During the
Zimbabwe Liberation War, Sibanda trained and served as a ZIPRA military combatant. Sibanda left the country in 1973. He received military training at Morogoro under the likes of Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri. His alias was Ananias Gwenzi. In 1974 after completing his training in Tanzania him and four others: Elisha Gagisa (Stanely Nleya), Elias Ndou, Abel Mazinyane and Joel Dambudzo were sent to Lebanon where they spent 9 months of rigorous training under the
Palestine Liberation Organization at
Jalub. Upon his return in 1975, he became an instructor at the newly opened Mbwembwesi training camp in Tanzania. He was then seconded to form part of the military commanders running Morogoro under the ZIPA. Among the Morogoro-based Zanla Commanders in ZIPA were Contsantine Chiwenga (commissar), Perence Shiri and Augustine Chihuri (Stephen Chocha). From ZIPRA there was Eddie Sigoge Mlotshwa and Sam Fakazi. He also became the commander of the GC-B region. After Nikita Mangena was killed by the enemy in 1978, Sibanda became camp commander for the CGT (Communist Guerrilla Training) camp, located about 60 miles east of Lusaka. He was initially appointed to the ZIPRA High Command as chief of training however he swapped that position with Eddie "Sigoge" Mlotshwa for Chief Of Reconnaissance leading the Military Intelligence department. == After independence ==