Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday shared his disappointment at the departure of Zapu President Dumiso Dabengwa from Zanu-PF saying the former Zipra intelligence supremo had soiled his otherwise illustrious liberation history.
Mphoko addressed Zanu-PF supporters in Pumula and Mpopoma constituencies as part of the party’s campaign launch for the June 10 by-elections in the five vacant seats in Bulawayo. He addressed three other rallies on Saturday in Makokoba, Luveve and Lobengula constituencies.
Zanu-PF will be represented by Godfrey Malaba in Pumula, Joseph Tshuma in Mpopoma, Tshinga Dube in Makokoba, Ntandoyenkosi Mlilo in Luveve and Maidei Mpala in Lobengula. The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is boycotting all elections demanding the implementation of electoral reforms including access to the voter’s roll.
Mphoko said he and Dabengwa, among other veterans of the struggle, had gone through difficult times during the war and it was sad that Dabengwa decided to leave Zanu-PF.
He revealed that during the Sipolilo operation at the height of the liberation struggle, he, Dabengwa, Joe Modise of the ANC and other fighters had to drink their own urine as they had run out of water.
“Dumiso did not join Zipra, we formed it. I operated with him in Sipolilo. We drank our own urine in one of the operations when we had travelled for more than 60 kilometres to a place where there was no water.
“We opened our water bottles, shot into them and waited for the acids to evaporate. We then ate Russian chocolate and drank our own urine,” said Mphoko.
“We went through many things together. This is part of our history that we are proud of but Dabengwa has messed his record. You can’t go all the way to the top and then reduce yourself like that.”
Before VP Mphoko’s address, Zanu-PF Politburo member Absolom Sikhosana said Dabengwa used to command a lot or respect before forming Zapu.
“Of all the people, it’s so painful but we are forced to say down with Dabengwa. We had so much respect for him but we say down with Dabengwa,” he said.
Dabengwa, a former ZANU-PF politburo member, pulled out of President Robert Mugabe’s party in the run-up to the 2008 general polls along with Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni to oppose Mugabe’s re-election bid before the two went separate ways.
