“These people must realise that I’m not afraid of death, it’s debt that kills me” - Sidney Donald Malunga laughed as he reassured those in the car with him.
His friend recalls him saying this in 1993, a year before he and his driver died in a car accident on 28 Aug 1994
Post independence, in Nov 1980 - Sidney Donald Malunga was one of the many Zapu members detained at the order of the then Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office.
On the 26th of Jan 1983, he was the first legislator in Parliament to ring the alarm on Gukurahundi and protest parliament for the killings which he called out as ethnic cleansing.
He was later detained outside parly for doing so
He remarked: “People live in fear because they fear they may be killed at any time.
People live in suspicion because they fear that the Zanu youths will force them to buy Zanu cards. People live in fear of being harassed one way or another.”
Soon after the July 1985 elections, Sidney Malunga was again detained along with other PF-ZAPU officials. He was tortured and charged with treason.
He was acquitted later in 1986. The judge who presided over the case criticised the police for not having any evidence.
At the time of his death he was the MP for Mpopoma.
His life had been under constant threat. When he quipped “These people must realise that I’m not afraid of death, it’s debt that kills me” he said this after he’d received confirmation of yet another threat to his life.
It is reported that he and his driver got into the 1994 fatal car accident as they tried to avoid hitting “a black dog” and hit a lamp post...
At his funeral, mourners gathered at Bulawayo’s White City Stadium. Malunga had insisted in his will, that no matter what condition his body was in, he must have an open coffin.
He is quoted as having said
“The more vivid the memory of a wrong, the more it will keep tugging, tugging, until you do something about it”
Can we talk abt how legendary Lookout Khalisabantu Masuku was.
On his deathbed - he had one request, a watermelon. What followed was a nationwide search (it was out of season) Joshua Nkomo, Tshinga Dube, Vote Moyo, Dumiso & Zodwa Dabengwa looking for one. #Zapuhistory
The winners were Zodwa Dabengwa & Tshinga Dube.. Zodwa had one flown in from Bulawayo & Tshinga got one at Meikles hotel. He got his wish.. Legend!
He commanded the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) the military wing of Zapu after the the death of Alfred Nikitha Mangena in 1978 up to 1980. In 1980 to 1982 he served as the Deputy Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army.