By Dr Irene Mahamba

‘Tauyawo, tauya
Vana veZANU, tauya muZimbabwe
Handei makomuredzi
Handei kuZimbabwe…’

EACH Chimurenga song brings you back to the days of the liberation struggle, to that special moment in life, of sharing the deepest commitment to Zimbabwe with others.
At Comrade Samson Tapera Mukanduri’s wake, the youths did not know most of the original Chimurenga songs, but the older people, especially the women, remembered the songs that inspired and kept us going during the liberation struggle as the women from Masvingo demonstrated when they sang:
‘Taimbooneswa nhamo namabhunu
Munyika yababa…’
The Chitepo School of Ideology will need to address this gap.
The whole of last week, from January 22, when Cde Mukanduri was discovered dead in his home in Chiromo Village in Zaka, to Saturday 27 when he was buried at Glen Forest in Harare with full honours of a Liberation War Hero, many struggled with the reality that this quiet, loving, hardworking war veteran had departed as quietly as he had lived his life.
I knew comrade Mukanduri during the liberation struggle when he was our base security commander at Matenje Base, the Headquarters of the ZANU Education Department, in Tete Province, Mozambique.
We called him Cde Zizi, a name symbolic of his intelligence work.
He did his military training at Mgagao, in Tanzania, and later trained in intelligence at Chaminuka College in Mozambique.
As we have said many times before in this paper (The Patriot), although all those children who went to join the struggle but were below 18 were put in schools, ZANU took their ideological training very seriously. Though too young to fight, they had gone to Mozambique to become freedom fighters so they were educated in a manner that prepared them to become freedom fighters when they came of age, thus, the leadership of the camp schools were all trained ZANLA cadres and Cde Zizi was one such.
To have been entrusted with the security of these young ZANLA cadres means that Cde Zizi was a highly trusted cadre because this was not an easy task; to ensure the security of thousands of children when both you and the children are not armed.
To be a fully trained cadre and to operate without any weapons is hard enough but to have to protect thousands of young children without a single weapon was a tough call which he, however, successfully accomplished.
A quiet comrade of gentle, firm and principled disposition, he inspired confidence in all of us and we led a life that was as sanguine as could be, given our circumstances.
It is also instructive that ZANU deployed one of its highly trained intelligence cadres to take care of the children who were very precious to the cause and every care was taken to protect them and nurture them correctly.
It was during this time that Cde Zizi met his wife Cde Tau, who was working as a medical officer at the camp clinic.
The two married the ZANU way, registering with the commissar who then sanctioned their life as a married couple.
We have said many times before what many people will not accept; that during the struggle, adultery was forbidden; instead those in love who wanted to live as couples had to solemnise their intention with the commissariat first; it was against the law for people to sleep around.
Cdes Zizi and Tau’s first child, Lloyd, was born at Matenje Base.
These were serious marriages, not frivolous opportunistic liaisons. When the two came home after the liberation struggle, a beast was slaughtered at the Mukanduri home in Zaka to welcome the bride, and later the couple had a white wedding.
They have been together until Cde Zizi’s passing on last week.
Coming home after the liberation struggle, Cde Mukanduri worked in the President’s Office, rising through the ranks.
At each level he acquitted himself illustriously as his workmates testified at his funeral.
He retired in 2007 to pursue a political career.
In 2008 he was elected MP for Zaka East, while in 2013 he was re-elected to this position, which he held until his passing on last week.
In Parliament, he was one of the pillars of the Party who could be relied upon to come to the defence of the Party consistently and decisively. He also represented the Parliament of Zimbabwe in the SADC Parliament where he did magnificent work, representing the country with excellence.
The SADC Parliament sent their condolences, expressing shock at this loss.
In Zaka, and Zaka East in particular, they are disconsolate.
They chronicled his many successful projects for the constituency; repaired bridges, opened roads, schools, electricity while he was also working on a clinic and bringing a booster to the area.
He was completely immersed in projects for the constituency and was the beloved of all; in his quiet, gentle manner, he drew all as he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Zimbabweans in Zaka East.
He is their hero.
While at Matenje Base, he was involved in the educational activities at the base; he taught ‘A’-Level Geography.
After the struggle, he continued to be involved in the work of the Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production (ZIMFEP), the custodian of the educational ideas developed during the struggle.
When most deserted ZIMFEP, he continued to be loyal as he diligently and tirelessly worked as one of its board members.
In Masvingo Province, he was the Secretary for Education; the Province is deeply grateful for his unparalleled contribution.
Over the years, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Science, a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration as well as a PHD.
His funeral was attended by hundreds of Zimbabweans.
Comrade Samson Tapera Mukanduri was an incredible fighter; mostly his was the quiet work of a diligent, intelligent, selfless, humble cadre, giving all his time and energy to the welfare of Zimbabwe — a truly caring comrade.
Cde Zizi, thank you for upholding the values of our struggle, thank you for serving Zimbabweans selflessly, thank you for making us feel special as comrades, as Zimbabweans!