The Sunday Mail
CDE LYN GORORO (LG), whose nom de guerre was Cde Farisai Maguerilla, concludes her account by telling our Political Editor KUDA BWITITI (KB) about the military training she received and another potential massacre that could have happened in Mozambique.
**************
KB: Tell us about the military training you received at Mudzingadzi.
LG: I went to Mudzingadzi in Mozambique for my military training in 1978. At Mudzingadzi, the challenge we had was that women were not allowed to sleep at the camp. So, we were only allowed to come for training during the day and leave soon after that. This meant that women had to spend the night at a camp which was some few kilometres away.
KB: For how long did you train?
LG: I received basic military training, which lasted for about six months. Some of my trainers were Cde Seven Tembazvako; Cde Hondo Lenin Mushati; Cde Bemhuda; the late national hero Brigadier-General Charles Kaneta, who died in 2022; and Cde Kiswell.
I can say basic military training was meant to prepare us mentally, physically and emotionally for armed combat. Mentally, we were enlightened on why it was important to fight the war so that we would have the unflinching conviction to be prepared to die to liberate the country and not become sellouts. Physically, we undertook several gruelling exercises, including running for several kilometres and military drills. We also received lessons on how to handle different kinds of ammunition.
KB: What were some of the incidents that stood out for you during training at Mudzingadzi?
LG: One major incident that happened at Mudzingadzi was that we survived an attack by the Rhodesian security forces. The interesting thing is that we were not the ones who fought this battle, but a swarm of bees.
KB: Please explain how bees fought that battle for you?
LG: Everyone was busy at the camp when we suddenly heard cries. Some of our seniors went to check what was going on and to their surprise, they saw the enemy forces retreating, as they were fleeing from the bees. The enemy was heavily equipped and if it had not been for the bees, we could have lost this battle and our comrades would have been massacred.
No one had been aware that the enemy was approaching and that they were very close. We were not prepared at all, so the bees were the ones that saved us.
Related Stories:
KB: What happened after you completed basic training?
LG: I took up the instructor training course. This is the training that would enable me to train other comrades. Soon after finishing the instructor training, I returned to the Doroi transit camp, Base 13, for a while. From there, I went to Tete province, where I was able to train other comrades.
KB: Were there many female instructors in Tete?
LG: Yes, there were quite a few of us, although the majority were males.
KB: What were some of your experiences in Tete?
LG: I trained many comrades, but did not stay there for long. I was recalled to the Doroi transit camp sometime in early 1979. From there, I was selected to go to Denmark, where I studied agriculture. I lived in Denmark for about a year. The Lancaster House talks that led to our independence were conducted while I was in Denmark. I then returned to the country just before independence in 1980.
KB: Any last words?
LG: My last words are just to reinforce that no one should take for granted the ultimate sacrifices made by war veterans, war collaborators and ordinary people to help liberate this country. At the camps where we lived, life was not easy at all. We would go without food for some days and we faced diseases, wild animals and many other dangers but we remained steadfast.
Another important thing I need to mention is that we should not ignore the power that we get from our ancestral spirits. Because of the Western culture that has permeated our society, there is a tendency to undermine our traditional culture. We should preserve our customs and understand the importance of spirit mediums like Mbuya Nehanda. I never got to see Mbuya Nehanda in person because she lived in another era, but she was my guiding spirit during the war.
