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Opinion Pathisa Nyathi
From a front base within the treacherous gorges on the Zambian side of the Zambezi Valley the heavily armed ZPRA cadres expertly maneouvered their way down the precipitous landscape till they got to the crossing point at DK. The swiftly flowing waters of the mighty Zambezi River presented yet another obstacle. Within the waters lurked a myriad of hungry crocodiles eagerly awaiting a sumptuous meal from warm human flesh.

Having secured the dinghies hidden in the dense undergrowth and managed to inflate them, the unit ventured into the waters that many a cadre dreaded to navigate. Meanwhile, an eagle called in a regal and commanding shrill from above as it executed some airborne manoeuvre as if superintending the entire nerve-wrecking operation. Thick vegetation across the unit’s path bore evidence that a unit had crossed. This was what the Rhodesian forces used to monitor crossings across the Zambezi River from the Zambian territory.

Rhodesian forces patrolled up and down the river ready to engage the units at their most vulnerable. Even when they had managed to evade possible ambush, capture and even death, there still remained ahead of them equally hazardous challenges. The area fringing the Zambezi Valley was heavily mined with limpet mines and fish line booby traps attached to trees. A crossing unit, detachment or section had to rely on the services of well-trained engineers to clear the mines.

As the unit trudged along, its energy sapped by the long and treacherous walk, there was a sudden inexplicable bellowing and belching from one of the cadres in the rear section of the single file. Saul Mafutha Dube, who was commanding the unit, a cadre of haughty disposition, stopped on his track to inspect. It turned out the cadre who was distraught on the ground was experiencing ancestral possession. Mafutha, who had operated with him for a while on the war front, was aware of his spiritual nature.

“We are going through dangerous territory. Why do you delay our swift movement to safer ground?” boomed Mafutha his big eyes almost escaping from their sockets.

“Cool it. Your problem is your uncontrolled temper, mzukulu. We are aware of your swift movement to certain doom, and that is the reason why we have come to your rescue and that of your unit,” responded the spirit through the medium who clearly seemed to be traversing a different world of spirits. Certainly, Mafutha’s unit was heading towards an area infested with booby traps.

With advice from the spirit, the engineers quickly leapt into action and cleared the line of booby traps just a few metres ahead. The incident did not come as a surprise to the unit commander who on several earlier occasions had had the rare opportunity to interact with the spirits in his daily business of fighting the liberation war in ZPRA’s Northern Front (NF) where he commanded a region which included Mzola, Dongamuzi, Gomoza, St Luke’s and Sivalo in Lupane and Nkayi. Kana River was the boundary with another region in the same Northern Front, a region that embraced Gokwe, Silobela and other areas.

The war presented many challenges particularly with regard to security. The operating cadres needed protection. Their weapons were a sure source for that protection. Their training in Zambia and elsewhere had been rigorous. More sweat during training and less blood on the battlefield.

In such times of mortal danger metaphysical spirituality was resorted to in order to complement physical protection. The phenomenon of African spirituality was a living reality even amongst these Marxist-Leninist trained cadres.

It has been observed that at the time when there is greatest danger to the Africans their spirituality rises to the occasion. Ancestral spirits, eager to protect their own progeny, step forward to render protection where and when needed. The war was one such phenomenon that posed physical danger to the cadres. Ancestral protection was on the ascendancy to enable the fighters to evade danger and save or at least minimize loss of life and limb.

African spirituality was a functional phenomenon whose role was clearly understood and appreciated.

Spirituality found expression in more ways than one. The guerillas themselves experienced inexplicable health problems. ZPRA medics carried a wide range of medication to deal with eventualities such as malaria and gun-shot wounds. Mafutha recalls one incident where one cadre experienced incomprehensible swelling of his lips after using a silver spoon to eat food. Initially, his colleagues suspected allergy but in due course that was dismissed.

Within Mafutha’s unit there was one Raji Ndlovu (Sekuru Mafu) who had knowledge of matters spiritual and the practice of traditional herbs. The afflicted man of the silver spoon had to have his ancestors addressed through libations and appeals using a wooden bowl with water. Snuff was spilled on the ground to appeal to his ancestors.

As Raji Ndlovu consulted the spirits that operated through Maphosa (also known as Chihota) they addressed the supplicants. “We are looking after you. We are walking with you. This is our war. From time to time we shall be coming to tell usigodo (the medium) about any relevant issues,” said the spirit. Maphosa was possessed by several spirits with one of them being the key contact with the rest of them. Each issue required the services of a particular spirit who stepped forward to deal with that particular issue. “All it takes is to inform us and we shall be with you,” implored the spirit.

At this level the fighters themselves were spirit mediums that operated in the midst of the rest of the fighters. There was immediate and safer communication. The operatives did not have to leave the war theatre to consult a spirit medium. The medium was a trained fighter, ever handy to offer assistance as and when needed. Such cadres fought fearlessly as if literally possessed in the battlefield. They were a motivated lot who never looked back during a military engagement.

At another level such fighting spirit mediums were endowed with the gift of dreams. When they slept the future was revealed to them – with the sole intention of alerting the fighters of impending danger as happened when Mafutha’s unit crossed the Zambezi River. One fighter had strange and seemingly inexplicable happenings involving him. The young boy was of Venda extraction. After one sustained engagement with white soldiers where he displayed rare courage and fighting skills, he had a dream. In the dream he saw a number of white pigs giving chase to some black pigs. In the morning he shared his dream with fellow comrades.

Interpretation of the dream was not hard to arrive at. There was looming danger. The beaten white soldiers (in an earlier engagement) would be coming back to resume the fight. A hasty but strategic retreat was beaten early in the morning and the unit was saved – which was the whole purpose of spiritual intervention.

The white soldiers were aware that during the previous day’s encounter one cadre was seriously injured. They were keen to capture him. They tracked him down using the blood spoor. Captured cadres were a good source, under severe torture and interrogation, of counter-intelligence.

They were vulnerable and their comrades would find them an encumbrance to swift escape when under intense fire. Mafutha’s took one boy on an errand to access medication. As they did so they got into an ambush. In the ensuing attack a bullet narrowly missed Mafutha. The bullet hit a nearby tree and ricocheted away! Once a unit was scattered re-unification was a challenge as it did not have communication equipment. It relied on GPs (Gathering Points).

At another level some fighters got engaged in acts of fighting what they alleged to be witches within the community. Cadres sporting beads and cloths of various colours were not uncommon. One such group operated in Dandanda where a number of locals were smelt out as witches and killed. One such victim was Kunene’s wife who had her body doused in petrol and lit. She screamed and met with an agonizing death, meanwhile swearing retribution on the perpetrators of the heinous act.

Her husband was outraged, more so that he had been a keen supporter of the liberation struggle. “I want the bravest among you to step forward and shoot me.” That was a serious challenge and Kunene knew well the repercussions that would befall the perpetrators. The community turned against the fighters and in what was believed to be spirituality turned against the cadres, many lost their lives including commanders Ocean and Lipson. Mafutha had talked to the two about the anti-witchcraft operation and its possible repercussions. The incidents took place near a ritual pool used by the Tonga people.

Rhodesian agents were at the time using contacts within the community to poison the cadres. Many fell victim to the operation. The Rhodesians laced beef with poison and availed the tinned beef to the cadres. Similarly items of clothing were soaked in poisonous chemicals and when the cadres put on these items the poison got in through their skins. Clothing products by Sting in Bulawayo were a favourite of the fighters.

The community also provided complementary spirituality that came to the protection and medical treatment of the fighting cadres. Through spiritual intervention and dreams the cadres were privy to future events around which preventive action was taken. In the Sivalo area of Nkayi Mafutha’s unit got in touch with a local Zapu official.

“I see you are in charge,” said the spirit of the Zapu man. “As a spirit I am in charge of security in the locality.” The spirit led the unit which included Volunteer Mkhwananzi (Andrew Ndlovu) to an arms cache stashed in an ant-hill. In the early stages of the liberation struggle the cadres who were infiltrated into Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from Zambia concentrated in caching arms, making political contact with party faithful and undertaking reconnaissance work. The arms cache identified by the spirit man from Sivalo area was one such possibly established in the mid 1960s.

Some of the members of the local community through their spiritual make-up possessed extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs. A case is cited of one cadre who had a serious bullet wound to his forehead. The deep wound was festering and maggots were teeming in it. A local herbalist treated the man and using his spiritual prowess, ferried the injured man to beyond Kezi where he found his way to the rear to receive medical attention.

The Southern Front (SF) served as a transit zone for the safe return of injured cadres who were retreating to the rear for medication.

Mafutha was symbolic of front ZPRA cadres who were disillusioned with the conduct of the liberation war. They regarded themselves as armed political soldiers who were not career fighters (the regular army) who took instructions/commands without question. Mafutha complained about the inadequate ammunition that they were provided with, sometimes each fighter getting four magazines. Cadres leaving for the front were sometimes issued with outdated World War II Pepesha and Thompson guns. He was not happy with inadequate medical supplies “You are not fighting in the front, that is why you do not appreciate the needs of fighters,” he would argue with the rear commanders.

It was this developing rift and strategic fallout with the rear commanders that took Mafutha face to face with spirituality once again. In 1979 as the liberation war was about to come to an end one Ngwenya the local Zapu chairman in Gomoza approached Mafutha’s unit. “Ogogo want to see you (the spirits would want to confer with you),” said Ngwenya. Mafutha consulted both Raji Ndlovu and Maphosa. A decision was made that they would go to meet up with the spirits affiliated to the Gokwe-based Nebana spiritual authority.

The day of meeting was arranged and conveyed to the local chairman. Of course Mafutha and party were wary of possible infiltration of the spiritual dimension by the Rhodesian security agents. The appointed day came. Mafutha and party inquired if all was in order and if they could go in armed. Their request was granted and the party proceeded inside the homestead.

The homestead of two huts was a very humble settlement with a little boy and female residents. There was a byre where goats were penned. One of the goats came forth and lay next to the cadres that were about to consult the spirits. There were no significant events taking place till late at night.

“I suddenly felt my hair stand on end. There was something in the spiritual air,” recalls Mafutha as he gazes into a forty-year-old past of heroic exploits in the theatre of war. Noises were heard from within the hut where the women were. Word came that the spirits were to hand. “We have been sent to tell you that you are wanted in Zambia. “Who wants to see me in Zambia?” asked Mafutha

“Who brought you here in the first instance?” inquired the spirit

Aware of the not-so-cordial relations between him and the High Command in Lusaka, Mafutha wondered how safe it would be to move into the lion’s den.

“You are at the centre and no harm will visit you,” said the spirit with appropriate hand gestures.

“You will get what you want. But by the time you get back the war will be over you will come back a divided people.”

Mafutha beefed up his security, taking twenty armed fighters with him and teaming up with cadres from a neighbouring region. The numerous trained guerillas were taking with them several recruits that were going to Zambia.

The spirits had warned them to keep to the left once across the Zambezi River. Indeed, once across the river there was sustained helicopter fire to the right of them. They soldiered on always, mindful of the spiritual instruction till they safely got to launching garrison where Gedi Dube was in charge.

“Where were you all along?” asked Dube. Mafutha then realised someone was indeed looking for him. That person was Joshua Nkomo who at the time was attending the Lancaster House talks in London. It was these very same talks that led to the ceasefire and ultimately independence. Zapu chairman Samuel Munodawafa and Akim Ndlovu held meetings with Mafutha and his party.

An amicable solution to sticking issues was hammered out. ZPRA commander Lookout Masuku apologised and Mafutha was taken around the Zapu/ZPRA installations in and around Lusaka save for Victory Camp which housed girls.

He and his party were soon on their way back. New reinforcements numbering no less than a hundred fighters accompanied him. They were in Binga when the ceasefire was announced over the radio. Zapu and Zanu were going to fight the elections separately; divided just as foretold by the spirits.