Dabengwa The African Hero

Dabengwa Not Just A Zimbabwean Hero

By Dumisani O Nkomo

In the tradition of great revolutionaries such Che Guevera Dumiso Dabengwa’s heroism cannot be limited to his exploits in Zimbabwe during the war of liberation. It must be placed on record that Dumiso Dabengwa not only contributed to the liberation of Zimbabwe but in an incalculable way and magnitude to the liberation of South Africa . He was trained in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1963, operated in Botswana carrying out covert missions and regularly moved across countries such as Zambia and Tanzania . Operations of the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army [ZIPRA] stretched to training and camps in Cuba. Libya , Yugoslavia , Egypt , Algeria and Angola . Dabengwa was the head of ZIPRA’s intelligence arm the National Security Organization which had networks in various countries.

Importantly Dabengwa must not be celebrated in Matabeleland alone or Zimbabwe alone because he was a key figure in the Wankie Campaign carried out jointly by ZAPU and South Africa’s Umkhonto we Sizwe . Dabengwa brushed shoulders with the likes of Joe Modise and Chris Hani of the A.N.C as ZAPU and the A.N.C executed the Battle of Wankie . Umkhonto We Sizwe and ZAPU guerrillas fought side by side as comrades and Dabengwa coordinated deployment and intelligence of both Umkhonto and Zipra guerrillas . Dabengwa the pan African hero also played a key part in the 1968 Sipholilo campaign led by Moffat Hadebe where Zapu and Umkhonto carried out joint operations.

As testimony to this one former ZIPRA guerrilla Marshall Mpofu a former Colonel in the army testified that when  he joined in the armed struggle in 1973 he together with six other ZAPU and ANC cadres were recruited by Dumiso Dabengwa in Bostwana . The link between ZAPU and Unkhonto continued beyond independence .With the active support of ZAPU and the likes of Dabengwa large quantities of weapons destined for the armed struggle in South Africa  and Umkhonto we Sizwe were kept at farms owned by ZAPU just after independence . This was verified by Dr Dabengwa in public lectures in South Africa and former N.S.O intelligence operative Jeremy Brick hill at a Lookout Masuku Memorial lecture . The weapons which Lookout Masuku and Dumiso Dabengwa were arrested for were actually Umkhonto weSizwe weapons . For this Dabengwa and Masuku were charged with treason for attempting to subvert and overthrow the Zimbabwean government [ does this not sound familiar ]. After being acquitted by the courts Dabengwa was continuously jailed for over six more years unconstitutionally and illegally by the ZANU P.F government.  For this it must be clear to all and sundry that Dabengwa was a hero not just for Zimbabwe but also for South Africa. Not only did he fight side by side with M.K guerrillas, but he helped to deploy, provide intelligence and later on provided a conduit for Umkhonto we Sizwe guerrillas in South Africa .

This history has been supressed by ZANUcentriic historians and academics. It must be remembered that at the time ZANU ‘s ally was the Robert Sobukwe founded Pan Africanist Congress and not the A.N.C .This is why Dabengwa was widely respected by former M.K guerrillas at a very level .Sadly the average South African and indeed Zimbabwean does not know that Zimbabwean blood was spilt for South Africa and South African blood for Zimbabwe . It is largely unknown that Dabengwa lost many years of freedom after independence at the hands of a black government because he and ZAPU had dared to help liberate South Africa by ensuring that Umkhonto we Sizwe continuously had supplies of weapons .

Dr Dumiso Dabengwa who died today aged [79] was indeed a great and illustrious son of the soil. His involvement with the struggle for independence dates back to the days when he was part of the youth wing of the National Democratic Party which was headed by Joshua Nkomo in the late fifties. He continued being an active youth after N.D.P was formed and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union was formed. As part of the youth wing he was part of militant youths who engaged in many protests and demonstrations against white minority rule.

He was one of the first cadres of ZAPU to be sent for military training in the Soviet Union. The presence of leading A.N.C cadres at the Launch of the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation in 2018 is testimony of the impact that Dumiso Dabengwa had not only had impact on the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe but also the liberation of South Africa.

Dabengwa had risen through the ranks to become a key cog in the intelligence unit of ZAPU.  He became the secretary of ZAPU‘s War Council headed by Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo which was responsible for prosecuting the armed struggle. He was also the secretary of the War Council which was headed by party president Joshua Nkomo and included Nikita Mangena, Samuel Munodawafa (the party chairman) amongst others.

Importantly Dabengwa was part of the Patriotic Front delegation to the Geneva talks in 1976 and the Lancaster House talks in 1979. He thus had an illustrious history not only as a soldier and intelligence supremo but also a political stalwart with diplomatic acumen and shrewd strategic planning. This is the reason why Nkomo and the ZAPU leadership included him in key talks which involved liberation movements, the Rhodesian governments and foreign governments.

It is believed he had a strong rapport with ZANLA supremo Josiah Tongogara at this time. Tongogara was killed tragically in mysterious circumstances in the build up to the independence.

In 1980, Dabengwa played a key part in ensuring guerrillas returned to assembly points and subsequently in the integration of ZIPRA and ZANLA forces into the Zimbabwe National Army together with former Rhodesian forces. The team that led the integration included General Peter Walls former commander of Rhodesian army, Lookout Masuku and Rex Nhongo (Solomon Mujuru). This was Dabengwa the soldier and statesman at work now using years of training in the Soviet Union, military experience and intelligence acumen as head of the National Security organization which was he wartime ZAPU intelligence wing.

He displayed these attributes again when fighting broke out between ZIPRA and ZANLA guerrillas domiciled in Entumbane and parts of Harare. He and Masuku in the company of Nkomo appealed to ZIPRA forces to put down their arms and cease fighting. This was in realization that there would be far more civilian casualties than military casualties as the fighting was taking place in the townships. This was once again vintage Dabengwa as a statesman, peacemaker and politician par excellence. Were it not for these actions possibly millions of civilians would have been killed in the fighting which was focussed on Bulawayo and other areas.

It is said that Dabengwa had been offered the post of Major General but he was reluctant to take this up and left his uniform in a huff as he was the most senior soldier at independence having led the likes of Rex Nhongo and others who were now touted as his superiors. He then retired from active service after stopping two armed conflicts and united two warring armies.

charged with treason but subsequently the courts acquitted them. The government of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe continued to detain them and the two remained in jail with Masuku being released in 1986 only to die shortly afterwards. The government of Robert Mugabe refused to allow Dumiso Dabengwa to attend the funeral of his comrade and colleague.

During this time the ZANU government brutally butchered over 25 000 people, tortured and beat thousands more and displaced hundreds of thousands of people during the Gukurahundi Genocide. ZAPU and Nkomo were keen to stop the killing and acceded to talks with ZANU. Dumiso Dabengwa together with Sydney Malunga and Nkomo’s young brother Steven were vehemently opposed to the talks. Nkomo appealed to Dabengwa saying “what do you want us to do about the thousands of people that are being butchered by ZANU, do you have an alternative…, go and think about it”

A day afterwards Dabengwa returned to Nkomo and gave the nod for the negotiations to be concluded in order to stop the butchering of civilians.

Dabengwa after initially rejected repeated offers first served as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and then Minister of Home Affairs. He then quit ZANU P.F to revive ZAPU.

In his last years Dabengwa was keen for the Zambezi Water Project to be included in order for hundreds of thousands of people in Matabeleland to benefit from downstream and upstream economic activities. During the tenure of the Unity government Dabengwa summoned this writer to his offices at the Zambezi Water Project Trust and Said “Dumisani “my dream is about to come true. Minister Siphepha tells me they have secured funding for the project. For me, it is not important what it is called or who gets the glory as long as our people benefit. Sadly, the project is still at its infancy since government reneged on its promises and diverted funds to other projects and the so called deal with the Chinese amounted to nothing. Dabengwa had set up the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trustto spearhead the project. He had developed a model for the project to be funded through a joint venture initiative. He proposed that the government give the trust concessions to mine methane gas in Lupane. The government flatly refused. It was Dabengwa’s wish to see the project through. He also desired to see the country’s history to be re written in order to reflect the contributions of ZIPRA and ZAPU. In order to perpetuate his legacy, he pro-actively set up the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation.

His contributions to the people of Zimbabwe were indeed immense but it would be a travesty of justice for him to be remembered as a Zimbabwean hero only  because he was more than that . He fought alongside comrades from South Africa’s Umkhonto weSizwe and contributed to the independence of South Africa . Today millions of Dabengwas countrymen are treated like scavengers in countries were Dabengwa played a key role in the liberation of those countries He must be honoured not just in Zimbabwe but also in South Africa as well . Many who enjoy independence in both countries owe it to the likes of Dumiso Dabengwa together with John Dube the commander of the Wankie Campaign , Joe Modise and Chris Hani .

Amandla !

Dumisani Nkomo is the CEO of Habakkuk Trust