Flint Magama

Colonel Flint Magama (died 27 January 1986) was a Zimbabwean Army officer. A political commissar for the Zimbabwe African National Union, he joined the Military Intelligence Directorate after Zimbabwean independence. Magama was involved in killings and torture during the Gukurahundi genocide and, in 1984, was responsible for the assassination of Zimbabwe African People's Union politician Njini Ntuta. In 1986 Magama was appointed commander of the Zimbabwe National Army's intervention in the Mozambican Civil War. He was killed when a helicopter he was a passenger in crashed due to engine failure during the recapture of Marromeu. Magama was posthumously awarded the country's highest military decoration for bravery, the Gold Cross of Zimbabwe.

Biography Magama was born as Derek Flint Mavima. His father was Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) member David Zirirai Mavima and his brother is Larry Mavima, a member of the Senate of Zimbabwe and Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands.

Magama was a ZANU political commissar.

Magama later became deputy commander of the Zimbabwe National Army's (ZNA) 1 Brigade. While in this role he was responsible for the 25 November 1984 killing of ZAPU politician Njini Ntuta who had accused the regime of involvement in the genocide.

On 27 January Magama was killed in a helicopter crash as Zimbabwean troops assaulted the city. Also killed in the crash were two privates, the two pilots, a second lieutenant and a major (who was second in command of the Parachute Squadron). The cause of the loss was determined to be engine failure though RENAMO claimed to have shot the aircraft down. Marromeu was successfully recaptured during the ensuing ZNA assault.

Magama was buried at the National Heroes' Acre in Harare. The Flint Magama barracks in Rusape are named after him.