By Tinashe Nicole Mukanganyama

THE liberation struggle required dedication and everyone’s cooperation.
That was the only way to emerge victorious.
Everyone was critical especially the villagers.
Women played a crucial role in the struggle and were not spared from the brutality of the Ian Smith regime.
Women were not helpless, but actively participated in the efforts to dislodge colonial rule.
My mother, Jacqueline Mukanganyama also known as ‘Lovender Pirai’ was among the brave women who decided to participate in the struggle and she received military training at Tembwe Camp, Mozambique.
She would go on to become a Detachment Political Commissar (PC) and Medical Officer (MO).
She received training from veterans that included ‘Cde Steven Chocha’, the now Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri.
My mother was among the comrades that were leading in the opening up of new bases to accommodate the hundreds that were coming daily to join the liberation struggle.
She opened Chari and from there was deployed to Kasongo, a base near Cabora Bassa.
At Kasongo, her duties included getting artillery that they referred to as ‘Tidzis’ to the front.
The task to transport weapons was dangerous, but she diligently carried it out.
And she was performing this dangerous task in 1976, the war was at its peak and the Rhodesians were desperate, which increased the danger.
Mother has vivid memories of this time.
No matter how brutal the Rhodesians became, hundreds of Zimbabweans kept crossing the borders to join the war.
Every day the guerrillas became stronger despite the massive loss of lives as a result of Rhodesians that had begun to commit genocides in a futile attempt to stem the tide of war that was engulfing them.
People were being sent to countries such as Tanzania, Russia and China for advanced military training.
Death was a constant companion, one never far away.
And survival was attributed to more than one’s wits.
Inexplicable phenomena that included dreams saved many a fighter.
Mother remembers how she survived after a bad dream which she feels was a warning.
Because of the dream she was reluctant to carry out duties that particular day and managed to wriggle out of her responsibilities.
The group that went to collect ammunition on that day was attacked and many died.
After diligently performing her duties, mother was later posted to Chimoio Camp as a Medical Officer.
She did not stay long before being transferred to Gaza Province where she met Cdes Guvheya, Constantine Chiwenga who is now the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and Webster Shamu at Xai Xai Camp.
At Xai Xai she was informed that she was to go to Yugoslavia for further training.
While awaiting departure to Yugoslavia she went on a mission to deliver weapons to a base called Misau.
It was in Misau that she realised the level of Rhodesian desperation.
The base was attacked by mounted Rhodesians.
Mother witnessed women and children being dragged by horses to their death.
During the attack, she was shot on her left leg.
The wound, she says, always reminds her of the brutality of war.
The injury prevented her Yugoslavia journey.
From Xai Xai, mother was transferred to Doroi where she was assigned to operate in the security department.
She was responsible for recruiting people from refugee camps into the guerrilla warfare.
She worked with Cdes Mupunzarima and Stan Gun and recalls the ‘three check-ups’, a method to verify whether those that intended to join the struggle were genuine or spies sent by the Rhodies.
Mother says many people came back from Mozambique without receiving military training after failing the ‘three check-ups’.
Some were not in good health and not physically fit and some were too young to be fighters.
Mother operated in both the Gaza and Manica provinces performing the ‘three check-ups’ till cease fire.
She came back home through the Dzapasi Assembly Point.
It has been 34 years since we attained freedom.
I give thanks to all who participated in the liberation struggle and most importantly my mother.