THE struggle for Zimbabwe’s independence became a protracted affair, lasting more than a decade because of lack of unity.
Breaking the yoke of colonialism required dedication and sacrifices that some fellow blacks were not ready to make as they sided with the enemy.
Compared to Africans, the white invaders were only a handful and had they fought alone without the aid of greedy Africans they would not have managed to withstand, for the time they did, the onslaught by the guerillas.
It is sad that for the love of money, lack of understanding and appreciation of the values of Africans some blacks sold their very souls to the devil.
Blacks in the army, police and district assistants constituted 80 percent of the Rhodesian security forces.
Whites made up only 20 percent.
A fortnight ago The Patriot was in Buhera at Dzapasi, one of the biggest assembly points where ZANLA cadres who operated in Manica Province assembled during the ceasefire period in December 1979.
Many people gathered at the site of the former assembly point to give their accounts of the time that was largely characterised by uneasiness as whites who had failed to stem the tide of war opted for talks at Lancaster House in London.
A councillor from Ward 22, Buhera central, stood up to give a speech at the gathering.
The speech blew off everyone’s stockings.
The councillor, Sulpicious Nyikadzino, revealed that during the war he was a Rhodesian soldier.
He was boastful about it.
He joined the Rhodesian army in 1976 at the height of the war.
At independence he was integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army.
Nyikadzino claimed he joined the Rhodesian African Rifles because it offered him the opportunity to train as a medical officer.
The former Rhodie soldier had the temerity to describe guerillas at Dzapasi as a careless lot who ‘left ammunition all over the place’.
“Comrades who operated here left a lot of ammunition here which I helped clear when contacted by the locals,” said Nyikadzino.
But the community expressed anger at how the former Rhodie soldier who helped whites commit atrocities was presenting himself as a hero when he should be apologising.
“Our history will be distorted by people like him, especially considering that such people are now holding public office. We are worried that elements like him will deliberately poison the minds of our youths because they do not hesitate to sell-out to the enemy,” said a villager who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The ZANU PF-led Government must not allow such people to hold public office as they will corrupt our system created after a bitter struggle.”
Again in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central, where we gathered stories from people who lived in the horrible Protected Villages (PVs), popularly known as the ‘Keeps’, we met another African who served the Rhodesians as a District Assistant (DA).
Good Mandaza of Mukodzongi Village joined the Rhodesian African Rifles in 1974.
He responded to a Rhodesian advertisement calling for black soldiers.
Mandaza claimed he joined the Rhodies to ‘protect’ fellow villagers from ZANLA terrorists.
Failure by Mandaza to know that the people were ‘water’ and guerillas ‘fish’ is difficult to fathom.
“The fact is that Mandaza knew the truth, which is that freedom fighters were fighting for the masses but he chose to have comforts at the expense of freedom,” said a villager.
Mandaza received his military training at Mbalabala Barracks, near Esigodini for six months.
After training he was assigned to work as a (DA).
The DAs were among the worst of Africans who perpetrated cruelty on fellow blacks.
Mandaza was deployed at Chombira Military Base in the Matepatepa area.
He worked in the signals office as a signaller.
His main duty was to receive and pass information to ‘fellow’ Rhodesian soldiers, especially for reinforcements in cases of attacks.
“I am proud to have served as a DA in Rhodesia. The Rhodesian government came up with the idea of Protected Villages to protect civilians,” said Mandaza unashamedly.
Despite the horrific stories of the ‘Keeps’, he remains defiant or rather in denial and shame. He nurtures a fantasy of sweet and good Rhodesians.
According to Belvort Rusere of Mujeri Village, the DAs were fiends from hell who mercilessly tortured the masses.
“The DAs were cruel and made our lives hell on earth. They severely punished us for ‘violating’ the Protected Villages’ regulations such as returning to the camp late,” said Rusere.
The 60-year-old Rusere said the DAs sexually abused girls and women in the camp.
“And these Rhodies and their puppets remain unrepentant, which makes us angry,” said Rusere.
Mandaza, who boasts having earned 29 Rhodesian dollars then, has nothing to show for it today.
All that remains are wounds that have not healed that he inflicted on fellow Africans.