Published by the government of Zimbabwe
3 July 2009
editorial
Harare — Cde Isaac Mukusa (Sarudzai Chinamaropa) A veteran freedom fighter and hero of the Second Chimurenga War, Cde Isaac Mukusa, popularly known as Sarudzai Chinamaropa, died on November 10 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre on November 17, 1994.
Although he was born in Southern Zambia on August 8, 1947 while his father was on duty in that country, most of the Mukusa family live in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West Province.
Cde Chinamaropa went to school in Kariba up to Standard 5 after which he was employed by the Central African Power Board as a clerk.
His duties, which involved the collection of admission fees from tourists visiting the powerhouse, exposed him to racial discrimination practiced by the board.
As a result he joined the Youth League of the nationalist movement agitating for the removal of racial practices and minority rule.
Following an address by Cde Henry Hamadziripi, who was the political commissar of the Dare reChimurenga, Chinamaropa was recruited as a Zanla cadre.
He went for guerilla training at Itumbi Camp in Tanzania where he joined retired Major-General Charles Dauramanzi, the late Rtd-General Vitalis Zvinavashe, Chigwindiri Rauya Madhiba, Langton Marerema and others.
He adopted Sarudzai Chinamaropa as his Chimurenga name.
His life long friends Justin Chauke, Mayor Urimbo and Ernest Kadungure joined them later.
On returning to Zambia as commander of Chimbichimbi Camp, Chinamaropa proved to be an invaluable guerilla, especially with his knowledge of the terrain on both sides of the Zambezi River and his fluency in languages spoken by the local people.
The experience of the 1966 Chinhoyi Battle called for a fresh look at the war strategy.
It became imperative for the fighters to first conduct reconnaissance, mobilise the masses and with their confidence and support.
This was a perilous exercise as the Rhodesian authorities responded by enacting the infamous Law and Order Maintenance Act, which gave the security forces power to kill and destroy crops of peasants suspected of harbouring the fighters.
Most villagers were forced into protected villages.
It was during this trying period that the simplicity of character and patience of Chinamaropa and his friend Justin Chauke turned into effective weapons of war.
However, Chinamaropa, Badza and Tungamirai with the assistance of spirit medium, Sekuru Chipferi and local peasants, successfully opened the northeastern front.
In a major coup, Cde Chinamaropa and a group of Zanla forces captured Gerald Hawkesworth, a Rhodesian land development officer, and took him to Zambia.
The fact that Hawkesworth was neither tortured nor killed was a clear indication to the international community that the war was not against whites but an oppressive system.
It was again Chinamaropa, Chauke and Chimurenga who safely evacuated the successor spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda to Zambia.
After the assassination of Herbert Chitepo in 1975, most Zanla cadres, including Chinamaropa, were imprisoned at Kabwe in Zambia.
They were released at the end of 1976 to attend the abortive Geneva Conference.
At the historic Zanu Congress of 1977, Sarudzai Chinamaropa was elected a member of the Central Committee and also appointed to the High Command.
From Independence in 1980 till his death, Cde Chinamaropa had been the superintendent of Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre.
At the time of his death, Cde Chinamaropa was survived by his wife and two children.
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