Story by Mthokozisi Dube
BULAWAYO – VICE President Cde Kembo Mohadi visited Khami Prison in Bulawayo this Friday, where he reflected on how the incarceration of freedom fighters emboldened their resolve to confront the colonial Ian Smith regime head-on.
It was a moment of reflection as the Vice President walked into Khami Prison, a place he where he spent years detained for standing up against colonialism.
At the detention facility, the Vice President spent three years in solitary confinement and two in Communal Cell 61.
“This is the place, tt was not easy, but we were prepared to sacrifice a lot for this country. I was head of intelligence and we used to communicate with Lusaka from here, working with some understanding wardens. We would write and sneak letters from here. We knew what was happening and where our comrades were. We would link up with ANC cadres here since we had an alliance with the ANC,” he said.
It was a group photo loaded with deeper emotions as Vice President Mohadi re-united with fellow cellmates at the prison.
Among the fellow inmates is Cde Moffat Ndlovu, who, after serving his sentence, was to become the point person for all the communication between nationalists in and outside the prison.
“I spent time here with Cde Mohadi. I graduated with a law degree from here. When L was released, I would take up communication to Lusaka, Zambia and to our sister cadres in South Africa,” he said.
Other fellow inmates recalled how a fight triggered by Vice President Mohadi landed them in deep trouble.
“He started a fight here, and I was in deep trouble. All inmates were in trouble. He was taken to the B wall for that,” Fellow cellmate, Cde Moffat Hadebe said.
“I was his commander, and I can confirm that he was hardened by prison walls. He never backtracked, that is why we had to keep going despite the tough prison conditions,” added fellow cellmate, John Ndlovu.
Cde Mohadi also implored youths to fight for economic emancipation now that political independence had been achieved.
“We have been fighting for economic independence since 1980 without success. It is now up to the younger generation to take up the space and fight for economic emancipation,” Vice President Mohadi said.
After spending the latter part of the liberation struggle in prison, Vice President Mohadi, who was supposed to be released on the 17th of November 1990, walked free when the country gained independence in 1980.
