GENERAL JOSAIAH MAGAMA TONGOGARA CHMURENGA LEADER OF ZANLA FORCES IN MOCAMBIQUE UNTIL HIS DEATH UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE END OF THE WAR.
Tongogara known as Tongo or "Nyenganyenga" (Swallow) by his supporters was born in Nhema TTL near Selukwe in 1940.
By coincidence his mother worked on Ian Smith's family farm in Selukwe and as a youngster Tongo used to collect tennis balls for Ian Smith when he played tennis on the farm.
Tongo left Rhodesia for Zambia in 1960 where he worked in the RAF bar in Lusaka and later at Chainama Hills golf club where he learned to play golf.
In 1961 Tongo became an active member of Zambia's UNIP led by Kenneth Kuanda, he also had sympathies for FRELIMO in Mocambique and set his sights on the liberation of Rhodesia from white majority rule.
He attended the ZANU conference held in Gwelo in 1963 and became chairman of the Lusaka branch of ZANU. His main objective at that time was to recruit young black Rhodesians into ZANU for military training in Zambia and the Soviet bloc.
In 1965 Tongo went to Itumbi camp in Tanzania for military training.
In 1966 Tongo led a party of 11 cadres to Nanking military academy in China where they were trained in mass mobilisation, military intellegence, political science, mass media, guerilla war strategies and tactics.
Tongo returned to Tanzania in 1966 to assume the role of military instructor.
Tongo then began to organise and equip ZANU terrorists to infiltrate into Rhodesia and establish base camps crossing the Zambezi River.
He was also involved with FRELIMO in Mocambique with the intention of opening up bases in that country.
Tongo was instrumental in opening up the North Eastern campaign in Rhodesia in 1970-71.
The war started for real with the first shots being fired at Altena Farm and within 12 months terrorists were establishing themselves in the Mount Darwin and Centeneray districts of Rhodesia.
Tongogara followed Mao's teachings which in Shona means "Simba rehove riri mumvura" (a fish has its strength in water) meaning that the terrorists must live with the masses as a fish does in water.
When the 1979 Lancaster House talks in London were convened Tongogara represented the Patriotic front on the military side and commanded much respect among the military advisors from the various delegations.
Tongogara left London to return to Africa where he was to implement the ceasefire agreement.
Wheh he arrived in Maputo he briefed his commanders on the arrangements and set out for Chimoio the next day to brief the other ZANLA commanders in the bush.
It is said that he was killed in a vehicle accident on the way to Chimoio but some say that he was murdered by Mugabes henchmen. We will never know the truth.
In my book Choppertech I cover a little about Tongogara . Tekere and Robert Mugabe and some of what happened in Chimoio during and after our devastaing external raids on those camps.
JOYCE MAJURU -Wife of Solomon Majuru alias Rex Nhongo -she was a combatant in the Chimurenga war and claims to have shot down a Rhodesian Air Force helicopter.
I have checked RhAf records and find that no helicopters were either shot down or damaged at the dates she claims to have done this. Choppertech has a record of all helicopters either shot down of damaged by enemy activity. The date she claims to have done this action was 17 February1974. In her words "Incredibly, I hit the machine and there was a lot of black smoke and it crashed. A big explosion followed", she was quoted in which all the occupants of the helicopter perished. WISHFUL THINKING!!!
SOLOMON MUJURU also known by his Chimurenga name REX NHONGORex Nhongo led Robert Mugabes ZANLA terrorist forces during the Chimurenga bush war.
In post Independent Zimbabwe he became the Army chief before leaving government in 1995.
Solomon Mujurus wife is the Vice president.
ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE ZANLA TERRORIST LEADER BASED IN MOCAMBIQUE
NOW PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE (COMMUNIST CHINESE SUPPORT DURING WAR)
JOSHUA NKOMO ZIPRA (his team came second in the Southern African war games 1963-1980) TERRORIST LEADER ZAMBIAN BASED SOVIET SUPPORT.
Nkomo was responsible for the shooting down of the Air Rhodesia Viscounts Umniati and Hunyani which resulted in Rhodesian Strikes into both Zambia and Mocambique. These incidents are covered in detail in Choppertech.
CECIL RHODES STATUE -REMOVED FROM ITS SPOT IN BULAWAYO BY MUGABE (as he couldnt bear to see pidgeons defecating on the statue of such a great leader and father of Rhodesia)
CECIL JOHN RHODES - A MAN WITH A VISION-RHODESIA
WHITE SETTLERS MEET IN BULAWAYO AT START OF REBELLION MARCH 1896
NATIVE MATABELE POLICE -they deserted and joined the rebels in 1895
FIGHTING IN THE MATOPOS -RLI Troopers would have found this type of fighting no different to those days only problem no K Car!!!
LT. CREWE AT THE BATTLE OF THE UMGUZA 1896
RAISING THE BSAC FLAG BULAWAYO 4 NOVEMBER 1893
BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY -Pioneer column route 1890
LOBENGULA'S KRAAL CIRCA 1893
Lobengula seated outside his Palace at Old Bulawayo
Rare picture of Matabele King Lobengula
