In 1975, when the liberation struggle was at its peak in Zimbabwe, many youths, fed up with the oppressive regime under the late Ian Smith, resolved to fight for their independence.
Most of them, thought they would just go outside the country to either Mozambique, Zambia or Angola, grab guns and ammunition, and return to the battle zone and fight the oppressors.
They did not know that gaining independence would not be a stroll in the park; so many people died and so much blood was spilt.
One of the youths then was Cde Daniel Sigauke, who was by then residing with his parents and siblings in the high-density suburb of Highfield, in the then Salisbury. At the age of 18, Cde Sigauke and his friends would witness black people being ill-treated by whites in their motherland.
And the unfair treatment seemed to have no end. They decided to take an active role to put that to an end, through the barrel of a gun, hence they left home for Mozambique.
In an interview with The Herald, Cde Sigauke, whose Chimurenga name was Freeman Gwinyaimuhondo, said an independent Zimbabwe did not come on a silver platter.
"When I was growing up in Highfield in Harare, I saw the brutality of the white regime. Our parents were subjected to all sorts of inhuman conditions. This led to a lot of uprisings in Harare and other towns protesting against these conditions. The colonial rule was brutal.
"Some nationalist parties were formed to intermediate with the white rulers. But all these parties were banned. Black people started to resist by uprisings. The white security agents responded by setting vicious dogs on the people, throwing tear gas and beating up protestors.
"In return people started throwing stones at them, others were bold enough to overpower these dogs and kill them. This made the Rhodesian police angrier and they continued to introduce stiffer conditions on us.
"At one point, it was in June, there was an uprising and a large gathering at Machipisa. The Rhodesian Special Branch came to quell the unrest and set dogs on them. However, protestors retaliated by throwing stones at them. Immediately, the Special Branch withdrew their dogs and fired live bullets at the crowd, killing a lot of people.
"The day was coined Black June.
"This incident was a turning point for me and my colleagues, and we made up our minds. We were motivated enough to join our brothers in military confrontation with the oppressors."
After discussing briefly with two colleagues, they decided to cross the border to Mozambique.
"So it was myself and two of my friends, and we boarded a train to Mutare. We never told anyone, even our parents. However, we wrote letters to our parents and decided to post them when we were already in Rusape. We informed them in our letters that we had crossed to Mozambique for military training.
"We travelled smoothly, but we faced a fair share of our tribulations along the way. For example, when we were in Guhunye Mountain, we became lost. It also started raining and it was in the night. We saw huge snakes, but we kept on walking for more than 10km but we were in the wrong direction altogether. As if it was not enough, Gift Mukandatsama, my friend became seriously sick. He was violently shivering. We became worried. We tried to make fire to warm ourselves but to no avail.
"While in the thick bush of the mountain, suddenly we saw, from a distance, a thatched hut and we headed there. When we arrived, we shouted our greetings but we got no response. We proceeded to the hut and went in. There was no one, but there was a drum full of clean water and some fire.
"We took the water and some fire and we went and started our fire away from the hut. The next morning we crossed into Mozambique and after crossing the border fence, we were met by Mozambican soldiers who took us to their camp. Remember Mozambique had just gained independence from the Portuguese.
"We arrived at their military base and their commander closely looked at us and told us to go back to Rhodesia. He was doubting us. We told him that there was no way we could go back to Rhodesia, it was either or rather better to kill us than return to Rhodesia.
"The commander then took a light machine gun and fired in the air. It was so close, such that even our ears went numb for some minutes. After that, he again stared at us before bursting out laughing and told us that he was satisfied that we were really geared for the training. We breathed a sigh of relief, and that is when we realised that we were starving. We were given green bananas and we roasted them and ate gratefully. Later proper food, including meat, was served before we were allowed to rest."
He said their entry into Mozambique marked the start of their training and subsequently the fight against colonialism using military tactics.
"The next day we were taken to Chikamba Dam where a holding camp for Zimbabweans was established. We met a lot of people some of whom we know from the then Salisbury. At that holding camp, that is where I met my sister, Violet Sigauke, who had also crossed into Mozambique for military training."
"We also saw our pastor there and he is the one who had to later inform our parents back home that we were in Mozambique.
"After a week there, we proceeded to Zhunda. This camp was a much bigger holding camp so food was scarce, and water was a challenge, but we had to survive. At this camp, we were honoured to meet former President Robert Mugabe and Cde Edgar Tekere. Later we were taken to Nyadzonia for training.
"This camp was used and abandoned by the Mozambican soldiers so we were the first group to arrive there and started building barracks and other rooms. It is at Nyadzonia that I was picked and trained as a medical officer. This is also where we received orientation from some of our seniors including Cde Joice Mujuru.
"The orientation made us realise that it was not going to be easy to gain independence. We were thinking that once we get into Mozambique, we will just get huge guns and come back in First Street of Harare and shoot the oppressors to their graves. But we realized that, though we were really fed up with the oppressor, we needed to have a strategy, we needed to be brave, bold and strong mentally and physically.
"From Nyadzonia we went to Tembwe, where I received military training. There was hunger at Tembwe, we were surviving with one meal per day and the meal mostly was one cooked potato and some salt. There was no water, we would go to a nearby river to dig in the sand for water. We persevered, our survival was of utmost importance so we soldiered on.
"After the Tembwe three months training, I was seconded, with others to return to Zimbabwe for the battle. I was excited. The deployment thrilled me. We were taken and as we were nearing the border, we were ambushed and that is when I was shot and injured in the leg. I could not proceed with the journey back home. I was taken to Chimoio and by then I was an instructor after receiving treatment."
Cde Sigauke said at Chimoio, that is where he witnessed the full brutality and the ruthlessness of the Smith regime.
"It was early in the morning around 8 am and the comrades were already at parade. Suddenly, we saw a plane driving past and we just thought it was a usual one since one of the governors in that area used to go from his place to work using a plane.
"A few seconds later, we heard a strong vibration as if the area we were standing at was shaking. A strong wind blew in our direction. And these were the helicopters flying at a low altitude.
"So at that time I had already walked away from the parade point and instantly, bombs were released, I ran for my life, shouting for others to run. People panicked.
"Others attempted to escape but it was too late, they were shot, and others were bombed. While running, some helicopters were now releasing paratroopers for ground forces. I was devastated. They ran into the camp and fired at the people.
"The most painful and traumatising sight was when the Smith soldiers went to the kitchen where they grabbed those women who were on duty preparing food on that particular day. They took them and kept them in huge pots with hot porridge, held them tight and killed them mercilessly.
"They wailed, and howled in pain but to no avail. They died a painful death. On the other side, Smith's soldiers were busy shooting others in the camp. Blood was everywhere. There was death everywhere. As for me and the other four comrades, we were hiding in a nearby bush. While hiding, we saw Smith soldiers coming to us, by this time it was raining heavily.
"The soldiers drew closer, each step they took, bringing much fear in our hearts. We had only one rifle and we knew we could not defeat them. They passed us and walked away, in the direction of the camp. Nearby, there was child who was crying loudly, she was just abandoned near the dam. Up to now we do not even know what happened to the mother.
"Well, after the Rhodesian Forces were satisfied that no one was left alive, they stopped firing and camped at the site. Around 6 pm, we decided to rescue the infant and from there we escaped. We walked for more than 30 km and arrived in a village where we were given roasted maize, we were later taken to another camp where we stayed for three days. Smith's soldiers camped at Chimoio for three days and they were chased away by FRELIMO forces."
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Cde Sigauke said they managed to return to Chimoio to bury their colleagues.
"When we arrived, bodies were everywhere, some were decomposing. Some body parts could be seen scattered some metres away, while others could be seen hanging from trees. It was a devastating experience and so traumatising. The Chimoio attack was so brutal to such an extent that we will never forget it. We buried our loved ones and went away.
"I finally came back to Zimbabwe and fought several battles in Mutoko and Murehwa before going back to Mozambique."
Cde Sigauke said what he experienced during the liberation struggle gives him and others a reason to heartily celebrate independence day.
"It is true that a lot of blood was spilt for us to be free. Lots of lives were lost. Others were crippled for life while others never saw their families or siblings again. It was not an easy road. The enemy was ruthless. The enemy did not want us to take back what was ours but we fought to the bitter end.
"The attacks on our training and military camps were meant to demoralise us and make us weak psychologically, politically and socially. But that was not the case. We even came out of that stronger, our spirits were highly motivated and we fought even harder until the enemy surrendered.
"Now we have freedom. I am hurt when I hear some young ones challenging us saying 'Dzorerai nyika payaive yakasungirirwa muone kuti hatiisununguri here'. That is not proper. War is not child's play. Hondo inorwadza. Hondo ineropa.
"We must cherish the freedom that we have and continue to be united. We must build the Zimbabwe we want. This is our only country and we need to work for it day and night. So I urge all Zimbabweans to come out in their numbers and celebrate this day on April 18. Let us honour the living and departed sons and daughters who sacrificed all for this freedom."
