names of city suburbs like Mabvuku, Tafara, Highfield, Glen Norah, Sakubva, Canaan, etc.
Ours in Murowe/Hamunakwadi villages was called Mabvuku.
Pheneas Kasiyandima and I joined that section led by mukoma Biggie Mupositori Muchena.
We were later joined by two other Mujibhas, Danmore and Josphat Nyamugure from Mt. Jenya.
Other comrades in that section were Anti-Air Muparadzi whom I later met after independence in 1988 as a Harare Municipal policeman based at Machipisa Bar.
I also met Cde Bazooka Muhondo in Highfield as well in 1988, but I heard he later passed on.
He was sadly moving on crutches after having been shot by mabhunu at a Murowe School battle in 1979.
He survived by faking death only to open his eyes when he was being ferried in a helicopter to Grand Reef army base near Mutare.
There was also Justice Muhondo (Lameck Murerwa) who became my mukuwasha in 1980 and is now retired in his rural home in Chimanimani, where he is now a successful maize, beans and potato farmer.
He also got injured during that same Murowe School battle, but was lucky to escape alive because he was quickly treated and whisked away by Cde Jonam the medic.
There was also Cdes Disperse Mambo, Bvumai Musakakama, JCJ Makamba, Chongo Muparadzi, Jose Muhondo, Tanetswa Taramba, Tasangana Zvekare Mabhunu, Simba Muparadzi who is now on government business in the USA, Gibon Bob Knox Killer, Maramba Kutongiwa Nevachena, Bvundurai Mabhunu, Shaw Muparadzi, and many others that I cannot remember because it is now 34 years since we parted ways.
The section was later joined by detachment commanders, Maggie Mangwende and his assistant, Cde Blaster.
I still remember mukoma Maggie for his famous saying “…. ndikupenzverenzve chii?
“Kana varivo vari kutifemesa ngavatore mweya wavo vaende, aaa chii?”
Cde Dust Kasiyapfumbi I heard, passed on two years ago after retiring from the army’s Mechanised Brigade to his rural home in Mt Darwin.
There was also detachment commander, George Onyango whom I heard from Cde Mutiza Mhepo (Mr Wurayayi) that he is now a farmer in the Midlands Province.
Cde Mutiza Mhepo operated in both Mutasa and Makoni and is now a successful soyabeans, sugarbeans and maize farmer in Mhondoro.
In 1981 I had the opportunity to meet Cde Jubilee Dlodlo (Retired Captain Thuso Maphala) a former ZIPRA cadre who, during the war, operated in Sun-yet-sen and Ratanyane villages and other places in Kezi-Kafusi who was based at Manika Bridge Camp.
He is now a proud owner of a big farm in Gwanda where he grows tobacco, maize and sorghum.
In 1978, I met Cde Rex Manyembe (Zacharia Gawaza) and reunited with him in 2009 only to discover that he is my uncle (babamunini).
He is doing very well as a tobacco, potato, and maize farmer in Beatrice.
Others were Silas Vance, Joe Mannix, Dhuze Kubondera, detachment commander Soft Guy, Shaft’s Big Score, Kid Joboringo and Shaw Muhondo.
Cde Shaw was one such a fighter who really enjoyed the war.
One would hear him complaining about when he was going to confront mabhunu and massacre them.
One would also see him alone making prone positions, crawling or pretending to be shelling with his 60mm bomb or simply M60.
I used to laugh my lungs out every time I met him at night at the GP.
Even if he knew it was a dog, or a goat or a cow approaching or passing by, he could take a firing position shouting, “Unonyepa shamwari, kuda kuuraya vana vevamwe vari kuda kuzvitonga havo, vari kuda nyika yavo.
“Manje unonyepa!”
Anti-Air also had his antics.
He would walk towards any Mujibha with his body stooping slightly forwards while lifting his trousers knee high revealing his socks and twisting his shoe on the ground saying, “Is gidhigidhi is dimond sokola is chimujibha ichi is chidhumdhum, chibhonderere, chitop dheng, chishaluza is chi hahalf past 4 is kungo dhuukirwa basi basi.”
‘Dimond sokola’ were those socks with diamond designs and kudhuukirwa basi basi means feeling happy.
Despite the war being characterised by deaths and injuries, it had its lighter side.
After all, those fighting were also human beings.
There are other comrades from different operational zones whom I used to meet during my errands as a mujibha like Professor Charles Pfukwa whose war name was ‘Shepherd Chimurenga’, aka ‘Dynamics’ who operated in Magowa, Rugoyi, Gandanzara, Nyagumbo, Musaringo, Dangirwa, St. Killians, Gambe Barabara, Trise Hill and Madziwa in Makoni North.
The wise say, we meet to part and part to meet.
That is what now exists between Professor Pfukwa and me.
Had it not been for the United Nations resolution on child soldiering, I could have at 14 years, moved around with a pistol that was discovered at a certain home that was rummaged by the comrades in search of weapons and classified information because of that person’s political background.
These comrades loved me so much because at that age I had exhibited a lot of courage, vigilance, intelligence and enthusiasm over the war of liberation.
I had a remote feeling of one day crossing into Mozambique, but that was not my priority.
I usually think of what my uncle/babamunini Patrick Mukwenje aka Cde Tizai Masiyandaita (May his soul rest in peace) would say or feel if he sees me because he was there in the bush where he had gone in 1976.