The Sunday Mail
This is the fourth and final installment of our discussion with CDE DANIEL SIGAUKE (DS), a former ZANLA combatant who took an active role as a teacher, political commissar and military instructor during the Second Chimurenga. He concludes his riveting account by telling our Senior Reporter TENDAI CHARA (TC) the path he took after narrowly escaping the Chimoio attack.He also talked about his life as a teacher in liberated and semi-liberated zones.
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TC : Cde, we come to the conclusion of your touching and inspiring wartime story. Last week, we ended our discussion with you telling us how you escaped the Chimoio massacre. If you can take us through the rest of your journey from Chimoio up until Independence.
DS : Thank you very much. After escaping from the killing zone at Chimoio refugee camp, we walked for a long distance before sleeping in the bush. We decided to go to Chimoio town since we had nowhere else to go. We surrendered the guns that we had to Frelimo soldiers whom we met along the way.
When we got into Chimoio town, we were ferried by Frelimo soldiers to a farm which was located not very far from the city. After a brief stay at the farm, we were then taken to Gondola. In Gondola, I was seconded to the education department. It was in Gondola where I met Cde Hoyini Samuel Bhila, current chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Harare chapter.
We stayed for a long time in Gondola before we were taken back to Tete province. In Tete, we were taken to Mavhudzi Base, where I was again seconded to the education department as a teacher. I was among six teachers selected to go to the front and assess educational needs of children in the war zone.
During that time, the education department was headed by late national hero Cde Dzingai Mutumbuka. Cde Fay Chung was also an active member of this department.
I was deployed with Sydney Chinyama. The two of us went through Tete via a place we called KumuBanana. Among the six in our group were Cdes Basie, Bangidza, Elliot and Gilbert Barwe. Some cadres were deployed to Gaza and Manica provinces where they were tasked with coming up with reports.
From Tete in Mozambique, we crossed Binya Road into Zimbabwe through a place called Gozi. We were assessing the situation in areas such as Chando, Masarakufa, Pfumai and Kudzingwa, among others. It was during my stint in these areas that I met Cde Edwin Munyaradzi, whom I was told later became a senior member in the army.
I lived and worked with freedom fighters operating in these areas. I remember interacting with such notable comrades as Sando Mponda, Debbie Gray and Charlie Mushunje, among others.
During that period, a force whose mission was to initiate conventional warfare was deployed in this area. It was, however, later on decided that conventional warfare was not the best route to take and the group was given other tasks. We also briefly stayed at Muzezuru Dam in Mutoko and such areas as Nhakiwa. I remember there was this base called Cuba. Comrades operating from this base were so daring and one day ambushed a lorry transporting sugar, which they took and distributed to the masses.
From Mutoko, we visited schools in Murehwa. Sydney went to Goromonzi and I went to Chikwaka area where I joined a group led by Cde Chando.
The base was located near Nyaguwe River. I also briefly stayed with cadres operating in the Kapito area.
After staying with the group for four days, we were ambushed at base, resulting in a fierce battle. The Rhodesian army unleashed about seven helicopters on us. We were around 15 of us and we returned fire.
The battle started at around 7 am, ending later in the day. One Rhodesian helicopter was shot and forced to make an emergency landing. Luckily for us, we did not suffer any serious casualties.
After the battle, we moved away from the area and reached the home owned by the family of Tineyi Chikupo, a popular musician then. We were now headed back to Mozambique where I wanted to present my report on the situation in liberated and semi-liberated zones.
Tineyi’s mother was a spirit medium and gave us advice on conducting our business.
From there, we moved to a place called Zavhedo in Murehwa, where we were once again attacked by the enemy. We managed to find our way out of the ambush zone and moved towards the Mozambican border.
Four of my colleagues were injured during the attack. One of the comrades, Connie, was seriously injured and we had to carry her on our backs until we crossed into Mozambique through Changara.
From Changara, I moved on to Mavhudzi, where I presented my report. After a brief stay at Mavhudzi, I was once again given a mission to go back to the front and take schoolchildren from Mudzi and bring them to Mozambique. We accomplished that mission without incident.
In early 1979, we were deployed to Nyamapanda border area, where we stayed briefly. During this time, the war had ended and freedom fighters were now moving to Assembly Points. We were suspicious of the Rhodesian army’s intentions and as a result, were made to stay behind at Nyamapanda as the leadership assessed the situation on the ground.
When we arrived at Nyamapanda, we noticed notorious Rhodesian Special Branch forces had also set camp to monitor the situation. When we arrived at the border post, we were disguised as United Nations agents. We gathered information regarding the Special Branch’s activities in border areas. My group was among the last groups of freedom fighters that moved into Assembly Points.
TC: Tell us about contents of the report you compiled and presented to your superiors.
DS : The report noted that most schools in both liberated and semi-liberated areas had closed. I also noted in the report that the war was slowly moving towards Salisbury (now Harare). Most parents in the war zone were now sending their children to schools in Salisbury. Reports we compiled helped in formulation of the Education with Production Schooling System.
After Independence, I was briefly involved with Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production (ZIMFEB).
I worked for the Ministry of Local Government before training as a journalist at Harare Polytechnic. I then joined Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) as a reporter before retiring in 2010. I am now a full-time farmer in Marondera.
TC: Thank you very much for taking your time to speak to us.
DS : You are most welcome.
