The Sunday Mail
This week, we conclude CDE FRANCIS POTAI (FP)’s account of how he deployed his special skills as a mechanic to contribute to the war effort. Cde Potai, whose nom de guerre was Cde Nyika Muchineripi, made the tortuous journey to Mozambique to join the liberation struggle at the tender age of 19. He made the journey on foot and alone. Below he shares the rest of his story with NORMAN MUCHEMWA (NM)
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NM: What kind of training did you receive at Tembue and who were your instructors?
FP: I finally received military training from October 1976 to March 1977. Our training was both physical and oral. It was a tough training, I tell you.
We were oriented on why we were fighting the Rhodesian minority government, the history of how our forefathers were dispossessed of their land, among other political orientation. We trained in different drills – firearm handling, where we used different types of weapons.
We also trained in individual soldier tactics and a bit of basic health knowledge, more like first aid in the event yekuti vanhu vakuvara.
It also included training in handling grenades, as well as laying landmines. The overall camp commander was Cde Makasha, who took over from Cde Elias Hondo. We were told ana Cde Hondo, Cde Dzino, Cde Mapipi, Cde Chimbandi, among others, were arrested as part of group rainzi reVashandi.
During the training period, I would occasionally be assigned to my transport duties, transporting materials and food around most camps in Mozambique. During this period, I would be accompanied by trained personnel. After delivering, I would go back to training again.
This was the routine throughout my training period and this also gave me an opportunity yekukurumidza kuzivana neleadership.
I came to know Mozambique more than many other comrades due to my transport duties. I used to drive most of the commanders, but during that period, my role was just to drive. Even during the journey, it was difficult to talk as you would end up in hot soup wabvunza zvisirizvo kumashefu.
NM: After training were you ever deployed to the front?
FP: After training I never went to the war front. I resumed my role on a full-time basis ndirikutransport ikoko. There was a lot of work in that section, comrade.
I was tasked to transport material to different sectors that covered the Takawira sector, Chitepo sector and Manica sector.
Sometimes we also used to carry comrades going to the front and take them close to the border.
I remember Cde Jomo and Cde Mhuru were some of the comrades who were tasked with these roles; so taibatsirana navo.
Cde Perrance Shiri was their commander, but I never had the chance of working with him. The issue of ammunition was very sensitive and security was always high.
Often times before we reached either Takawira or Chitepo sectors carrying ammunition, we would just be ordered to stop, as we usually travelled in two- or three-car convoys.
After we stopped, as drivers tainzi burukai, siyai mota and go to either look for food or disperse. No one amongst the drivers and security personnel who accompanied the ammunition knew where the weapons would be taken.
There was more like an inner circle that was charged with keeping the weapons and storing them at safer locations. This was done for security reasons.
NM: As a driver, how difficult was this role and what were the challenges?
FP: The task of carrying material was a very difficult one, I can tell you. The most important thing was to make sure the vehicle arrived at its destination safely and material or personnel arrived safely.
In the event of an attack, it was your mandate as a driver to make sure that the vehicle was safe.
During the struggle, a vehicle was a very important asset, so it was the responsibility of the driver to always take care of it.
It was, of course, difficult to save a vehicle at the expense of your life, but it was in the best interest of the struggle to save the vehicle.
As someone with experience of transporting sensitive material, it was a very difficult task to make sure you reached your destination.
Other roles were to transport food from stores to camps and this one was a bit easier, unlike going to operational zones where there was a risk of an attack from the enemy.
What made all the journeys much easier for me was that I was very adventurous, I wanted to be close to where things were happening – that is the war front.
This was, however, one of the most dangerous roles in the struggle because we were exposed.
The enemy knew some of our vehicles, so there was risk of an ambush.
A plan was devised to remove any colour associated with military vehicles.
Another challenging role was to transport injured comrades from the front. I remember taking Cde Bhazuka in the Manica sector after he was injured in Nyanga.
It was a sorry sight and the comrade was in serious pain, but fortunately, we managed to take him to Beira on time and he was treated.
There was a danger that when the Rhodesians knew that you had someone badly injured, like Cde Bhazuka, they used to make a follow-up, so we had to device strategies to evade them.
NM: Were you ever ambushed in the line of duty?
FP: I remember one day takawana bridge repanaPungwe rarohwa nema enemies tichibva kuTete going to Maputo. We were not carrying anything at the time because we were going to take food, but we had some armed personnel.
The enemy had laid an ambush but fortunate enough, the Frelimo soldiers came to our rescue and the enemy retreated.
Macamarada used logs from big trees so that we could get to the other side of the bridge.
Some of these areas had become more like liberated zones, so enemy activity was very limited.
That was one of the dangers – that you were always exposed.
Air attacks or landmines were some of the hazards, but, fortunately, I never experienced either.
I remember Cde Jujuju Hurahwenungu achirohwa nedahwa. He was taking material to Manica sector around the Mupata Wegwenya area and on his way back, he was driving a Mercedes-Benz truck without a windscreen.
This was a dangerous place between mountains, akapinda nespeed dahwa ndokusimuka rikamurova kumeso. He became disoriented.
However, his assistant driver quickly jumped on to the steering wheel . . .
So these are some of the challenges ataisangana nawo, waitoti uchibuda wotanga wamboisa fodya pasi kuti Mbuya Nehanda naSekuru Kaguvi tibatsirei tifambe zvakanaka.
The duty of a driver appeared to very easy but it was the scariest and dangerous job during the struggle because we were easy targets.
NM: You mentioned Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, how important was the role of spirit mediums during the struggle?
FP: I strongly believe spirit mediums played a critical role in the struggle. Kutransport sector kwandaive I believe vepasi vakatibatsira to push the struggle forward.
Remember, during political orientation we were told of the importance of these spirit mediums, kuti kana wasvika padambudziko you do such and such things.
There was no Christianity during that period, we used to walk around with snuff in our pockets and in times of trouble taikumbira vepasi and it helped a lot in moving the struggle forward.
I am now a member of the apostolic sect but I strongly believe zvinhu izvi zvaishanda and zvinotoshanda.
Even now, churches and political parties agree that Mbuya Nehanda is a national heroine. Why can’t we go back to how we went about business during the struggle tione kuti nyika haigadzirike here?
During the struggle many successful battles were led and directed by spirit mediums. In cases where commanders disregarded advice, there were always consequences.
In most Zanla camps and bases, we had one or two spirit mediums who helped comrades with guidance of where they should go, what they should do or not do, so they played a major role in the struggle.
NM: After the war what happened?
FP: After the war, I stayed with a group that was left to be on standby in Mozambique in case Ian Smith and his soldiers had other plans.
This was a large contingent that was put on stand-by to continue with the war in case the ceasefire failed.
The group was led by Cde Shebba Gava – the late General Vitalis Zvinavashe.
I came back in 1981 and was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army as a private based at Llewellin Barracks in Bulawayo.
I was to return to Nyanga at the end of the year; that is when I had to fill forms for early demobilisation. I had challenges because my family had separated.
Since I was the eldest in the family, I had to go home and take care of the family and help bring them together.
The family separated because my father had two wives.
I remember going to Cde Shiri when he was still colonel in the army, begging him that I wanted to go home.
He refused at first but later helped me to fill the demobilisation forms. Straight from there, I went to army headquarters where I was told that since your commander had agreed we can release you but we have nothing to give you.
I went home but faced challenges in uniting the family.
Mother was now living in Domboshava, some of my siblings were in Zaka, while father had taken a second wife.
I later came to Harare where I started buying and selling different goods.
While in Harare that is when I met Cde Chinengundu.
Since I used to drive some commanders, he quickly recognised me and asked me where I was?
I told him what I was doing and he asked me to come to his office the next day.
He was now chief security officer for Harare Municipality, so he offered me a job and I immediately joined Harare municipal police, where I served for 11 years before early retirement in 1993.
I continued doing some small businesses for a few years before I met Cde Hurungudo. It was around the time National Youth Service was being introduced in 1999.
I became one of the pioneers of NYS, which we started in 2001 in Mt Darwin at Border Gezi training camp.
I was the first training officer at Border Gezi.
Cde Hunzvi was the committee chairperson when we were doing the curriculum for the programme, and the team comprised Dr Tafataona Mahoso, the late Dr Vimbai Chivaura, the late Brigadier-General Munemo, among others.
When we embarked on the NYS, it was around the time of the land reform exercise, and with the support of Cde Hurungudo, Cde David Munyoro and Cde Hunzvi, among other comrades, the programme succeeded.
I remained in this position under Ministry of Youth until last year when I was posted here at the Mt Darwin offices as a programmes officer, which is my current position.
NM: Finally, as someone who participated in the liberation struggle, do you think what is happening now is what you sacrificed for and what do you think should be addressed going forward?
FP: The whole issue here comrade is about behavioural change for all of us. For the country to come out of the situation we are in right now, there is need to change our approach on many things.
Corruption is destroying the economy.
As war veterans, we are war veterans in an economy which I personally feel is not strong enough to meet the needs of the comrades.
For me it is better, I have a salary at the end of the month but imagine someone who was not as lucky as I am.
Imagine someone who was demobilised in 1980 and never got a chance to be employed, it is not a pleasant situation, trust me.
Some are now a laughing stock; some did not even get the chance of getting these running allowances.
Going forward, it is my hope and trust that something will be done for our comrades to improve their welfare.
Some are now old that they cannot even participate in income-generating projects.
I have hope that the Government will find a lasting solution for these challenges.
If you go to our sister liberation movements in the region, their war veterans are living better than us, so something really needs to be done.
Lastly, comrade, and I repeat this: corruption is killing us at all levels. The President, VaMnangagwa, has done everything to try and deal with the vice but as long as there isn’t any behavioural change, we are fighting an endless battle.
