The Sunday News
In the last two weeks we have been talking to former National Security Organisation (NSO) Deputy Director of Public Security Cde Zephaniah Moyo pseudo name Jeckonia Zulu. Today Cde Moyo speaks about the attacks on Mkushi, Freedom Camp where he was present and the bombing of the NSO headquarters in Lusaka. He also gives an honest assessment on why the Rhodesians were able to carry those raids in Zambia when the host country had its own army and a functioning intelligence system. Below are excerpts of the interview with our Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda (MS):
MS: Cde Moyo, last week we were still talking about the daring attacks that the Rhodesians were carrying out in Zambia, I understand you were at the Freedom Camp when it was heavily attacked on 19 October 1978 and that was done simultaneously with Mkushi, a women’s camp. Can you please tell us what happened on that day?
Cde Moyo: The Rhodesians had resorted to attacking soft targets mainly because of the defeats they were suffering at the hands of our troops. Even when they tried to bomb our troops at emagojini they were easily repulsed. On that 19 October they actually started with Freedom Camp, which was formally the Zipra headquarters, but had been changed to a transit camp for those going for training and those coming from training.
The Freedom Camp, FC as it was called was attacked in the morning and this was despite the fact that it was very close to Lusaka, 25km away. I had visited Mboroma and Solwezi and I arrived late at FC and decided to put up there for the night.
Actually I was staying in Lusaka at the Air Force of Zambia flats. What was strange was that when I arrived at the gate there used to be a caravan that had been there for about five months but on that day it had been removed. I didn’t bother because the Zambians were doing road statistics.
MS: Do you think the removal of the caravan and change of the set-up at the camp had anything to do with the attack?
Cde Moyo: Whether the Zambians knew about the bombardments I don’t know. So I stayed there the whole night to solve a case of a comrade who had stolen weapons and sold them. That guerilla was brought to me at 7am the following day and on that night I had used the bedroom which was once used by the commander, Nikita Mangena when he was there.
While I was still talking to that comrade who had disciplinary problems I heard a screeching sound and suddenly there were explosions. If you understand bombing you don’t move from where you are but you lie down waiting for the next move. I lay down and the house that comrade and I were in was hit and that comrade bolted out but was hit by a shrapnel.
Part of the building fell and I found a small opening on the bricks and moved out. There was dust all over, and I had to wait for some seconds. I realised that there was serious bombing on the south eastern side. So I said to myself let me try to get out.
I saw a guy that was injured and I tried to carry him, but after a few steps a tree branch fell on him and he died and I left him lying down. I ran towards the main gate to the west. There were no underground trenches at the camp because it was close to Lusaka. Luckily there were these gumpoles and I momentarily stayed there and I was only armed with a pistol. I heard the helicopters hovering around and I decided that I wasn’t going to be captured so I went through the garden. This was the farm homestead where Mdala Jirira cultivated all round and there was no place to hide except in the mango trees and gumtrees.
MS: I think that was a frightening moment.
Cde Moyo: It was. I then continued moving and now the helicopters were above and there was heavy fire coming from them.
The shooting was forcing me towards the kill zone which was towards the railway line. I then dashed towards the thicket after I realised that I was hit by some shrapnel on the chest (showing scars), but I continued moving. I was then forced out of that thicket and went towards a big tree. There I met one of the camp commanders who was just holding the butt of his weapon without realising he had lost the gun. As the bombing was intensifying some guards tried to fight back but it was just useless.
As I was running in confusion I hit against a fence and fell back and got up and went under it. I ran towards Lusaka main road and now I was out of the danger zone. I could hear the bombing.
And a few minutes later I saw jets coming in for the second sortie and they took a dip and released their bombs. Then there was a lull in the attack. After that as I was still able to walk, I took some guys who were able to walk as well and we went towards the main road. One comrade had his gun and I took over that gun and stood in the middle of the road and stopped each truck and then we started loading the injured to take them to the hospital.
The ambulances were already running up and down. The Zambian government on that day did a fantastic job because all vehicles were stopped and only ambulances were allowed to move. Those that resisted were forced to do so. A number of rescue people were rushing towards FC to try and pick those that were injured. Then midnight I could not endure any longer so I collapsed and was taken to hospital where I was monitored all night.
MS: How long were you at the hospital?
Cde Moyo: The following day I woke up early as I was feeling better and we started the main exercise which was to collect the bodies. We were using blankets to actually move them towards the end of the field. All the trees had been left at half size because of the bombs and shooting. There was a mass grave that was dug by excavators. We were also picking up toes, fingers, a head here and there and you couldn’t tell which part belonged to who.
The combing of the place continued for about two weeks because there were people who died while trying to run away and some had died because they were injured and tried to hide among the trees. I think there were about 400 who died under that attack and those people were on recruits that were going to Angola for training.
MS: It looks like the enemy had a field day at FC and why?
Cde Moyo: I have to be honest, that camp was not well protected. The protection that was there was only to protect against small arms but against aircrafts I would say there was none at all. My understanding was that the Zambian government didn’t allow heavy weapons like Zegues because the camp was very close to their capital, Lusaka.
The Zambian government never even reacted during the attack because the Rhodesians took full control of their airspace. The Rhodesians even threatened the Zambian Air Force by warning them that they would hit the State House if they dared retaliate. So the Zambians never took off. Most probably they knew that they couldn’t match the Rhodesians fire power.
MS: While you guys were under attack at FC the women were also in the same predicament in Mkushi. How was the situation handled?
Cde Moyo: The following day I had to start another exercise of going to Mkushi. It was not easy to rescue people in those areas because they were far away. The Zambian army had tried to enter Mkushi in a rescue mission but they were hit by a land mine. Before we came Cde Ntatshana went to Mkushi and he collected 12 Zambian police officers to rescue the girls and all the police officers were shot by the enemy while Ntatshana was captured. Ntatshana had run away from the camp to get Zambians to assist. A famous Zambian was also hit, I think his name was Allen Nkatha, who was a Member of Parliament.
He was hit at Mkushi turn-off. I then went to Mkushi where we assisted burying the dead. At Mkushi hundreds also died. The Zimbabwean people based in Zambia did wonders and this was despite their different political affiliations to the two liberation movements, Zapu and Zanu. They collected the injured and ferried them to hospitals.
MS: Who were some of those people?
Cde Moyo: Some of the people who took part in the Mkushi rescue operation were Hopeful Nkiwane, Percy Nkiwane, Steven Siphuma, Mohamed Hassan, Mrs Priscon Hassan, Samuel Zondo, Elizabeth Zondo, a Mr Banda, Fati Moyo, Michael Msomi, Mlilo, Jubane, Emelda Sibanda, E Siphuma, Janet Kamwendo, Webster Kamwendo, Mrs Madzivanyika, Rambanepasi, Elizabeth Ndiweni, Lorna Tavengwa, Ester Mbambo, Mrs Furning, Charles Madonko, Dick Sibanda and Patrick Kombayi.
Some of these people were professionals, farmers and businesspeople.
Next week we bring you the final part of the NSO Files. Be sure not to miss your copy of Sunday News.
