The Sunday Mail
CDE JOSIAH RADOKA (JR), whose nom de guerre was Joe Tawengwa, joined the war of liberation when he was still young. This week, he begins his story by chronicling to our Features and Arts Editor PRINCE MUSHAWEVATO (PM) how guerillas successfully convinced him to join other boys and girls who were determined to take up arms to free Zimbabwe from colonial rule.
*****************
PM: You can start by introducing yourself.
JR : My name is Josiah Radoka, but I christened myself Joe Tawengwa after I joined the liberation struggle. I was born on July 10, 1953. I did Sub A up to Standard Three at a school called Kwakutonga in Mutoko. I could not further pursue my education because of social and political challenges we were facing under Ian Smith’s regime. I decided to stay home, doing piece jobs, including being a herd boy.
PM: What exactly was going on in your mind during that time?
JR : I wanted to economically empower myself, but it proved difficult due to unfavourable systems that had been set up by the colonial government. With time, I moved to Harare (then Salisbury) to look for work. Upon arrival, I was first employed as a gardener in Hatfield. I later moved to Kadoma after one of my uncles secured a better job for me.
I was part of the team that opened the Kadoma Ranch Motel (now Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre) in 1972. I worked there as a kitchen porter for one-and-a-half years before I quit and went back to my rural home in Mutoko. A lot was going on in my mind. I was not a happy man because of the prevailing situation. The oppression was just too much, with no equal opportunities. I briefly stayed in my rural home before I decided to return to Harare to seek employment again.
PM: Had the situation improved enough for you to decide to go back to Harare?
JR : No! But I could not just sit. I needed to keep myself busy while assessing the situation and weighing my options. When I got back to Harare, I was fortunate to be employed by another hotel — Beverly Rocks — that was in Msasa. This time around, I stayed a bit longer. This place was strategic for me, as I got the latest news pertaining to the liberation war.
Unfortunately, along the way, I got into some nasty confrontation with one of the white directors by the name of George and I was fired. I am sure he did not like me because I always showed my disgust for colonial rule. Similarly, I was not as timid as they expected us (black people) to be. My next stop was Kamfinsa, Harare, where I secured another job. A few days after starting work, in 1975, we received the sad news of Cde Herbert Chitepo’s assassination in Zambia.
In fact, I used to work with the late Chitepo’s younger brother in Kamfinsa. I was sitting with his brother, around 1pm, when we got the news of his untimely death.
The brother was so devastated with the news that I had to help console him. Cde Chitepo’s younger brother travelled to their rural home in Nyanga to meet other relatives over the issue, but I remained behind. I could see both pain and anger written all over his face. I was pained to the core by his (Cde Chitepo) death; now, imagine how this guy felt! The sight of the grieving young lad was so touching. It further bolstered my loathing of the white man.
Meanwhile, I continued with work, but still felt everything was not right. A few months later, I learnt that there was new management at Beverly Rocks Hotel and went back and got employed again. The white director who had previously fired me had also been kicked out.
PM: How were you introduced to African nationalism?
JR : Around 1976, I went on leave and travelled to my rural home in Mutoko. During that time, liberation war fighters had set base in our village. Some were coming from as far as Mozambique.
It was on the third night after my return that some youths came to my place and told me that freedom fighters wanted to meet us in the mountains. I complied and followed them the next day.
We spent the whole day there. One would not imagine this was a war setting, as we were well-fed. The comrades prepared some good food for us, which included fatcooks and an assortment of meat, among other things.
We feasted as if it was a party or Christmas Day. Later on that day, there was a night vigil. We enjoyed ourselves; people sang and the radio was played. However, during the proceedings, an important announcement that was to change the course of our lives was made.
Leaders of the freedom fighters, who were about 12, asked everyone who was not married to stand up. Initially, I thought this was a routine check and life would continue as usual afterwards, but I was wrong. We were ordered to march along with them, which marked the beginning of our involvement in the liberation struggle.
PM: Do you remember some of the seniors who were part of the team?
JR : Yes! Some of the comrades present were Kezias, Kusunungura Vatema, Gwatakwata, Icho, Spokes, Hondo Yakura and Cobra. Cde Kezias was part of the security division. We travelled in batches as a security measure, as we moved towards a yet-to-be-made-public destination.
As we trudged, we passed through a school called Makochera (in Mudzi), and this was towards the end of October/November in 1976. It rained cats and dogs while we were still travelling and there was no cover. I will never forget that heavy downpour because it left me drenched and disillusioned; takarohwa nemvura zvekusara takachena kuti mbu-u.
As we proceeded, we got to a protected village (keep) under Chief Nyamukoho. The senior commanders then instructed some comrades and youths (new recruits) that were part of the entourage to get food from the protected village. We complied and stealthily moved in.
While inside, we took dozens of bread-packed khaki packages. It was after gathering the food that we were told this was the last food supply we would get until we reached Mozambique. There were 82 of us, the recruits. The commanders then announced that we had now officially joined the struggle.
PM: You earlier on indicated that you had issues with the colonial regime. However, did you ever imagine yourself being on the battlefield?
JR: Initially, I never thought that one day I would join the liberation struggle. We were told we would have a good life in Mozambique, with the privilege of moving around with a gun all the time. In my case, I was always smart, wearing trendy clothes. They told me that I had the right swag for war, hence had to be in Mozambique for training.
Along the way, I would constantly remind the comrades that I had left my radio, wardrobe and several other items in my rented single room in Old Tafara, Harare, and wanted to reunite with the items as soon as possible. They kept assuring me there were better things ahead.
One of the liberation fighters who had once stayed in New Mabvuku told me that he had abandoned his Mercedes-Benz in favour of the struggle.
Again, he reassured me that I would get better things after training and joining the struggle in Mozambique. Naturally, I became enthusiastic about the mission.
What even inspired me more was the thought of overturning colonial rule as a bonus to getting finer material things. I could not wait to get allocated my personal weapon. After all, I had, at some point, been thoroughly beaten by Rhodesian government officials in Harare while innocently standing in a queue to buy products on sale. I think my dreadlocks and fashion consciousness often attracted trouble for me. So, even if I had doubts about what the comrades were saying, it still felt right for me to join the struggle.
*Next week, Cde Radoka will recount some of the challenges they faced on their way to Mozambique, including the battles they fought before receiving proper military training.
