By A Correspondent- George Shumba, whose nom de guerre was Farai Tafirenyika, narrates to Sunday News Deputy News Editor, Levi Mukarati, how he joined other Liberation Warfighters.

He narrates how he encountered traumatising episodes in the treatment of ‘‘rebels’’ at Chifombo after the Nhari-Badza rebellion.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

Q: We hear at Chifombo the ‘rebels’ were dealt with ruthlessly, what was your experience with these comrades who had mutinied?

A: I had met mumwe mukomana ainzi Godfrey at the end of December 1974. He had come from Zambia and had been in the publicity department.

I stayed with him. Godfrey did not like Tongogara and he had clashed with the leader in Lusaka. Godfrey had told Tongo that he was uneducated. That is why he was sent to Chifombo.

Godfrey joined us in taking material to the front.

Then one day, after coming from Zambezi where we had left war material, it was late January 1975.

I was surprised to see that there were so many people who were detained at Chifombo for following Nhari and Badza.

On the day, Tongo and Manyika ordered kuti, “Vanhu ngavachibuda”. Chifombo yakanga iri musango vanhu vaibva from various directions ndokuitwa parade. They were more than 15, including some females.

Godfrey’s name was also called out to join them ndokubva vasungwa netambo. I remember very well the rope was white.

You could sense that the situation was tense, vachibva ipapo vakabva vamachiswa vachidzikwa navo kuzasi musango ndokunouraiwa ikoko.

Q: You speak of the killings with ease, did you just say the people were killed? Why were they killed and how?

A: Vakanga vari vekwaNhari. The atmosphere was bad. It was in the afternoon around 1pm.

Mataure was also there among the group that was killed. It was a nasty experience and I don’t like it.

What I am sure of is that they were not shot because I didn’t hear any gun sounds.

It was just a matter of concluding kuti pamwe vanzi cherai makomba ndokufutsirwa vari vapenyu or they were hanged.

But hanging, ne situation yataiva nayo, could have been difficult because that process needs a lot of time and preparation. I strongly believe kuti vakafutsirwa vari vapenyu.

Why I say so is because we had heard cases of people being buried alive. Such treatment was rife during the war, especially on those suspected to have sold out.

Kana neni ndakanga ndave ne confusion because I had never seen such traumatising events.-StateMedia