BY BRENNA MATENDERE
FUNGAI Chitepo, a villager from Manicaland, vividly remembers 3 November 1991. While searching for cattle in the pastures, he stepped on a lethal landmine — one of thousands laid by the colonial regime along the Mozambique border during the liberation war.
A landmine is an explosive device concealed on or under the ground, designed to detonate when triggered by a person or vehicle. Primarily used for military purposes, such devices were widely used by the late Smith regime in the bush war along the eastern border.
Chitepo recounted his ordeal: “I tried to run away when the landmine exploded but felt pain on my lower abdomen. When I touched it, I saw blood oozing, and later realised I had lost my leg. Since then I have been struggling to move around,” he explains.
That struggle eased on 12 July 2025. The Chinese Embassy provided Chitepo and other survivors with mobility devices, family support packages, and essential supplies.
Through its “Hope Harbour” Programme, which focuses on grassroots communities, the Embassy funded Mine Victim Assistance Zimbabwe (MVAZ) to conduct field surveys in Mutare while directly distributing assistive equipment and food hampers.
Other beneficiaries of the Chinese Embassy’s programme include Lameck Mafa, another Manicaland resident, who lost his sight after a mine explosion near his home years ago, and Ndaizivei Dandadzo.
In 1989, while looking for firewood, Dandadzo stepped on a landmine and was plunged into a state of disability. He also got mobility device assistance from the embassy.
China’s support for landmine victims significantly strengthens the bilateral partnership and serves as a meaningful tribute to the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and China.
This enduring bond, built on political trust and cooperation, is reinforced by tangible actions like this donation — aligning with China’s long-standing, sustained commitment to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development and humanitarian needs.
By alleviating the hardships of victims and their families, the initiative has fostered goodwill and underscores China’s role as a reliable partner.
Critically, the donation directly improves local livelihoods. Decades after the conflict, remnants of the Liberation War — particularly the millions of mines laid along the borders with Mozambique and Zambia — continue to inflict casualties (injuring or killing people and livestock), hinder economic development, and restrict access to agricultural land.
For survivors like Chitepo, Mafa, and Dandadzo, whose disabilities limit their ability to work and support their families, the mobility aids and family support have opened a crucial path towards regaining independence and reintegrating into their communities.
This programme embodies the living pulse of China-Zimbabwean friendship — profound in its constancy, authentic in its compassion. These acts of humanity, transcending continents and generations, stand as a lasting testament to a partnership where hearts beat in unison.
