He operated in Nyadzonia, Zhunda and Doroi camps and was among the first group of fighters sent to Tanzania. He received basic military training at Nechingwenya camp. After that he was posted back to Mozambique where he joined other combatants at Mavhonde base. In 1979 he was sent to Maputo where he joined the ZANLA forces led by Josiah Magama Tongogara who was the commander of the forces.
“Cde Tongo is my true hero. 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.
After independence he was attested in the Zimbabwe National Army as a private, but was later promoted to be a Lieutenant in 1982. In 1984 he resigned from the army because of ill health caused by wounds he sustained during the war.
He listed Edgar Tekere, Edison Zvobgo, Basil Nyabadza – known as Terrence Tanganeropa, Richard Chauke and Stanford Tofa Shamu – known as Cde Solo Maimbodei as among the true champions of the liberation, “not the crooks who are now running Zanu (PF)”.
“I am proud of Solo Maimbodei . He deserved to be on heroes’acre. He brought to the fore the plight and trauma still haunting true war veterans years after the end of the war,” said Rufuse.
“Mugabe has forgotten us now and he is feasting at the same table with fake war heroes who are giving him false information. He is then rewarding them with land, Mercedes Benz cars, 4x4s and promoting them into the cabinet. Those people don’t love him at all. They are taking the last chances to loot everything on offer,” he said.
He survives by running grinding mills in Dora Pinto, Zimunya and Chigodora using the gratuity he received from the army. He also benefited from the Z$50,000 that war veterans received from the Zanu (PF) government in 1998.
Post published in: News