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Masimba Mavaza Correspondent
A day after celebrating Christmas, on the 26th December 1979, one of the illustrious sons of the soil died — just on the eve of Independence from Rhodesia and colonial rule.

Josiah Magama Tongogara, the Commander of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla) — the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African National Union  (Zanu) — died in a horrific car accident in Mozambique.

Tongogara, born on February 4, 1938,  was an eminent fighter and strategist whose exploits are still being celebrated to this day.

He attended the Lancaster House conference that led to Zimbabwe’s independence and the end of white minority rule. He was the commander who preached peace through war. He preached unity and hoped to see a racism-free nation. Many expected him to be the first president of Zimbabwe, with Robert Mugabe, head of Zanla’s political wing, ZANU, as prime minister but that was not to be.  He had previously served as the Dare reChimurenga (Zanu’s War Council)’s Chief of Defence.

His story remains inspirational.

Tongogara was born in Selukwe now known as Shurugwi.

Like any other child he attended primary education, up to Standard VI, at an Anglican mission school.

He went to Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) in 1960 and studied bookkeeping. He became secretary of Chainama Golf Club in 1961. While in Zambia his brother, Percy Tongogara, was murdered in a politically motivated killing. This became the trigger to Josiah’s zeal to liberate the country. He put aside his self and promised to sacrifice all for the sake of the nation.  The death of his brother Percy, who was drowned in the Kafue River, was the turning point. No force was able to stop him. He was resolved to bare all for his country. Tongogara left his employment and became a militant nationalist.

He travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, the Far East and Eastern Europe, studying politics and training himself as a military leader.

He also headed the 18-man military High Command, providing liaison between the political leaders in Lusaka and the soldiers in the field.

Tongogara in 1973 showed his forgiving heart when he escorted Gerald Hawksworth from Mozambique to Tanzania after the latter had been captured by guerrillas.

In 1974 Tongogara stood his ground firmly against detente, maintaining that the military struggle must continue. Despite a great deal of internecine fighting between the various tribal elements of ZANLA he managed to remain in control. He was not a tribalist and that earned him respect during his leadership.

Power did not remove him from the people; he actually became a unifier and managed to rise above the Karanga/Zezuru tiff of the war times.

Despite his astute leadership and good heart Tongogara was detained by the Zambian government in 1975 after Zanu chairman Herbert Chitepo’s assassination. He was held in Kabwe Maximum Security Prison for over a year, being brought to trial in Lusaka on April 21 1976 for the alleged murder of Chitepo. On October 20 he was acquitted and released in time to attend the Geneva Conference. His influence was evident when he was asked to deliberate and be a signatory to the agreement which set up ZIPA in May 1976.

He was a tough, clear-thinking man with positive ideas on political development. He greatly admired Patrice Lumumba and Mao Tse-tung.

Tongogara was very compliant to technology and current affairs. He would not miss any news so he made it a point to travel with a radio so that wherever he went he wouldn’t miss important news items from Beijing and other communist stations.

Tongogara was married to Angelina and his penchant for freedom was reflected in the names he gave his children (Hondo, Tichafa, Bvumai, Simba, Granger and Nyaradzo). His wife, Angeline, was a midwife.

In the heat of the war Tongogara had time to watch Bruce Lee who was his favourite martial arts actor. His favourite soccer player was George Shaya. When he came from he bush he liked to “wind down with draughts and cards”.

Tongogara was a close friend of Mozambique’s President Samora Machel, with whom he underwent military training in China.

The ZANLA Commander paid the ultimate price for Zimbabwe’s freedom. Many men and women like Tongogara were in the trenches watering our freedom with their blood.

But Tongogara paid a price that we can never repay. It’s a sacrifice that he made without hesitation that made him the truest definition of the word hero, even though that was not his goal.

Today we pause to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifices for this nation, the fallen warriors who never came home to their families and friends. Liberty is a precious gift whose benefits we all enjoy every day, but too often we give little thought to the price paid for it. Christmas Day is the one day each year on which we reflect on the tremendous sacrifices made by our fellow countrymen and a day after is the day Tongogara poured his blood for our everlasting freedom.

Our nation survived that bloody civil war, and went on to become a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world.

The fruits of fighters’ labours can be seen throughout the country.

Only those who have seen the horrors of war first-hand can ever truly know what these soldiers went through in their final moments.

Each of them knew what their duty was, but surely each of them also dreamt of going home to the people they loved and the life they cherished. Each of them had families waiting eagerly to see them again. We know that they were forced to leave their hopes and dreams behind when they went off to war. They parted with them forever when they died.

Someone once said: “It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” That is especially true of the war for our freedom where we ultimately fought for our democratic values and way of life. The task will not be an easy one, nor will it be achieved in a matter of months, or even years. But it must be done.

We can only hope that the anguish of the families of these fallen heroes is tempered by the knowledge that their loved ones died for a noble cause — liberating millions of people from a brutal regime and protecting still more millions from further harm and intimidation.

Today we honour Tongogara and  all those who left us too soon, whose lives were cut short on distant battlefields. It is a moment to reflect on those who sacrificed their lives so we can enjoy a beautiful holiday like this. This moment is something each of us can do to keep their memory alive in our hearts. Surely, we owe them nothing less than to remember, and to give thanks for all they have done on our behalf. On behalf of a grateful nation, we salute them, and pledge that we will never forget.

God bless Zimbabwe! Long live the spirit of our heroes! Long live Tongogara!

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