War collaborators risked life and limb
THE role played by war collaborators, who were known as mijibha and zvimbwido, is integral to the narrative of the Second Chimurenga. They gathered intelligence for freedom fighters, nursed injured guerrillas and mobilised the masses. These young men and women, who could not go for training for various reasons, helped in prosecuting the war. Although they were exposed to risks such as torture and execution by the Rhodesian army, they soldiered on until freedom was attained. This week, our Senior Reporter TENDAI CHARA (TC) chats with MR SHINE CHAKANYUKA (SC), a former war collaborator, who is also the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association.
************************ TC : Kindly introduce yourself to the readers.
SC : My name is Shine Chakanyuka. I was born in Nhamo village, under Chief Nyamweda in Mhondoro, Chegutu district.
TC: Before we get into your personal experiences as a war collaborator, can you tell us about war collaborators?
SC : War collaborators, whom we commonly refer to as mijibha and zvimbwido, were young men and women who, for various reasons, could not go for military training.
Since the execution of the liberation war demanded collective action, these young men and women contributed to the war effort in several ways.
They would gather intelligence for the guerrillas, mobilise the masses, treat the injured and undertake other important duties.
TC: How important was their contribution to the armed struggle?
SC : Their contribution to the war effort is immeasurable. They were, in a way, the oil that drove the war engine. Without them, it was going to be virtually impossible for guerrillas to win the war on their own.
TC: Tell us about the risks that were associated with being a collaborator.
SC : The collaborators risked being captured by the brutal Rhodesian army.
Today, some of them still suffer from the emotional and physical scars that came as a result of their involvement in the armed struggle. Some were captured, tortured and then killed. Others were caught in cross-fire and were injured or killed during battles. War collaborators are unsung heroes of the liberation struggle.
TC: Tell us about your experiences as a war collaborator.
SC : I first interacted with freedom fighters in 1978, when I was coming from Mashaka, a neighbouring village where I had gone to visit relatives.
It was during the evening, when I bumped into guerrillas and they asked me if I knew who they were. I had heard stories about the guerrilla fighters from my relatives who lived in Mount Darwin, where the war was raging.
The guerrilla fighters ordered me to carry their bags and we headed for the village head’s homestead for a pungwe.
During the pungwe, we received political-orientation lessons. The freedom fighters explained to us why they were fighting the war.
We were warned against selling out. The following night, I was shocked to see the freedom fighters at my doorstep.
I was once again ordered to carry the fighters’ belongings, and another all-night vigil was conducted at a new base they had established in our village.
That interaction marked the beginning of a relationship that we maintained until the guns went silent.
TC: What were some of the duties you were assigned by freedom fighters?
SC : We were given duties to patrol areas where the fighters were staying. We were also sent on errands to buy food and clothes. We also organised food for the fighters and acted as couriers, transporting arms of war over very long distances. War collaborators were also tasked with delivering letters to freedom fighters based in distant places.
TC : To me, it sounds as if these were very risky assignments.
SC : Very risky, indeed. When one was assigned to gather intelligence on the enemy, the freedom fighters always demanded that one brings the correct information. One would be tasked to go near the Rhodesian camps and find out how many they were, types of arms they had and other vital information.
They would then use this information to decide whether to attack or move away. A number of war collaborators I worked with were shot and killed while spying for freedom fighters. I was once captured by the enemy and tortured for three days. Some war collaborators sold out. Those caught selling out were punished by freedom fighters.
I had the misfortune of being caught up in crossfire after one of the freedom fighters’ bases came under attack.
What happened was that I had been sent to deliver a letter to the Garise base, which was about 10 kilometres away from my village.
As I was delivering the letter, the base came under heavy bombardment. The Rhodesian army had deployed seven helicopters to ambush the base. During the attack, the Rhodesian army also unleashed a powder that made victims feel sleepy.
I was among the few lucky people who survived the onslaught. I was slightly injured after I tried to force my way through a fence as I was fleeing.
After surviving the bombing, we wandered for days. We had to eat uncooked green maize.
Also, you have to understand that we were sent on dangerous assignments without any weapons. So, in the event that we were attacked, there was no way that we were going to defend ourselves.
TC : How were war collaborators treated by the freedom fighters?
SC : Groups of freedom fighters that I worked with treated us with respect. They would make sure that food was reserved for those on patrol. I am not a woman, so I cannot comment on allegations of sexual abuse involving women.
However, generally, in war situations, there are always bad apples.
Some zvimbwido, who cooked and washed the freedom fighters’ clothes, might have come across some unruly elements.
TC: Why did you not train and become a freedom fighter?
SC : We could not all train to become freedom fighters. I contributed to the war effort as a collaborator.
The freedom fighters needed us as much as the war collaborators needed them.
As I said earlier, the execution of the war demanded collective effort from the young village boy and girl to
the elders, and even the spirit mediums.
TC: Mr Chakanyuka, thank you for your time.
SC : You are welcome.