Rufuse was born in Dora Pinto at the outskirts of Mutare. He did not complete his secondary education at Ellis Gledhill in Sakubva and decided to join the liberation struggle in Mozambique in 1975. I operated in Nyadzonia, Zhunda and Doroi camps. I am one of the survivors of Chimoio attack in August 1976. I was amongst the first group of cadres that was sent to Tanzania. I was trained in basic military training at Nechingwenya camp. After completing the training course I was posted back to Mozambique where I joined other combatants at Mavhonde base, he narrated as he failed to control his anger and tears.
He said he was posted to Maputo in 1979 where he joined the ZANLA forces led by Josiah Magama Tongogara who was the commander of the forces.
You will not believe me that I worked under Cde Tongo. He is my true hero. These are the true heroes I am talking about. He led us into a new Zimbabwe, but it is unfortunate that he died under some mysterious circumstances. He never had an accident, there was foul play, he said.
I know that Mugabe is resisting handing over power even though he lost the previous elections, but eventually (Morgan) Tsvangirai will rule this country. The signs are imminent, he said.
After independence he was attested in the Zimbabwe National Army as a private, but was later promoted to be a Lieutenant in 1982. He resigned in 1984 because of ill health caused by wounds he sustained during the war. He survived by running grinding mills in Dora Pinto, Zimunya and Chigodora areas using proceeds from the gratuity he received from the army.
He hopes that Zimbabwe will get to its feet again if MDC has total control. He was of the opinion that Simba Makoni, the leader of the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, had the brains to rule Zimbabwe, and hoped he would join forces with Tsvangirai.
Simon Makande, a Zanu (PF) Mutare district coordination committee member, said: We are tired of his utterances. He is just a desperate war veteran trying to court unnecessary media attention. Our papers (State Papers) do not write such nonsense. It is you The Zimbabwean ********** who write trash about Zanu (PF).
About the violence and intimidation, Makande referred this paper to Zanu (PF) Manicaland chairman Mark Madiro who was unavailable for a comment.
Post published in: News