Freedom Nyamubaya

Freedom Nyamubaya (1958? – 5 July 2015) was a poet, dancer, farmer, feminist, and revolutionary from Zimbabwe. She is known as one of Zimbabwe's celebrated "guerilla fighter-poets", with two published collections of her poems. During the Rhodesian Bush War, she served as one of the few female field operation commanders. In 1979, she was elected Secretary for Education at the first conference of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) Women’s League.

Early life and activism Born in Uzumba in Mashonaland East, Nyamubaya left secondary school at the age of 15 to join the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) during its insurgency against Rhodesia's predominantly white government. She travelled to a ZANLA training camp in Mozambique, believing she could "change something". During the Rhodesian Bush War, she was one of the few female field operation commanders; although after the war, she felt let down by the way demobilised guerrillas were treated. She went on to become Secretary for Education at the first conference of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) Women’s League. She continued to lead the organization until her death, integrating a particular focus on rural development, agricultural support and theatre for women and young people.

Writing and performance Freedom Nyamubaya has two published collections of poems, On the Road Again: Poems During and After the National Liberation of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe Publishing House, 1985), and Dusk of Dawn (College Press, 1995). She co-authored Ndangariro with Irene Ropa Rinopfuka Mahamba (Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production, 1987).

Now that I have put my gun downFor almost obvious reasonsThe enemy still is here invisibleMy barrel has no definite targetNowLet my hands work –My mouth sing –My pencil write –About the same things my bulletaimed at. Nyamubaya was a featured poet in literature festivals and events in Africa and abroad, including Poetry Africa on Tour, September 2010 in Harare, Zimbabwe, and the 18th International Poetry Festival of Medellín in Colombia in 2008.

Nyamubaya was passionate about traditional mbira music, and performed as a dancer onstage, including with internationally renowned musician Thomas Mapfumo.