Dabengwa is no super hero

We are tired of this Dumiso Dabengwa who has made himself a super hero, to have liberated Zimbabwe single handed or everything centered around him in the armed struggle.

Dabengwa can fool those who dont know him. But for those who know him, he is nothing more than an opportunist who has lived through impersonating great leaders like Dr Joshua Nkomo, and outstanding commanders like Mangena, Tongogara and Rex Nhongo.

But it is not a secret that Dabengwa undermined Mangena. All NSO camps were told that Mangena was an enemy agent in order to take his position as ZIPRA commander. When Mangena died in a land mine, whilest the Rhodesians were celebrating his death as a victory against terrorism, at the same time  Dabengwa was celebrating the same death.

President Kaunda offered that Mangena should be burried on a Monday which was a Zambian Youth Heroes Day, the offer was turned down because you regarded Mangena as an enemy agent.

You are not what people think you are. Even your training in the Soviet Union people dont know that, it lasted only for 54 days. In 54 days can you cover all the subjects covered in military intelligence or grand strategy. Your programme covered    only secret letter writing from a page of a selected book or novel.

War Vet claimed that you were an experience military commander and an experience intelligence officer. He does not know you and believe he has  never worked with you.

When Ambrose Mutinhiri was ZIPRA Chief of Staff and later replaced by Jevan Maseko, because you had turned ZIPRA into a civilian army, all camps and weapons and personnel were removed from the Chief of Staff to be under the Presidency because you thought that will give you prominence.  Before any military offensive could be undertaken, weapons  had to be requested from the presidency first. How do you fight a war like that.

Because of the civilian mind that had taken over ZIPRA, Mutinhiri was a Chief if Staff at large in Ethopia and other countries instead of being in the Camps. Using your influence on the leadership, ZIPRA commander Lookout Masuku did not have military intelligence because you had moved it from the army to be under NSO. The commander had to depend on briefings from seconded NSO operatives not from reconnaissance reports. A seconded military personnel is answerable to the one who seconded him. How do you deprive a military commander combat intelligence. How does he move his troops in the cloud of no intelligence. This is a serious crime.

You talk about ZIPRA records that were taken during the Gukurahundi era. You were a Cabinet Minister in Mugabe's government for about  10 years as Minister of Home Affairs and a member of the POLITBURO in ZANU PF. You can measure your ability there. But you still have to complain. You know that the records are in Gweru. Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe used those records in his reseach.

You call yourself ZIPRA Supremo Intelligence Chief. Because Peter Walls was Supreme Commander. The Supreme comes only when you command more that one combat unit. Montgomery commanded joint armies during the war, Peter Walls had various independent units under his command. Which armies did you command except NSO?

Dabengwa stop making yourself important. Be realistic and deal with the substantive issue that was raised by President Mugabe. You thought you were popular. But you were bitten twice in Nkulumane. During the July 31 Harmonised elections you only received only 25000 votes through out the country. And the President wants to rescue you and you make yourself that important when the truth is known.

The appeal by the President was to you as Dumiso Dabengwa. Not as ZAPU because ZAPU is in ZANU PF. Stop talking to the President through other un infomed people. At least War Vet says if you are a revolutionary your response will show.

John Songo. Is a historian.