The Sunday Mail
IN a continuing conversation with Garikai Mazara, decorated former Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZPRA) instructor Tennyson Ndlovu explains how he was not a dissident but forced by fate to turn to the bush as he faced persistent and targeted persecution. Calling it a moment of confusion, Thambolenyoka, as he was known during the tumultuous early 80s civil disturbances that rocked Matabeleland and the Midlands, goes down memory lane . . .
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Q: So you had been integrated in 1980?
A: Come on, understand the situation, when we came from the house of exile, we came through that channel, the army. The army received us, some of the comrades were integrated and some were not. Though we were not integrated, we were part of the army, so we were demobilised by the army.
Q: Help me understand, and probably some of our readers who were still young at that time?
A: That was not a civilian sphere, that was a military sphere, so all the assembly points were controlled by the army.
Q: So were you on an army payroll?
A: We were on a payroll, we were under the army until 1982. We left the army in 1982. Since 1980 we were under the army, till 1982.
Q: I am a bit confused here, either you are integrated or you are not integrated, but you are still paid by the army?
A: When we were from the bush, we were put into assembly points, under the army. We were paid there, in the assembly points, by the army, under the army. Though others were integrated, others were not integrated — but still under the administration of the army. Get me right, where are you getting lost? Until 1982, when we were disqualified.
Q: So it was like, you guys are free to go, we don’t need you?
A: Yes, that is what we were told. Just like that — the army is full now, you can go. That was done to us. I am surprised you go crying, that I am at work and I am paid very little money, I stayed more than a decade during the war, we never got a cent. We cannot compare your situation with our situation, of course it can never be the same. We don’t want, you our children to suffer, that we don’t want.
We fought for that, that you have a better life than us so that’s what happened to us. We had to be scavengers from 1982. For so many years, living the life of scavengers, until there came a time when war veterans formed an association. This helped us, now we are getting our pensions, through the War Veterans’ Association. We joined the party, it is now Zanu PF, it was Zapu and Zanu. Now we are under the umbrella of Zanu PF, that is the Patriotic Front, which we formed in 1976. That Patriotic Front is very important, very important.
Q: If you say you formed the Patriotic Front in 1976, probably some would ask why didn’t you fight the elections as a Patriotic Front in 1980?
A: That is what happened, though our leaders had differences. They had differences.
Q: You couldn’t solve those differences? You formed the Patriotic Front four years back (before 1980), four years existing as a Patriotic Front, yet you could not fight the elections as one unit?
A: Well, this one was a very big problem from that time, until we had to meet again, the Unity Accord in 1987. That is why we are even together today. But for those past years we could not meet, we remained parallel.
Q: Let us talk about the Entumbane disturbances. What happened, what caused those differences?
A: These were the differences, I told you. You are a Maoist and I am a Leninist. Those differences.
Q: But we are all Zimbabweans, yah? Why couldn’t you coexist?
A: It needed very strong leaders to unite, unfortunately our leaders didn’t have that capability to do that. Instead, it was each man for himself situation. Mugabe had his own way and Nkomo had his own way. They both wanted to rule, so this affected the forces.
As a result, the Entumbane situation erupted, Connemara situation erupted, Harare (Chitungwiza) situation erupted. They could not control the situation, the leaders themselves had a problem.
Q: But if we look back, within Zapu/ZPRA structures they had Ndebeles and Shonas. If you look at Zanu/Zanla, they had Ndebeles and Shonas in their structures as well. So why didn’t you unite then?
A: That is what was supposed to happen so it was not the forces’ error, it was the leaders’ error. Within the forces, there was no such behaviour. Our leaders, they are the ones who had a problem but within the forces, it wasn’t that much. Within the forces, I tell you even today, they are united more than the politicians.
Q: But it’s not the politicians who were fighting each other? Entumbane, the politicians were not there?
A: No, but they were encouraged by the politicians. Politics was the cause, then this was just an effect. Do you get it? Forces were not the ones who created that situation.
Q: Let’s come to the period you are not comfortable discussing, the dissident era. The so-called dissident era, the Gukurahundi era. What happened?
A: Why do you say I am not comfortable?
Q: I have been going through your previous interviews . . .
A: So you knew what you had come here for?
Q: This is part of the healing process, we have to talk about some of these things so that our children and future generations know what happened.
A: I don’t know about that. Do you know about it yourself? I know nothing about that, only that I was confused. During that time, if somebody came to you, putting on a uniform or even civilian clothing, approaches you and says, you are a dissident. Hawu, ngihlezi la uyangitshela ukuthi ngili dissident. You know I felt threatened, after the country which I had liberated, then you tell me I am a dissident. Where did you get this name, dissident? Do you know where it is derived from? I was just approached and told, you are a dissident by the previous Government.
Q: But you were not?
A: I was not. Somebody who was talking about dissidents is the one who knew better than me. Calling me a dissident. You ask him about dissidents. Even today I know nothing about dissidents. What I know is that when a problem arises within a family, you can fight each other, within the family.
That is how I regarded the situation — I had to fight you because you were calling me a dissident. I was not a dissident.
Q: But why do I call you a dissident, from nowhere?
A: I told you that I was at my lock. Then a man putting on a uniform came to me and said you are a dissident. Hee ngilo mntanami endlini lomfazi wami sungitshela ukuthi mina am a dissident. Obekwazi ngubani khonokhwana, anenge achiziva kuti munhu uyu I dissident ndiyani? I knew nothing about a dissident.
Q: So what happened when you were demobilised, were you not bitter?
A: Yes, we were not happy because that was our army, we created that army. Then you chase me when I had done a lot of work like creating an army? Do you think it was a joke creating an army? We created that army.
Even these commanders who are there today, brigadiers and generals, they are from these hands. They are enjoying the fruits of Zimbabwe and I am not enjoying. Do you think I am happy about that? It is not nice. We were chased when we were not prepared to be chased.
Q: So what did you do as a reaction to being chased?
A: What could we have done? Nothing. I went to look for a job at National Foods. I worked at National Foods. Come, I am waiting for you. (Laughs).
Q: I am just shocked. You are at National Foods and somebody comes and says, you are a dissident. How does it add up?
A: That is what transpired my dear, that is what happened.
Q: So you never took up any arms?
A: To say, I am fighting the Government?
Q: Mind you, this is history that we are recording, let us be honest with each other . . .
A: Yes, let us be honest with each other. After National Foods commitment, that is 83/84/85, the same approach came to me, you are a dissident. What have I done since I am being called a dissident? Worst part is you are ZPRA and you were an instructor. See what I mean? Then one day I was coming from my house, we were made to queue. From Magwegwe, Luveve up to Mpilo then Stanley Square.
This is when I was asked by a commander who was wearing a red beret, I think that one was a Major. If I am not wrong, I remember that guy, when we were at Morogoro, he was a Zanla, but here he was a Major.
We were asked to produce our national identity cards. I produced mine and that guy who knew me said, ko iwe hauzvifarire zviri kuitwa neZanu? Me? Handizvifarire? Akati, ndazviona kare kuti hauzvifarire, enda unomira apo. Join those ones, those who were to be taken to Stops Camp (Ross camp) then Bhalagwe. I am like, I am going to Bhalagwe now.
Q: Bhalagwe was what?
A: Where people were thrown into a mine shaft (in Kezi). A soldier, after he had gone with a Puma which was full of ZPRAs to Ross Camp, he came and rescued me. Remember I told you ukuthi mina I trained several soldiers, he came to me and rescued me, he said iwe enda. Yikho ukusuka kwami ngahle ngangena iganga (That is when I left and went to the bush). There were no ways uyezwa because labana engangibanjwe labo bahamba bonke bayabulalelwa e Bhalagwe (All those whom I had been held with were sent to be killed at Bhalagwe).
Q: So he rescued you?
A: Yes, he was one of my soldiers I had trained. He said, iwe enda. That was that.
Q: I get the feeling you are not saying everything. Then you went back to National Foods?
A: After Unity Accord, when the Unity Accord was signed, we came from the bush. We surrendered our arms.
Q: Help me, you are talking about National Foods . . .
A: I said after National Foods, from National Foods, during National Foods, I was told you are a dissident. Then on a weekend I was at my lock, at Lobengula West, we were made to queue, I told you. We queued from Magwegwe, Luveve, Mpilo, all locations, up to Stanley Square. Where I was asked by a Zanla soldier I knew from Tanzania, did I not say that? So you are confused, this is too much for you.
Q: So how did you leave here to the bush?
A: I was rescued by that soldier, who said, iwe buda mugroup iro riri kuenda kuBhalagwe. Tshaya phansi (Rova pasi). And I went to the bush. Uri kuzvinzwa manje? I was forced by fate to be in the bush, it wasn’t my liking. Then I joined the guys who were in the bush.
Q: That part you had not been clear, that after Stanley Square you went to the bush. On how you went to the bush.
A: We were not together, you were thinking about something else.
Q: So when you went to the bush, did you have a command structure?
A: We had, yes.
Q: Who was your commander?
A: Aah, my friend. It is not easy. I was asked in 1987 about those commanders, I think I revealed all the information. You can go to The Chronicle, I think they can give you that information. It is there, it is stocked there. It is not easy to talk about it.
Since you are the same company, I am referring you back to The Chronicle, go to their library, you will get that information.
Q: But the library is seated here? Why should I go back to Bulawayo when the library is here?
A: That information, you have it.
Q: What were the grievances you had then? What were you fighting for?
A: What were we fighting? Isn’t it that I told you that I was provoked whilst I was at my house and labelled a dissident? I was captured by Stanley Square, if it was you, could you stand such a situation? That caused me to go into the bush.
Q: And where were you getting your firearms from?
A: We were fighting and we could get some of the armament from battles. That’s that, nothing more, nothing less.
Q: Unity Accord, was it cosmetic? Were the issues addressed? Was there real unity?
A: My friend, that one is known by those who signed the Unity Accord. There is nothing that I can tell you about the Unity Accord because I was not invited.
Q: But you had a cause or causes that you were fighting for, were your causes addressed?
A: We were not invited to be told what had transpired, we were just sent to the camps. That was that. We were to listen to our leaders, we had no words to say but to listen to our leaders.
Q: So your leaders knew about your activities?
A: Some of them, yes.
Q: And they approved?
A: Yes, they approved. Some of them passed away and some of them are still alive.
Q: And you cannot mention them, I guess?
A: You! You want me to be in the gallows, huh? I will not mention them. I would better mention those who passed away. (Laughs).
In the next and final instalment, Thambolenyoka recounts how Richard Gwesela, one of the more notorious dissidents, met his fate. There have been suggestions that Gwesela was not killed, but escaped to a neighbouring country as the 80s civil unrest intensified. Thambolenyoka dispels those rumours and gives a blow-by-blow account of how his comrade died.
