MatabelelandReport

In February 1980, The Chronicle reported approximately 200 guerrillas roaming the north west, campaigning for ZAPU
and committing crimes. In Nkayi and Gokwe, in northern Matabeleland, there was a group of ZIPRAs operating under a
man called "Tommy", who had been renowned for refusing to obey the ZIPRA High Command structure in the 1970s.
In addition, there was a group of ZIPRAs in Tsholotsho who refused to enter the APs, as they rejected the ceasefire. In
May and June 1980, 400 ZIPRA guerrillas were rounded up in Northern Matabeleland and taken to Khami Prison near
Bulawayo.
ZANLA was considered as much of a problem as ZIPRA, if not a worse one, in these early months. ZANLA was
involved in armed attacks in Mutoko, Mount Darwin and Gutu. Both sides were involved in the concealing of weapons
outside the APs.
i)TROUBLE AT ENTUMBANE
At the end of 1980 only 15 000 out of 65 000 ex-combatants had been integrated into the Army, and the decision was
made to remove some of the remaining ex-combatants into housing schemes near the major centres. Under a rehousing
scheme in Entumbane, a suburb of Bulawayo, ZIPRA and ZANLA found themselves living in close proximity to each
other, and also with ZIPRA's civilian supporters.
Coinciding with this development, in November 1980 there was an inflammatory speech by Enos Nkala, a Government
minister, in which ZAPU was referred to as the enemy. This contributed to the first Entumbane uprising, in November
1980, in which ZIPRA and ZANLA fought a pitched battle for two days, before being brought under control by ZIPRA
and ZANLA commanders. Five hundred more ZANLA soldiers were moved to Entumbane, and ZAPU officials were
arrested.
The fighting between ZIPRA and ZANLA was not restricted to Matabeleland, but led to deaths in holding camps in
Mashonaland as well.
In February 1981, a second outburst of fighting started in Entumbane, which spread to Ntabazinduna and Glenville, in
the vicinity of Bulawayo, and also to Connemara in the Midlands. ZIPRA troops elsewhere in Matabeleland North and
South headed for the city to join the battle, and Prime Minister Mugabe called in former RDF units to quell the uprising,
but not before more than 300 people had lost their lives.
ii)THE DUMBUTSHENA REPORT
The Government instituted a Commission of Inquiry into events surrounding Entumbane,
conducted by the then Chief Justice Enock Dumbutshena. However, Mr Mugabe complained
about its findings, and the Dumbutshena Report has never been made public.
iii)ARMY DEFECTORS
The Entumbane uprising led to mass defections of ZIPRA members from the APs. Defectors interviewed in the 1990s
have stated they saw their decisions to leave the APs as life-preserving, or alternatively as reflections of their
disillusionment with their experiences in the APs. Some of this disillusionment was with what was perceived as a
political bias in the army towards favouring ZANLA, especially where promotions were concerned. ZIPRA members
also commented on the growing number of ZIPRA soldiers who seemed to be "disappearing" under mysterious
circumstances from army ranks, and to a growing paranoia among ZIPRA members, who, for example, began to
imagine plots to poison them in the army. It was thus disillusionment and fear, rather than any strong political
motivation, that led ZIPRA soldiers to defect from the army and hence to a life on the run.
Those who defected took their weapons with them, and armed banditry increased. The "discovery" of large arms caches
in Matabeleland in February 1982 had major political repercussions for ZAPU. The ZANU-PF leadership now openly
accused ZAPU of planning an armed revolt, to make up for ZAPU's comparatively poor showing in the 1980 General
Elections. ZAPU Cabinet Ministers Nkomo, Chinamano, Muchachi and Msika were dismissed from the Government,
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