Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
VICE President Colonel (Retired) Kembo Mohadi has paid tribute to Zambian police officers who lost their lives attempting to rescue Zimbabwean freedom fighters during the Rhodesian attack on Mkushi Girls’ Camp on October 19, 1978, at the height of the liberation struggle.
During his visit to St Mary’s Cemetery this Wednesday, where 14 of the 15 fallen officers are buried, Vice President Mohadi laid wreaths at the tombstones erected by the Government of Zimbabwe in their honour. He said their sacrifice would forever be remembered as an act of Pan-African solidarity.
“They are indeed the brave men, they are the heroes of our liberation struggle as well. If they had not been intercepted by the Rhodesian forces, then I am sure we would have buried our people, our girls still intact. But because of that interception, no one then dared to go there until we had to pick those bones after a very long time. I am much touched by their bravery. It was not their fight, it was our fight, but because of the pan-Africanism that we practice, they had to take it upon themselves to go and try to rescue the girls. Unfortunately, they could not make it. They met their fate on the way to that particular place. So we say to the people, the brave people that survived this attack, we do not have enough words to thank you, even to thank those that have departed.”
One of the surviving Zambian Police officers, Mr Ignatius Katambi, narrates the events of the fateful day.
“It happened on October 19, 1978 when we received a report that a Mukushi refugee camp was bombed by rebels of Ian Smith of Rhodesia. The police command organised police officers to go to Mboroma refugee camp to give aid or assist the girls who were injured, take them to the clinic, and bury the dead. We spent a night on October 20, 1978. We were joined by the Zambian Army under the command of Captain Banda. We spent another night on October 21,” he narrated.
“We left Mboroma police station and we went to the refugee camp where the girls were massacred. When we reached near the camp, we found ourselves ambushed and there was intensely heavy gunfire. They started firing at us and all the police officers and the soldiers, all of us panicked and we ran in different directions. From there, I ran in the bush with the comrade Mudenda and there in the bush, we discovered a group of girls who were badly injured. We did not take those who were seriously injured. We ended up boarding a UBZ bus and we brought them to Kabwe and they were handed over to Chindwin barracks. Thereafter, after the attack, it was discovered that 15 police officers and more soldiers were killed on the spot.”
From St Mary’s Cemetery, Vice President Mohadi went on to pay homage to those who perished at Mulungushi camp, which was attacked on December 22, 1978 and April 14, 1979.
He said he hopes the younger generation appreciates this supreme sacrifice.
“Those that lie here died fighting for the country, so we are working to try and let the people know and the young ones that those who lie here died trying to free their country. We honour them and their sacrifice.”
As the Vice President continues to visit sites where Zimbabwean and Zambian nationals perished in search of the independence Zimbabwe enjoys today, the sacrifice made by the Republic of Zambia will forever be cherished.
