SNAPSHOT IN HISTORY-APRIL1979: THE FAILED ASSASSINATION OF JOSHUA NKOMO IN LUSAKA: CODENAMED OPERATION BASTILLE
IN 1979 when the Smith regime made a firm decision to assassinate Joshua Nkomo, then head of a guerrilla arm, in Zambia after the shooting down of the Air Rhodesia plane in Kariba, the Selous Scouts (Secret Assassination Organ of the regime) assigned Selous Scout Chris Gough to survey Nkomo’s house, and draw up the road map from the Zambezi to Lusaka.
Gough was ideal since he was born in Zambia and had a Zambian passport. Gough joined the Lusaka Golf Club which was near Nkomo’s house on Nyerere Drive and President Lane which led to President Kaunda’s State House. He monitored Nkomo’s movements.
Back in Rhodesia at the back of Inkomo Barracks, a make-shift house similar to Nkomo’s Lusaka home was built for invasion practice by the Selous Scouts who would be involved in the actual attack.
On April 14, 1979, the attacking Rhodesian Special Air Service Unit crossed the Zambezi at Kariba by boat under the command of Captain Martin Pearce guided by Antony White who had done reconnaissance of Cde Nkomo’s house with Gough. According to the Selous Scouts report, the equipment included seven sable Land Rovers painted in Zambian colours and one special air service vehicle, heavy weapons and grenades. The Zambian intelligence spotted them and thought they were Zambian Land Rovers.
In the night of April, 15th, 1979, Rhodesian Special Forces arrived in Lusaka. The group 1st attacked the legendary Liberation Center (now Defence Services Command and Staff College) which hosted liberation movements in the region.
Another group of Rhodesian commandos landed at the Lusaka Golf Club and attacked Nkomo’s safe house (former Celtel headquarters) Joshua Nkomo survived the assassination attempt on his life by sneaking into State House using a “back door”. It was later revealed that he has sneaked into State House using tunnels.
Rhodesian Special Forces were stunned how a very big Nkomo had escaped. Suspicious soon turned to be possibility that he had been tipped off.
When asked asked by a reporter how he escaped the attack. Joshua Nkomo replied that he jumped out of a small little window at the back of the house.
After this attack Late President Kaunda, made a decision to have all the liberation movement leaders to be living within State House.
(Source: Chronicle)
Wow! Those action filled days….