War Activities after the Geneva Conference

Air Rhodesia Viscount Aircraft. Image credit MediaWikihi

• ZIPRA began to penetrate into the rural areas and also lost two of its leaders
• Jason Z Moyo was killed in by a parcel bomb and Alfred ‘Nikita’ Mangena was killed in a landmine
• Despite these stumbling blocks, they fielded 2000 soldiers and extended their operational areas
• The Liberation War took a new turn in 1978 and ZANU named it the Year of the People
• There were 13 000 ZANLA forces by the year 1978 including women
• Women had been previously recruited as chimbwidos, nurses, cooks, secretaries, teachers and porters of arms
• They however managed to break barriers and take up primary roles in the liberation struggle
• The struggle spread to the capital by mid year 1978
• The oil storage tanks in the capital were rocket blasted and burned for a full week
• The blasting of the oil tanks marked the helm of the liberation struggle as guerillas were now near their victory
• The ZIPRA tried it in Bulawayo but they found the tanks empty
• The ZIPRA forces however managed to shoot down two Viscount Aircraft killing almost a 100 passengers altogether
• The government tried deal with the war by extending compulsory rule for a two more years in 1978
• The inscription of the blacks was much more harmful especially on the budget as it was now strained by increased manpower and it also had effects on the economy
• By the end of 1978 the Rhodesian forces had lost control in some areas
• Smith eventually the One Man One Vote in November 1978 but avoided talk with the PF
• He also the employed the method of seeking support from moderate leaders such as Muzorewa who were labelled as sellouts by the guerrillas

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