Charles Dauramanzi

Charles Dauramanzi
Charles Dauramanzi
Born	April 14 1940
Died	February 23, 2003
Burial place	National Heroes Acre
Occupation	Retired Major-General
Organization	Zimbababwe National Army

Charles Njodzi Dauramanzi was a Zimbabwean Army General. A 2001 United Nations report and a 2002 Global witness report alleged that Charles was involved in the operations of Cosleg Private Limited , a company implicated in the plunder of natural resources in the DRC.

Background

Dauramanzi was born in Chief Mukaro’s area, Gutu, Masvingo, and was the fourth in a family of eight: six boys and two girls.He did his primary education at Bako Primary School and attended Selous Missionary College for his secondary education.^[1]

In 1961, he joined Rothmans of Pall Mall as a salesman, a job he held for a year. It was at this tender age that young Charles got involved in active politics as a ZAPU youth. In 1962 he was arrested for taking part in such activities and was brought before the Southern Rhodesian courts. He skipped bail and left the country for Tanzania through Lusaka, Zambia.

Military Training

Dauramanzi was among the earliest ZAPU cadres to receive military training in China.

Military career

After training, he was deployed in the then [[[Southern Rhodesia]] where he worked in recruiting young cadres for military training. He was also among the first group of people who sourced weapons that were used in the liberation struggle. In this task he worked together with Simon Muzenda and Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Joining ZANU-PF

Dauramanzi joined ZANU following the split with ZAPU. He sourced weapons that were used during the historic Chinhoyi (Sinoia) Battle from Zaire. Prior to that, he had organised attacks and other skirmishes against Rhodesian forces inside the country.^[1]

A member of the Dare Rechimurenga

In 1966, Dauramanzi became part of the Revolutionary Council responsible for reconnaissance, recruitment and logistics. Following the disbanding of the Revolutionary Council in 1968 and the creation of the Dare reChimurenga in 1969, he was appointed a member of the General Staff. Because of his illustrious work he was, in 1973, elevated to the High Command, where he was responsible for logistics.

1975 Arrest

In March 1975, following the death of Cde Herbert Chitepo, Dauramanzi was arrested, together with other members of the Dare reChimurenga, High Command and General Staff and detained by Zambian authorities on allegations of complicity. He was absolved of any wrongdoing by the courts and released from detention, together with his colleagues, in October 1976.

ZANU PF Central committee member

Upon his release, he crossed into Mozambique where ZANU was now headquartered. At the Conference of ZANU held in Chimoio in 1977, he was elected into the party’s Central Committee.

Zimbababwe National Army career

After independence, Dauramanzi was attested into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in 1980 as a colonel and worked as Director of the Army Service Corps until 1985. Between 1986 and 1987, he commanded 3 Brigade and Presidential Guards Brigade respectively.

He was then posted to the Ministry of Defence’s Headquarters as Director Liaison, a post he held until his retirement in 1994 as a Major-General.