The Sunday Mail
Cde Texan “Bush Doctor” Muoni
I got to know Brigadier-General Dr Felix Muchemwa in the 1970s when he joined the liberation struggle. Zanla Medical Corps was headed by Dr Tendai Pfepferere and Dr Ziso. There was also a team comprising the likes of Cdes Japhet Gandare, Charles Garwe, Hokoyo Sextrose Matanda, Moffat Masabeya and Margaret Hondo.
After completing medical and military training in 1976, my colleagues and I left East Africa (Tanzania) for battle operations on the frontier of Gaza Province, Mozambique, in early 1977.
I was badly injured in the battlefield and was subsequently withdrawn for emergency medical attention.
Later, we had a new medical corps structure comprising Dr Herbert Ushewokunze (secretary), Dr Sydney Sekeramayi (deputy secretary) and others.
Dr Muchemwa was responsible for medical operations, equipping medical officers or combatants with kits for operations at the warfront. Rear and refugee camps were manned by Drs Muvuti and Gwada.
Chimoio Massacre
I was among the cadres who were selected for a special course on biological welfare in Maputo, Mozambique.
It was around that time that we learnt of the horrific Chimoio attack, and were summoned back to Chimoio as an emergency rescue team to treat survivors.
That’s when I had first contact with Dr Muchemwa at Gondola where most of the injured were being treated.
Dr Muchemwa had a torrid time and was overwhelmed as he went about his work with limited medical supplies and manpower.
He was assisted by other medical corps from Mozambique and Zanla combatants.
We then moved from Gondola to Gonawapotera in the Gorongoza bush area, which was much safer.
This is where I appreciated the man’s medical genius.
He introduced a bush tent medical theatre. I, too, acquired a lot of experience as we successfully carried out several surgeries.
We later shifted base, setting up at Parirenyatwa Zanla Military Bush Hospital.
Dr Muchemwa was a gifted medical tutor who taught me a lot on surgery, amputations and removal of bullets and bomb fragments.
We also gained so much on managing and controlling war-related ailments. We continued our medical operations, and I was given a scholarship to study primary healthcare in Yugoslavia.
Dr Muchemwa played a critical role in attending to the injured in the lead-up to ceasefire and brought home many others at Independence.
