THE country’s liberation struggle was not just waged with guns and political rhetoric, it was also fought in the quiet corridors of mission hospitals, schools and sanctuaries, often under the protection of men and women of faith.
As Zimbabwe counts down to Heroes Day commemorations, the untold stories of the liberation war continue to surface, and among them, the pivotal yet often understated role of the Church.
Far beyond its religious obligations, the Church has always been a powerful force of resistance, moral clarity and logistical support during the Second Chimurenga.
Father Fidelis Mukonori of the Roman Catholic Church, who was a young seminarian at the height of the liberation struggle, recalls the deep tension that hung over Catholic missions.
“Before the liberation struggle, the Catholic Church was already voicing discontent, especially when Ian Smith declared the UDI. Mr Smith immediately, and without winking, introduced the apartheid system straight. And that became very clear, he started saying Africans are not important people. Europeans are important people, and therefore, Africans should live by themselves. Europeans should equally live by themselves. So it was Europeans versus Africans and others. By others, they meant anyone who was not European, anyone who was not African. And that brought a lot of rifts. Because of that, we, with Bishop Donald Lamont of Mutare, started voicing very serious reservations.
“The British said this was a serious misdemeanour because Ian Smith had risen against the Crown. From that point, Bishop Lamont started saying separate development is unacceptable. ‘We as Europeans came to Africa and have no right to subject Africans to sub-human status.’ Ian Smith’s regime eventually took him to court and deported him in 1970 – 1971. That is how the clash between the Catholic Church and the Smith regime began,” Father Mukonori narrated.
Beyond the pulpit, Catholic missions became lifelines for liberation fighters.
“Not only Catholic missions, but any Christian missions were the first places where the guerrillas would arrive. They needed food, water, clothes, the basic supplies. As soon as they arrived, they dressed like ordinary people. The women and girls did the cooking, while the boys and some girls did military intelligence. They were the mujibhas and chimbwidos going where guerrillas could not go. They informed guerrillas about enemy movements, numbers, and weapons.
“My work involved youth. I taught them discipline because some thought it was a joy to be in the war without realising that war kills. Guerrillas survived because people hid them, even beneath ladies’ skirts. I was given a young female guerrilla to work with me, to raise money, clothes, and medicines for Manicaland, where supplies were scarce,” Father Mukonori said.
Beyond providing humanitarian support, the Catholic Church played a vital role in shaping Zimbabwe’s political consciousness.
Catholic-run schools, among the few institutions offering quality education to Africans under colonial rule, became incubators for future nationalist leaders.
These institutions did more than just provide education, but also instilled values of service, resilience and above all, discipline.
“Discipline was critical. In any war, if you are not disciplined, you die faster. They knew when Mukoma Fide came, he would use his belt. I trained my youth in discipline because if you want to survive, you must be disciplined,” Father Mukonori said.
Even after independence, the Church has remained a key moral voice in Zimbabwe, promoting peace and advocating for the rights and welfare of the poor.
This Heroes Day, as the nation remembers those who sacrificed for freedom, it is also a moment to honour the unsung heroes, the sisters who hid children in convents, the brothers who ferried food to the bush, and the priests who risked it all to stand on the side of the truth.
From the pulpit to the mountains, from whispered prayers to acts of defiance cloaked in robes, the Church played a quiet but powerful role in Zimbabwe’s road to emancipation.
