No confidence vote against Tshinga Dube

THERE was commotion and near skirmishes as war veterans from a faction led by Mandi Chimene yesterday passed a vote of no confidence against Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees' Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube.

The war veterans held a meeting at the Zanu-PF provincial headquarters Davies Hall where they demanded the ouster of Rtd Col Dube from Government after he said President Mugabe should either groom or name a successor.

Among those who attended the meeting were war veterans from other provinces, war collaborators, ex-detainees, party youths as well as Zanu-PF deputy provincial chairperson Simon Khabo.

At one time proceedings were disrupted after a group of youths led by Magura Charumbira stormed into the hall.

The youths later fled after the tyres of the car they were travelling in were deflated.

The war veterans said Rtd Col Dube did not deserve to be a Minister representing war veterans after he said President Mugabe should name a successor.

They accused him of supporting Zanu-PF's national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.

George Matenda castigated Rtd Col Dube and urged him to step down.

He said it was embarrassing for a senior party member like Rtd Col Dube to make such utterances without following protocol.

Matenda castigated Rtd Col Tshinga for questioning George Mlala's war credentials.

Mlala said he would not comment on Rtd Col Dube's claims on his war credentials as his history speaks for him.

"We're calling on the responsible authorities to revisit the minister's appointment because we can't work with him," said Mlala.

Meanwhile, Rtd Col Tshinga Dube, has called on war veterans planning to demonstrate in solidarity with him to do so in support of their patron, President Mugabe.

Addressing hundreds of members of Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators' Association during their Manicaland conference at Mutare Hall yesterday, Rtd Col Dube, said: "Demonstrations should be in solidarity with our patron, President Mugabe. "I am just nothing. The most important person is President Mugabe. I am just a mosquito. I am nobody, but just a messenger sent by President Mugabe to unite all factions. I was told not to select any group, but unite all factions because we have one patron."

His comments come amid media reports that a group of war veterans aligned to Mr Chris Mutsvangwa were planning to have a demonstration in solidarity with Rt Col Dube.

Rtd Col Dube was recently quoted in the media speaking about President Mugabe naming a successor.

President Mugabe has since engaged him and made it clear that only the Zanu-PF congress was tasked with electing the party leader.

Rtd Col Dube said he would not rest until war veterans and collaborators had one united board.

"We should be wary of some people who claim to be so close and loyal to President Mugabe, yet they have their own agendas," he said. "Everyone in Zanu-PF is aligned to President Mugabe. President Mugabe is our leader and we should be loyal to him."

Rtd Col Dube took a swipe at some individuals masquerading as war veterans and leading genuine war veterans astray.

"There are some people who are leading war veterans, yet they never participated in the war," he said. "If you ask them where they operated from, you hear so many stories. How can you lead war veterans when you are not one of them? "You should tell us where you operated during the struggle."

Speaking at the same occasion, war collaborators chairman, Pupurai Togarepi, said they would continue rallying behind Zanu-PF.

"We will not allow MDC-T to rule this country," he said. "We might have a few bad elements in our ranks, but we all rally behind Zanu-PF. Even when we are facing so many challenges, we should not turn our backs on Zanu-PF. We will remain loyal to President Mugabe.

"You should continue supporting Zanu-PF and defend what you fought for. We have liars in the party who were born like that. They are good at creating lies on the social media and planting stories in the media and should be wary of that. They are not happy to see a united Zanu-PF.

"Some of us are proving to be turncoats as our behaviour prove otherwise. Some created lies when requested for a meeting with President Mugabe that we wanted to demonstrate against him. How can we demonstrate against our President and patron?"

Togarepi thanked Rtd Col Dube for working towards fostering unity among freedom fighters.