In our nation, August is known as Heroes’ Month, commemorating the men and women who laid their lives in the liberation struggle for Zimbabwean Independence. As we celebrate our decorated heroes, we want to shine a light on the heroines that contributed to the fight against colonialism and the birth of our great nation! People usually think of the great men that wielded arms and dodged the British bullets during the liberation struggle but tend to forget the women that also played crucial roles during this time.
As we lead up to August 14 and 15, the official Heroes and Defense Forces days, we commemorate the women that not only fought on the battlefield, but also fed, nursed, and empowered the freedom fighters that became the leaders of our Zimbabwean nation. Several of these women have been laid to rest at the monumental National Heroes Acre. There are 17 heroines currently buried at the Heroes’ Acre and these include Sally Mugabe, Maria Musika, Victoria Chitepo, Sunny Ntombiyelanga Takawira, Shuvai Mahofa, Vivian Mwashita, Sally Mugabe, Julia Tukai Zvobgo, Ruth Lottie Chinamano, Maud Muzenda, Sabina Mugabe, Maria Musika, Thokozile Angela Mathuthu and Ellen Gwaradzimba. These women dedicated their lives to supporting the liberation struggle on the battlefield and off it.
Even in the religious/spiritual sector, we had women like Mbuya Chahwe, a medium of the Nehanda Spirit, who was one of Zimbabwe’s most powerful mediums leading the First Chimurenga and influencing the resistance to colonial rule. This Heroes Day, we want to briefly honour the heroines that contributed to the birth of Zimbabwe.
Sarah Francesca Mugabe, “Sally” ( 06/06/1931 – 27/01/1992)
In addition to her fight for the release of the unlawfully prisoned detainees, Sally assumed the role of mother figure and counsellor of the young guerrillas going to Mozambique.
She also became a gender champion, fighting for the rights of women in the rank and file of Zanu-PF. She got elected as the Deputy Secretary of the Women’s League at the first Zanu-PF Women’s Congress in 1978. After Independence, she continued championing for women and tirelessly working to improve the welfare of children and the marginalised members of society.
Julia Tukai Zvobgo (08/11/1937 – 16/02/2004)
Along with our other heroes, Julia suffered through torture and harassment from the white Rhodesian security agents during the liberation struggle. She was elected administrative secretary for women’s affairs and joined in the armed struggle in Mozambique. During this time, she also attended to women’s issues in military and refugee camps and became one of the pioneers of the Women’s League.
She was among the first group of ZANU-PF cadres to return from Mozambique to Zimbabwe in December 1979, a year before our nation’s independence, as part of the election directorate (now known as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission). She also helped open the ZANU-PF office at the end of the Lancaster House Conference.
Joanna Nkomo, “Mama Mafuyana” (18/09/1927 – 03/06/2003)
Wife of the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo, Joanna also took a motherly role as she counselled and comforted young cadres in training camps and refugee centres. She had to leave the country for her and her children’s safety after the British colonialists attempted to kidnap her child. However, she never stopped working for the unity of all Zimbabweans regardless of tribe. After independence, she continued her work for unity and for the welfare of children through the Child Survival and Development Foundation.
Comrade Ruth Lottie Nomonde Chinamano (16/02/1925 – 02/01/2005)
A teacher and renowned veteran nationalist, Ruth taught politicians such as Sydney Sekeramayi and Dr. Herbert Ushewokunze. She also teamed up with other women to stage the first Black Sash demonstration against the detention of veteran nationalists. Cde Ruth was also one of the founder members of the National Democratic Party, offering the back of her shop to be used as a party office in 1961. In 1963, she was elected secretary of the Salisbury District of the Zimbabwe African Women’s Union (ZAWU) in the ZAPU Women’s League. While she was secretary of ZAWU, she also headed the women’s wing of the People’s Caretaker Council in Highfield.
In 1964, she was detained at Gonakudzingwa along with her husband Josiah Chinamano and two other late vice presidents. She was the only woman at the detention centre at the time, and she participated in the centre’s education programme while also running a clinic for the local people.
Sunny Ntombiyelanga Takawira (02/07/1927 – 13/01/2010)
A major support for the veteran nationalists, Sunny suffered through brutality and torture from the British colonialists. She hosted the veteran nationalists’ secret meetings at her home in Highfield and smuggled letters and information in and out of prisons and detention centres while her husband was arrested. Sunny also nursed and treated injured civilians and fighters during the liberation struggle. She was also with Cde. Ruth Chinamano in the demonstrations against the detention of veteran nationalists, constantly facing detention at the Harare Central Police Station.
In 1980, Sunny was appointed senator for Midlands and retired as a nurse.
Comrade Maud Muzenda (08/10/1922 – 20/09/2003)
Also known as “Mai Muzenda”, Cde Maud also worked as a nurse. She confronted the colonial government and administration to improve working conditions for black professionals and for equal treatment to their white counterparts. While the Black cadres were being arrested and detained by the racist Rhodesian regime, Mai Muzenda formed an underground movement to continue supporting the armed struggle. In addition, she treated injured freedom fighters and supplied them with medicine and even money.
Comrade Shuvai Ben Mahofa (1941 – 2017)
Later made Senator, Cde Shuvai was a renowned war collaborator, supplying clothes, food, and medicines to freedom fighters, and became responsible for coordinating the carriage of weapons for the combatants. After independence, Shuvai became the first female council chairperson for the Gutu District. She later on was appointed as Deputy Minister for Women and Political Affairs, and the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs. She also served as the first ZANU-PF Women’s League provincial leader for Masvingo in the 1980s.
Comrade Vivian Mwashita (26/09/1958 – 08/04/2016)
A combatant on the battlefield, Vivian went to join the liberation struggle in Mozambique and received training in guerrilla warfare at the Chimoio Training Base. Together with her colleagues, she survived the Nyadzonya massacre in August 1976. Vivian also underwent a four-month military instructor training in Ethiopia’s Tatek Military Base which she used in Mozambique to survive the Chimoio air bombing by Rhodesian forces in 1977.
After burying hundreds of her fellow fighters after the air bombing, she was later deployed to the battlefront in the Tete Zanla Operational Province in 1978 where she engaged in active combat. She later left to join the female combatants responsible for carrying ammunition on their backs from the Mozambique border, supplying fighting formations deeper in Zimbabwe.
Comrade Victoria Fikile Chitepo (27/03/1928 – 08/04/2016)
A teacher by profession, Victoria dedicated her life to political service and the emancipation of women from discrimination. During the liberation struggle, she organised the historical march against the detention centres that held black freedom fighters and provided care for detainees in prisons. She also led a women’s protest at the Salisbury Magistrates’ Courts in 1961 to promote the campaign for black citizenship. In 1962, she went with her husband, Herbert Chitepo, to Tanzania. Here, she worked as a social worker providing aid to refugees from Rhodesia.
After our nation gained its independence, Cde Victoria became one of the three female ministers in Zimbabwe. She then took office as the Deputy Minister for Education and Culture from 1980 to 1982, and the Minister of National Resources and Tourism from 1982 to 1990. She was a United Nations eminent person and special advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Boutros Ghali on the preparation for the Fourth World Conference on Women. She also was the chairperson of the Voters Association of Zimbabwe and became a member of the Commonwealth observer group of the Kenyan elections in 1992. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Tourism and Hospitality Management Degree.
Ellen Munyoro Gwaradzimba (25/12/1960 – 15/01/2021)
One of the youngest heroines, Ellen joined the liberation struggle at the age of 16 and trained in Tanzania before her deployment to Gaza. She then served as the secretary for the Department of Transport and Social Welfare in Mozambique before returning to Zimbabwe. From 2001 to 2009, Ellen was the Provincial Chairperson of the Women’s League and from 2010 to 2018, she was the Secretary for Administration and a Central Committee Member in Manicaland Province.
She was elected Senator in 2018 and then the Provincial Affairs Minister for the Manicaland Province in 2019.
These are a few of the many heroines that put their lives on hold for the greater good of our nation. As we commemorate the heroes of our nation this month, we want to highlight our heroines as they inspire other adolescent girls and young women that they too can fight for justice. When we think of strength, we often think of men and the physical strength shown by their bodies, but we forget the strength found in resilience, kindness, and advocacy. These are the characteristics that our heroines exhibited, and they were crucial to the success of the liberation struggle.