THE country has been under siege from a terror squad that has been causing a spate of violent attacks throughout the country.
The violent gangs are armed with axes and machetes and are known as ‘MaShurugwi’.
Origins of MaShurugwi
The coin name emanated from violent gangs who were targeting gold-rich areas in the Midlands province, in particular Shurugwi, under Chief Nhema.
The gang started mobilising near the late Rhodesian premier Ian Smith’s farm, around the Gwenoro area where they targeted other artisanal miners, then known as makorokoza.
The Midlands area still remains gold-rich such that the scramble for the gem became violent, resulting in MaShurugwi arming themselves with knives and axes to counter competition.
Traditionally, gold is known to be spiritual and a bloodstone and the elders revealed that the spilling of blood is inevitable in gold-related matters.
“Gold is spiritual, idombo rine vene varo, so don’t be surprised with the spilling of blood. It is bound to happen like, for instance, when you go under the shafts to mine, you must not indulge in sexual intercourse; it brings bad luck,” narrated a svikiro (spirit medium) who spoke to this publication at Cricket Mine in Battlefields.
The ‘MaShurugwi’ were to then spread their wings to unleash terror in other areas where gold was discovered.
During the diamond rush in Marange (Chiadzwa), the MaShurugwi followed the ‘great trek’ and invaded Chiadzwa, where most of them had their base at Chakohwa Growth Point where they would polish their well-orchestrated moves.
They dominated an area known as ‘KwaMai Mujuru’, a diamond-rich claim that was fenced-off and believed to have been a territory of the former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
“In Chiadzwa, MaShurugwi invaded kwaMai Mujuru, where there were rich deposits of alluvial diamonds. Ngoda rese ranga rakazarapo (it was a rich rough-diamond area). They did not hesitate to kill. I remember at one time that one of then slit open the stomach of a woman who had swallowed diamonds,” narrated an artisanal miner who had a stint in Chiadzwa during the diamond rush.
The MaShurugwi then invaded all areas where gold had “exploded.”
The evolution of MaShurugwi and the political factor
The modus operandi of the original MaShurugwi who hail from Shurugwi area in the Midlands has evolved over time.
Politicians realised the power that these terror gangs had amassed and began to use them as pawns for both political and economic hegemony.
It appears the ruling Zanu PF party realised that it was a Herculean task to disband and force the militia groups into civilian communities and they absorbed them.
Top on the list is Minister of State in the Office of the President, Owen Ncube, popularly known as Mudha in the province.
In a recent visit to his Gokwe Kana constituency, this reporter discovered that he now has a more popular nickname – going by the name Spundhla.
Mudha has, for long, been touted as the one who was allegedly responsible for re-organising the ‘MaShurugwi’ into a quasi-militia group known as Al-Shabab at the height of factionalism in Zanu PF during the late former president Robert Mugabe’s regime.
So intense was internal strife in the ruling Zanu PF where the then Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and the then vice president Joice Mujuru were locked in a bitter wrangle to strategucally position themselves for take over in the event that the old Mugabe was incapacitated.
In a recent interview Mudha distanced himself from being involved in organising the terror squad as well as playing a part in artisanal mining of gold.
The now State security minister has always challenged those alleging that he was Al-Shabab godfather to produce evidence.
Within the Al-Shabab, there were sub-factions going by the names of football clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal and so forth.
Mudha could not be reached for comment at the time of writing, but he is on record stating that he had no interests in mining but rather agriculture.
A similar set-up was established in Harare, with the epi-centre being Mbare, where the now disgraced Jim Kunaka led Chipangano.
After being expelled from the ruling Zanu PF Kunaka admitted that he was the ring leader of Chipangano and apologised for his role in politucal related violence.
Unlike the MaShurugwi, Chipangano did not use machetes or axes, but the fact remains that they unleashed a reign of terror.
In Mashonaland West, there was the Top Six, with its base stationed in Chinhoyi.
These terror groups were untouchable and literally above the law.
It seems they are still immune to justice even now, if one looks at the low prosecution rate and the slow pace of the law enforcement agents to contain them.
Picture this: Machetes against Guns!
It’s like Shaka Zulu trying to fight the imperialists using the knobkerrie and cow horn.
