Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army

Operations

Because ZAPU's political strategy combined political negotiations and armed force, ZIPRA developed by elaborately training both regular soldiers and guerrilla fighters. However, by 1979, it had an estimated 20,000 combatants,{{cite journal |access-date=19 October 2011

Besides the overall political ideologies, the main differences between ZIPRA and ZANLA were that:

• ZIPRA did not follow ZANLA's ideology (inspired by Maoism) but followed Soviet Marxist-Leninist principles.
• ZIPRA controlled zones from Sipolilo to Plumtree.

ZIPRA formally allied with uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the ANC's militant wing. In the mid-1960s, ZIPRA and MK mounted a celebrated, if strategically unsuccessful, raid into Rhodesia. Rhodesian Security Forces, working in concert with the South African Police, stopped the incursion.

Downing of passenger planes

In 1978 and 1979, ZIPRA downed two civilian passenger planes of Air Rhodesia, killing a total of 107 passengers and crew. Air Rhodesia Flight 825 (named the Hunyani) was a scheduled flight from Kariba to Salisbury that was shot down on 3 September 1978 by ZIPRA guerrillas using an SA-7 surface-to-air missile (SAM). ZAPU (the political body behind ZIPRA) leader Joshua Nkomo publicly claimed responsibility for shooting down the Hunyani on BBC Television the same evening, saying the aircraft had been used for military purposes, but denied that his men had killed survivors on the ground. Eighteen of the fifty-six passengers in the Air Rhodesia plane survived the crash, most of whom were seated in the rear. Three crash survivors who remained on the aircraft managed to avoid being killed by running away and hiding in the bush. A second plane, Air Rhodesia Flight 827 (named the Umniati), was shot down on 12 February 1979 by ZIPRA guerrillas, again using an SA-7 SAM.

ZIPRA commanders and soldiers

• Dumiso Dabengwa, head of intelligence and member of the ZIPRA high command
• John Dube, commander at the Wankie battle
• Tshinga Dube, head of signals and member of the ZIPRA high command
• Alfred Nikita Mangena, first commander of ZIPRA
• Robson Manyika, member of the ZIPRA high command
• Lookout Masuku commanded ZIPRA after the death of Nikita Mangena
• Report Mphoko, chief of logistics and member of the ZIPRA high command
• Austin Moyo, intelligence officer in Northern Front Regional Command
• Ambrose Mutinhiri, commander at Morogoro
• Ackim Ndlovu, member of the ZIPRA high command
• Roy Reagen Ndlovu
• Zenzo Ntuliki, intelligence officer and security for Joshua Nkomo
• Joseph Nyandoro, member of the ZIPRA high command
• Irvine Khulukani Sibanda, commander of the Southern Front
• Philip Valerio Sibanda
• Eddie Sigoge
• Cephas Cele, chief of staff and training and member of the ZIPRA high command

References

References

1. Chatambudza, Takawira. (25 August 2025). "The Zimbabwe Liberation Struggle: A Military History of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), 1963-1979".
2. (1981). "The Struggle for Zimbabwe". Faber & Faber.
3. (8 September 2012). "Up close with Col. Tshinga Dube". Sunday Mail.
4. Kriger, Norma J. (2003). "Guerrilla Veterans in Post-war Zimbabwe: Symbolic and Violent Politics, 1980–1987". [[Cambridge University Press]].
5. (7 April 1986). "Lookout Masuku dies at 46; commanded Nkomo forces". The New York Times.
6. (30 August 2018). "War vets recommend hero status for late CIO". [[Nehanda Radio]].
7. (14 June 2020). "1976: the year Bosso lost its entire junior squad to the armed struggle". Sunday News (Zimbabwe).
8. (9 June 2022). "ZIPA had problems from word go top ZPRA commander reveals". Sunday News (Zimbabwe).
9. "The Zimbabwe National Amy".
10. (14 May 2009). "Nkomo's security chief tells police he shot farmer's brother". Zim Eye.