Who bombed Salisbury fuel tanks: ZANLA Or ZIPRA?

BULAWAYO - THE story of who really bombed The Rhodesian fuel tanks in then Salisbury - now Harare - is one of the several liberation stories whose truism might remain a contested issue forever as the two main war forces ZIPRA and ZANLA tussle to get credit for the heroic act, Writes #disqus_thread">Divine Dube.

If you ask ex-ZANLA forces about the infamous blast which stunned the then Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith who later described it as "one of our biggest setbacks since the war started" they will tell you-with a glimmer of confidence -that they are the ones who blew the tanks in December 1978.

Word Against Word?

But ZIPRA cadres who believe that despite their immense contribution to the liberation war, their story has not been adequately documented, dismiss ZANLA's claims of heroism as an ‘engineered lie' meant to portray ZANLA as a better force than ZIPRA.

Speaking at a memorial lecturer in honour of liberation war stalwart Lookout Masuku yesterday, one of ZIPRA's member of the High Command Team Kenneth Ndlovu said he is the one who first received the report about the Salisbury bombing and was confident that the job was executed by ZIPRA forces.


[Kenneth] Ndlovu a member of the [ZIPRA High Command] presents a Masuku memorial lecture in Byo yesterday

"I was the first to receive the report about the bombing which occurred in December 1978," Ndlovu said adding that he is the one who even filed the report for future references.

"I have forgotten the names of the cadres who blew the tanks but they were ZIPRA and not ZANLA forces. Even weapons which were used in the bombing were only owned by us [ZIPRA]."

"They [ZANLA] did not have sophisticated weapons and neither did they have urban units and was assisted logistically by ZIPRA through an arrangement with the then Organisation of African Union (OAU) and as such their claims are untrue," Ndlovu said.

Ndlovu, who lost his eyesight during the war opined that the closure on the issue could only come if files detailing the information on the bombing could be found and presented as evidence – although this could be difficult or even impossible since the whereabouts of the files are not known.

"…maybe they were burnt down to ashes during the ravaging war fires…" Ndlovu said.

In 2014, the Zimbabwe National Army stirred the hornet's nest when it published an article in it's magazine giving credit to ZANLA for the bombing. This prompted ZIPRA cadres including former [ZIPRA] intelligence supreme now current ZAPU president [Dr.] Dumiso Dabengwa to respond accusing ZANU-PF of attempting to downgrade ZIPRA's role in the liberation war.

Business Unfinished?

Some ZIPRA cadres who attended the meeting went emotional – and almost cried when they narrated how Masuku – a decorated war hero was let to die in prison allegedly after being tortured by central intelligence operatives. Masuku was facing trumped up charges of plotting a coup d'état against then Prime Minister [Robert] Mugabe.


ZIPRA cadres observe a moment of silence in memory of Masuku

"Let's remember that Masuku was killed," one ZIPRA cadre who identified himself as Gumede and claimed to be Masuku's cousin said.

"...we must not be misled and believe that he died in prison," Gumede who was almost in tears said.

ZIPRA cadres proposed that a day should be set aside as a public holiday in memorial of Masuku whose immense contribution to the liberation struggle is yet to be recognised by the ruling government led by Mugabe who presided over his incarceration in prison before he died.

Despite his documented contribution to the war of liberation, Masuku was controversially denied national hero status, a development which has become common when ZIPRA cadres die.

Mugabe's government which has in the past been accused of bias against ex-ZIPRA cadres does not take more than 48 hours to confer hero status to ex-ZANLA forces when they die.

Fighting Oppression To Be Poor?

Ndlovu emotionally revealed that had ZIPRA properties been not confiscated, most ZIPRA cadres would not be living in abject poverty.

"You see, I lost my eyesight during the war but at times I'm not able to pay for my medical bills because I have nothing much from my personal coffers," Ndlovu said.

The properties which were confiscated by the Zanu-PF government during the Gukurahundi disturbances that took place in the Matabeleland and the Midlands regions between 1981 and 1987 are registered under Nitram Investments (Private) Limited.

"If these properties were there and generating income for us all ZIPRA cadres, I would go there and appeal for financial aid," Ndlovu said with tears dripping from his eyes covered with dark eye glasses.

ZIPRA cadres estimate the value of their properties at US$300 million. The investment was set up following a monetary contribution by each ZIPRA member with a view of setting business ventures that will help prevent cadres from sinking into poverty after the war. But ZIPRA is still battling to recover the properties to date.

Exploring Alternatives

[The] session moderator [Dr] Samukele Hadebe urged the new generation "to emulate and live [good] values championed by [our] liberation war heroes such as Masuku – who in the midst of calamity girded their armour and fought own".

 "In addition to documenting [our] true history, there is need to emulate and live these values for nation building," advised Hadebe.

"There is need for us as a people to celebrate our [liberation] heroes, but we must not end there; we must use their past victories to build our nation moving forward because they fought so that we live better lives."

Ibhetshu Likazulu, the organisers of the memorial lecturer, on the other hand said they will work towards organising more similar lecturers in memory of several 'forgotten' liberation heroes in order "to correct the contaminated history of our heroes and to restore what has been stolen from us."