The Eagle: Independence Day 2021 Edition

"...what Zimbabwe fought for was peace, progress, love respect, justice, [and] equality" - Joshua Nkomo

The Eagle

but their sacrifice and struggle was not for nothing. They fought to the end with hopes for a better future - for their children and their country they fought so we can live in freedom, peace and safety.

We’ve been an independent country for 41 years, now let us consolidate our hard-won independence through improving our country with decency and etiquette.

This is a joyous day indeed.

Congratulations, Amhlophe, Makorokoto.

- Maruane Ncube

INDEPENDENCE DAY I welcome you all who are reading this article. This article is to appreciate and celebrate our 41st Independence Anniversary.

April 18 1980 is a day I would consider the greatest day ever for us as Zimbabweans. It is a day that came after a long and hard struggle. On this day, was the end of British rule in our country, the mark of our freedom but more importantly, it was the end of the Rhodesian era and the dawn of a new nation. Our national flag was, at last unfurled in the capital. A day our forefathers dreamed of and wished would one day see.

We celebrate our fallen soldiers the heroes and heroines. It is unfortunate most were not lucky enough to see and experience this wonderful day,

TROUBLE IN HONDE VALLEY? Deep down the very dense Honde valley was the low-lying Kwambana village, Hauna. The Makahamadze residence was very fancied as it was the most developed settlement then (roofed with classic asbestos sheets and modernly plastered); not only did it attract the eyes of those who appreciated aesthetics then, it also attracted the Comrades who were leading the gruesome Chimurenga war in the Manicaland region.

The aforementioned residence became the informal comrades’ base where

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they’d often enjoy meals traditionally brewed maheu.

and

cold

On one very cold morning this base was going to witness both, a tragedy and a victory…

“Yohweee zvangu humba iwe!” (A Shona statement usually expressing shock and pain) Lucia (my grandmother) screamed in agony after tragedy had struck, the Rhodesian government had bombed to ashes the once very chic Makahamadze residence. This was as a result of footprints that weren’t concealed enough (comrades used to walk with tree branches attached to their backs in order to sweep off any footprints hence conceal their paths).

Fortunately everyone was busy in the fields harvesting and celebrating zhizha (Summer, but harvest season in this context).

Traditional alarms went off, smoke signals took over the dark skies, horns and drums overpowered the sweet melodies the birds were chirping. The battle had surely landed in the wrong village this time.

Dust rose as everyone hurriedly made their way to ‘The Musasa Tree’. My very vocal grandmother really forgot how to act as she was baffled and still in shock, however, my cool grandfather (who had once taken on a buffalo by its horns) remained poised and kept his cool. Once everyone was settled, seated rather because the atmosphere was not really 'settling conducive', who would get settled amidst a war!? - the Kwambana village chief stood to address his people and to let them know that the village was now under siege. Fear and anxiety took over the situation- “Madzimai nevana vese kuKip*” (Every woman and child, to the Kip!) my grandmother repeatedly yelled interrupting the chief, all the ladies seconded her opinion (I mean that was the safest thing to do after all).

Without any fear or anxiety in his voice, my grandfather, Caleb, calmly said “Kana tichifa, tichafa taedza” meaning that if they were going to die, they were going to die fighting unconditionally. At first everyone nervously laughed, “Haisi nyati ka iyi!” (This ain't no buffalo! Referring to my grandfather's wellknown tango with such a beast). The crowd's nervousness turned to chanting, until my grandfather added, "Ndoenda nevanoda, mbwende ngadzisare hadzo” (I'll go with the men who want, the cowards can stay behind) this statement gave pause to the raucous mob, it was obviously embarrassing to be seen seated and safe when a call for real MEN had been made to help in this crisis. Havoc broke out when all the men started to make their way to the front, married women feared for their husbands and mothers feared for their sons.

Some men opted to stay and protect the ladies and children (was this a wise move? Or these men were genuinely scared?). The ladies and children were left seated, not idle but singing war cries and liberation songs, the fighting spirit had awoken in them despite them fearing for their loved ones; whilst the ‘REAL’ men planned their formations.

You’d expect a decent goodbye however this wasn’t the case. The men had planned a birdsfoot formation whereby they would all leave scattered in hot pursuit. As they left the ladies raised the volume and those who could ululated.

The many unassuming occupants of Kwambana village had been injured and killed by the Rhodesians; the chopper that had caused so much destruction started flying low, assessing the damage despite malfunctioning flaps due to the previous bombing's impact.

The pilots smiled as they assessed the serious damage - shortly after, the smiles turned into worrying frowns * A safe camp operated by NGOs such as the Red Cross

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as the flaps and the windscreen continuously got perforated by pebbles and sharp edged stones. It surely was to their surprise the men of Kwamabana Village who were using slings and stones from all angles surrounding the now weak chopper. The flaps completely malfunctioned and the windscreen shattered into thousands of pieces. The chopper victoriously plummeted to its demise, before it reached the ground, my grandmother and the ladies left behind were already ululating and celebrating the victory. Soldiers then arrived however the damage and victory had already been witnessed.

The chopper was then broken down into many pieces to ensure every ‘real’ man who had put his life on the line would get to keep a memento.

'Til this day, my grandmother Lucia Makahamadze the great, lives to tell this very blood rushing story.

The End - Karl Makahamadze

I was very fortunate enough to have a meaningful conversation with him about this year’s Independence celebration and what it means to him.

Spending Independence Day at school may have caused some turmoil for some but this article is here for you to enjoy some of the talent’s journalism has to offer.

Mr Mkhosana joined the MCGS family in 1993 as a student teacher and then proceeded to teaching in 1996 for 3 years before embarking on his journey to other waters. Gone for 7 years, he returns with the enthusiasm of a stallion and a heart full of love for his country as he witnesses the growth of Zimbabwe.

Midlands Christian College was built in 1987 just a few years after the birth of Zimbabwe and it was fortunate enough to progress smoothly without any racial intermissions or colonial aftershocks that many faced after the war, so this clearly reminds us that with God at the centre of everything we do, then truly we can conquer all.

“It is encouraging to see the economic activity and the improvements Zimbabwe has made over the years with something as simple as having more cars on the streets and this is why I am very happy to be celebrating Independence with my people this year,” says Mr Mkhosana.

Happy Independence Day to all! Once again, we celebrate the birth of Zimbabwe and this time with a new principal, our respectful leader, Mr Mkhosana.

The colonial period created a distinction between different races and thus the BLACK LIVES MATTER campaign is never faltering, we are beautiful people and thus today

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we deserve to celebrate the efforts our people put into saving their home.

When Mr Mkhosana’s father was but a toddler his family was relocated from their original home to a barren land where the soil wasn’t fertile enough to support a community… Heartbreak.

The opportunities for black people regarding career paths was devastating as they were greatly limited with their choices all to avoid black people gaining intelligence and out ruling the colonisers. Mr Mkhosana’s family was an agricultural family and they were disadvantaged because they were cast away to struggle, fighting the torrential rains, something that should be seen as a gift but in their case the erosion it caused was so extreme it made it difficult for them to give appreciation…Sympathy.

SO NOW WHAT DOES INDEPENDENCE MEAN TO MR MKHOSANA? Is Independence celebrating the battle that happened, freedom of the people or black reign?

In Mr Mkhosana’s perspective Independence Day isn’t about celebrating the battles or black reign but rather it's about celebrating the equality of people, so it’s not about the battles, though it’s a shame that they happened, but it was necessary for us to leave a permanent footprint on our land and truly claim our territory. Mr Mkhosana made refence to a liberation hero in South Africa who said ‘I have fought against white domination, and will fight black domination’ to emphasize his point about the importance of equality.

Even in Zambia a white man named

Guy Scott was put as an acting president once but could not be placed as a permeant measure because or his parentage as they were not born in Zambia, but the important thing was he was not denied because of the colour of his skin. “It's about what you have to offer on the table,” says Mr Mkhosana.

WHAT DO WE TAKE FROM THIS ALL? History is important and it is this history that guides us to a prosperous future. So, College, knowledge is power. We live in an era of influence and it is up to us to influence others to spread the true meaning of equality. Mr Mkhosana’s message to the college was to be curious about our heritage and gain some understanding about our roots, many heroes have written books about the colonial days and many of our grand parents experienced the days before freedom. Dig deep and flourish, Zimbabwe is not a place it’s the people.

We celebrate in our hearts as Covid-19 precautions still have to be adhered to, so after you read this article thank God for liberating this nation and for allowing us to see another day on greener pastures.

Congratulations, Makorokoto!

Amhlophe,

- Melissa Ngwenya

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Zimbabwe has gone through the most, and there’s more to come. But, pride in our country and its history is of uttermost importance. We are 41 years but we’ll only make it to another 41 by caring for, preserving and helping our country. Zimbabwe has hit lows that have never been recorded.

We’ve made it. Barely alive. Some tattered. Some battered. But we’ve made it, and that’s what matters. Today the state known as Zimbabwe is 41. Kinda funny to think Zimbabwe is younger than most of our parents. *Insert crystals my laughing emoji*.

The road to this destination has been nothing short of turmoil, hectic and unpredictable. From inflation, to leadership changes, to loss of life and to upset in our lifestyles. And let’s say the difficulty levels were upped by 1000% having to go through this in an already struggling country.

Being a Zimbabwean is an honour I revel in everyday. We Zimbabweans have thick skin. Impenetrable as it’s been toughened by hardships and heartaches. We Zimbabweans are creative. Not only in the sense of art but in being innovative to tackle the new problems that arise from living here.

We Zimbabweans are diverse. From skin, hair, yes - nose, accents, language and mannerisms all the way to upbringings, culture and talents. We Zimbabweans are inclusive. Family above all. No matter where you are or the struggles you’re going through, family is your rock.

Yet we’ve also reached highs no one expected. We are like gold. The more we are put through the fire the more refined we become.

So I challenge you today. Do you have love for your country? Do you truly do?

Or do you just marvel at the successes and accomplishments of other countries that our country could accomplish with work love and pride?

School pride is of lesser pride than pride in one's heritage and country.

Revel in your identity, your roots and your origins.

Happy Independence Day, College.

- Sharon Marangwanda

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Chaiti kana chorira chikopo kopo wainzwa mwana wevhu oti kwetsu kuridza mhere. Ko chii chakanga choitika munyika yeZimbabwe? Rusununguko taizoruwana rini?

Regai vakuru vakati chara chimwe hachitswanyi inda. Vana veZimbabwe vakanga voda rusununguko. Vanaamai nanababa vakanga votambudzika. Varwi Vehondo vakanga vaneta. Ko sei Veganda tsvuku vaida kushungurudza mwana wevhu?

Zvisinei nokuda kwekubatana kumwe uye nokudzidza kutsva, Zimbabwe yakawana rusununguko musiwa 18 Kubvumbi 1980. Miridzo nehwamanda zvakanga zvorira uye vanhu vazere semavhu nemarara. Zveshuwa minamato yevana vevhu yakanga yanzwikwa naNyadenga. Tichingotenda magamba ose uye nevatungamiriri vaivepo muChimurenga chokutanga Mbuya Nehanda naSekuru Kaguvi.

Ayewa zvakanga zvaonekwa! Zimbabwe yakanga yawana rusununguko.

- Sandra Mutopo

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Bet You Didn't Know: 4 Interesting Facts about the 2nd Chimurenga

1. LANDMINES!!!

Landmines. Yes, you heard me right.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest numbers of landmines per square 1 kilometer in the world. Huge chunks of territory by the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border are covered in land mines, creating a dangerous hellscape for any unwitting traveller. Originally placed by the Rhodesian government to prevent the entry of guerrilla soldiers into the country, it was a massive failure and didn't really hinder the movement of freedom fighters into Rhodesia.2 To avoid getting their bottom halves blown to smithereens the guerrillas dug out small "'footsteps'", step track trails that skirted the life-threatening bombs, granting the fighters (relatively) safe entry.

The ZANLA cadres even started planting their own mines, "devastating" the Rhodesian military's transport. In the present day, NGOs like the HALO Trust are working to remove the hundreds of thousands of landmines that still remain in the country.

farmers can't expand their fields or find new grazing areas for their cattle, and sometimes water supplies become hard to access for the locals who have to live 3 in constant fear of these minefields. If you want to support the HALO Trust in making these areas safe again, checkout their website.

2. Spirit mediums were really, really important to the war Though we all know Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi and how they were to a large degree icons of the Liberation Struggle, do we really know what their actual role was? Were there others like them? What did the Rhodesian government try to do about them?

What's a spirit medium anyway?

The human cost of these minefields is over 1500 people slain and over 100 000 cattle eviscerated by the landmines.

School children sometimes have to navigate these mine-ridden areas in their treks to school; 1 https://www.halotrust.org/latest/halo-updates/stories/zimbabwesminefields-a-visual-explainer/

2 A Brutal State of Affairs, H. Ellert, D. Anderson

3 https://www.halotrust.org/ where-we-work/africa/zimbabwe/

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So, Mbuya Nehanda (whose original name was Charwe Nyakasikana) was a spirit medium. In fact, the spirit medium. A spirit medium is basically a person who acts as a mediator between human beings and the spirits of the dead. They facilitate communication between the living and the dead through a trance in which they are possessed by the spirit with which they are associated with. Charwe Nyakasikana was associated with the spirit of Nehanda, the daughter of Mutota (the founder of the expansive Mutapa state). In life, this Shona princess possessed a great deal of socioeconomic and politcal power within the Mutapa empire, and in African culture this translated to great power in the afterlife. 4 Nehanda is considered a mhondoro spirit, that is, a powerful ancestral spirit. She was believed to communicate the commands of the supreme deity, Mwari, to the Shona people, and thus that made her extremely significant.

Now, there were others. Spirit mediums like Nehanda, Kaguvi, Dzivaguru, Chaminuka, and Pasipamiri gave the ZANLA and ZANU fighters religious legitimacy, because these powerful mediums supported or were on the side of the liberation struggle, many black Rhodesians became convinced of the liberation cause, drawing in a good deal of support. These mediums also sheltered the guerrillas, gave them passage into their areas, assisted them in reconnaisance, helped them root out supposed sellouts, and gave them spiritual guidance. 5

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehanda_Charwe_Nyakasikana 5 A Brutal State of Affairs, H. Ellert, D. Anderson, page 118-119, 124

The influence of the spirit mediums upon the war was significant. At some point, realising this very fact, the Rhodesian government courted the medium of Mutota and used his name in propaganda pamphlets dropped over villages telling the people not to support the guerrilla cause in a late attempt to steer black public opinion away from the liberation struggle.

The Christian Response to This Now, this NOT to say we should all become spiritualists or support spirit mediums - NO WAY. This article's point was purely informative, that is, to aid in reader's understanding of the role of mediums and what the people then believed their role and importance was. The Bible's stance on spirit mediums, sorcery and traditional spiritism is a strong, hard and big - NO! Moses decrees to Israel: "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord" (Deu. 18:10-12).

The main reason, it seems, God condemns spiritualism or any of its cousins (astrology and zodiac signs, Ouija, etc) is because in some way they try to undermine God's sovereignness. It's like trying to hack the universe, to gain benefits or some secret knowledge that had not been given to you by God, thereby undermining and rejecting God's wisdom and authority and love in not giving you those things at that moment and time when you wanted them. It's the same reason God punishes Israel for going after false gods (Jeremiah 2:11-13), or for seeking military aid from other nations instead of trusting Him (Isaiah 31:1) or for doubting His promise that they would inherit Canaan (Numbers 13:27-31, Num. 14). It's a failure of trust. To dabble with spirit mediums or the sort is to deny God's generosity and reject His promises to provide.

For more info on Africa, witchcraft and the spiritual world, check out The Gospel Coalition: Africa page, as well as these links: https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/please-dont-meddle-with-witchcraft/; https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/witchcraft-spiritualpowers-new-life-christ-jesus/

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3. Mugabe was almost assassinated like once or twice It's February 11, 1980, and Robert Gabriel Mugabe is fresh from the campaign trail on his way from Fort Victoria (modern day Masvingo), heading to Salisbury (Harare). He's preparing for the upcoming election, escorted by a ZANU convoy when suddenly an explosion rips through the road! Roughly 36 kilograms of remote-detonated explosives were stuffed into a drainage pipe under the road, but whether it was providence, fate or just plain luck, no one died.7 Five party members were rushed to the hospital, but they'd only really suffered minor injuries and some shock. The real damage was to the road (which one eye witness said now had a crater "10 feet deep and 30 feet wide" or roughly 3 meters in the ground and 9 meters wide). This wasn't the first attempt on the African 8 giant's life, later in December 1981, another attempt (possibly orchestrated by South African agents) was foiled, this time 9 through the diligence of David Stannard, the then Director Internal of the CIO and a high figure in the Rhodesian Special Branch (an intelligence and covert operations body in then Rhodesia).

4. So, like, this one time the guerrilla fighters blew up a petrol depot Nearing the end of the 15-year war of attrition that was the 2nd Chimurenga, the Rhodesians were at their lowest, the guerrillas were at their highest.

Talks between the two sides were being had to decide the future of the nation. It was on the night of the 11th of December 1978 when a fire suddenly erupted in a Salisbury petrol depot. 25 of 32 fuel tankers were destroyed in the ensuing 10 inferno, a devastating blow to the already oil-starved Rhodesian state (about 10% of the nation's oil reserves had been affected, top that with the heavy sanctions the country was under). What is now termed the Salisbury Petrol Depot Fire/Bombing was a calculated effort by the guerrillas to shock the Rhodesian government and the populace into realizing that they were 11, 12 losing the war.

The bombing was a strike at the capital, an 12 attack at the "doorstep of the Rhodesians" which would cripple their morale, as well as deprive a portion of their military of fuel. This event "signified a turning point 10 in the Rhodesian Bush war".

- Kundai-Karl Mpame 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Stannard 10 https://advanceandreview.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/fires-ofrevolution-1978-salisbury-petrol-raid/

11 https://www.thepatriot.co.zw/old_posts/the-bombing-of-thesalisbury-fuel-tankshow-mission-was-carried-out/;

7 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/02/11/mugabe-escapesattempt-on-his-life/42ff73f7-1871-4ef3-97b6-329f4f705c4e/

8 https://news.sky.com/story/assassination-attempts-power-grabs-and-tyrannymugabes-rule-in-zimbabwe-11127226

12 https://www.thepatriot.co.zw/top-news/the-bombing-of-thesalisbury-fuel-tanks/ You can check out a video of the 1798 Petrol Depot Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2rm8TnDUG0

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