Khwela, a commissar par excellence
I FIRST met Khwela (Kenneth Chitambo) in 1973 at Chakwenga Transit Camp in Zambia. The camp was situated along the Zambia-Malawi highway. I had just returned from advanced training in the Soviet Union. He died early last week.
This group of recruits had the likes of Gaddafi, Toddy Mpisi, Gilbert Khumalo (Nicholas Nkomo), Tizzy Phinda, Nhandu (Sekuru) Magwaza (the communist) and many others. The camp commander was Busobenyoka, these are all pseudo names.
Khwela was one of the recruits who had come from urban centres. We were all excited because this was the biggest largest group of recruits since James Chikemera formed Frolizi.
The previous number of recruits had only 10, this one was around 40 and growing. The group had a number of younger men which deprived us of being called by the same description. The group had characters like Tiz and Forget. Tiz was from Highfields in the then Salisbury. Tiz died in an enemy raid at Chiyabe in Zambia. Some survivors of that raid were late the Major Dhula and Stulo Matiwaza. I recall when Tiz tricked Comrade Forget. Forget had strong cravings for cigarettes. Forget approached Tiz who was digging a pit as punishment and asked for cigarettes. Tiz grasped the opportunity to get himself a parole.
He agreed to give Forget cigarettes on condition he remained digging while he (Tiz) went to get the cigarettes. Forget being Forget swallowed the suggestion hook, line and sinker. Busobenyoka found Forget busy doing Tiz’s punishment while waiting for the cigarettes. To Busobenyoka this was a clear application for punishment by Forget. The poor guy got double.
Khwela was specially trained as regional commander. ZPRA was restricting the operational set up from Rhodesia being one operational region which was commanded by James Sakupwanga, to seven regions. The restructuring was disturbed by the formation of Zipa which combined ZPRA and Zanla liberation armies. The joining of the forces meant that ZPRA forces had to go and join Zanla in Mozambique. Khwela was redeployed and sent to Tanzania as an instructor.
In Tanzania Khwela was joined by Jevan Maseko, Phinda Gadaffi, Christopher Sibanda, Makepesi Tshuma and Nzula.
During their course in the Soviet Union Khwela’s group had its share of classics. Comrade Khwela had his own contribution. He was once in Moscow when they were taken to watch a concert and he took more of his vodka. When it generated uncomfortable heat he thought it better to go out of the hall for fresh air. His comrades, worried by his long absence, went out to investigate only to find him being reclaimed by sorrow. Maybe that is the reason he was not an enthusiast of spirits. Before Khwela was sent for further training in the Soviet Union he was deployed with a unit that was code named for security reasons. I commanded the small guerilla unit that was tasked to open a new operational area. The other members of the unit were Nkosembi Maphosa (commissar), Tshaloba, Makanyanga, Matshwaha, Mtsuku and Khwela. The task given to the unit was very challenging as it had to engage Portuguese forces before crossing into Rhodesia. The unit had to be self-sufficient because most of its fighting route was not habited. In the late 1960s a guerilla warfare specialist de-populated Tete Province mass support from peasants. Ariaga further formed a defence line that ran from Zumbo where the Zambezi enters, ran across Mozambique from Zambia/ Zimbabwe. The defence line ran across Mozambique north of the Zambezi from Zumbo, Zambue, Tembwe right up to Zobwe on the Mozambique/ Malawi border. Along this defence line were fortified camps equipped with machine guns mounted on very high platforms and a high powered search light.
A radius of about a kilometre was cleared of all vegetation making it almost impossible to attack. My unit and Khwela once harboured an idea to attack one of these highly fortified camps. The lack of cover discouraged us during the day and the search light was unfriendly during the night. Our dream of replenishing our supplies at the Portuguese soldiers’ expense was short lived. The terrain had tall elephant grass which made it impossible to hunt.
After being persuaded by appreciation not to attack the Portuguese camp despite the strength of our hunger and logic that man cannot live by patriotism alone we got lucky. The luck came in a very unforeseen form. Whatever the form my comrades enthusiastically welcomed it. Who was I to be sceptical? The luck came in the form of uxamu/ imbulumakasana. This lizard spring from Khwela’s feet. When he was about to shoot it I told him not to shoot because we were close to the Portuguese camp.
He then bayoneted the big lizard. The reptile did not roll over and die, instead it ran off with the rifle stuck on its back into a thicket. Khwela grabbed it by the tail before it could disappear into the thick bush with his AK. He dragged the protesting reptile into the open where it met its demise through mass assault. It was quickly bundled into a kitbag for transportation.
Later when we stopped to have our meal, the reptile slid out of the kitbag only to be bundled for the second time. However, the preparation was done and it was presented in mince form, looking nice and appetising. I grew up as a Seventh Day Adventist but was tempted by people who had no sympathy with my religious beliefs. I was a victim of circumstances.
In April 1974 upon returning to our base in Zambia we were rounded up by the Zambian army and flown to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania and locked up at Ukonga Prison. General Spinola’s coup in Portugal was about to change the political landscape. We were later released and sent back to Zambia. That’s when Khwela was sent to the Soviet Union.
When I was studying at Command and Control Military Academy in Yugoslavia in 1979, Khwela was sent by the ZPRA High Command to brief those who were undergoing training in Romania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria about the goings on at Lancaster House Conference. He had been appointed into the ZPRA High Command as a Deputy Commissar.
On his return from the Soviet Union he had been sent to Morogoro, a ZPRA training camp in Tanzania, as an instructor specialising in political lessons. The lucky son of a gun. I had coached Khwela in Mozambique in 1974; I had been to Marxist/ Leninist Party just outside Moscow.
In 1975 I handed over recruits I had brought from Zambia to Mbagala outside Dar Es Salaam to Khwela. The recruits were under ZLC (Zimbabwe Liberation Council) that was headed by John Nkomo deputised by Simon Muzenda. The recruits were from both Zapu and Zanu.
Khwela was a humble, reliable, trustworthy and very disciplined cadre. His fast elevation to political instructor was demonstrative of his capabilities. He was later appointed Deputy Commissar in the ZPRA High Command. The young man was good. That is demonstrated by him being sent by the ZPRA High Command to travel around Europe briefing ZPRA cadres of the Lancaster House Conference. That was no easy task. He had to cool tempers and guarantee confidence.