Dumiso Dabengwa
Encyclopedia
Dumiso Dabengwa is a Zimbabwe
an politician. He served as the head of ZIPRA
intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War
.
In 1982 he was charged, with Lookout Masuku
and four others, of treason by the Mugabe
administration. They were acquitted, for lack of evidence in 1983. On release they were redetained under emergency regulations. At this time the Gukurahundi
began.
He was released four years later.
Between 1992 and 2000 he was appointed Minister of Home Affairs in the Zimbabwe government and in 1991 was appointed to the chair of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project
.
During the Rhodesian Bush War the white minority nicknamed him the "Black Russian" because he trained in Moscow
, Russia
.
Dabengwa ran as a ZANU-PF candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly from Nkulumane in the 2000 election, but was defeated by Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) candidate Gibson Sibanda
. Dabengwa said that the MDC would have won even if its candidate was a donkey. He was again defeated in the March 2005 parliamentary election. He served as a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo, but he announced his support for the opposition candidacy of Simba Makoni
in the March 2008 presidential election
at a press conference in Bulawayo
on March 1, 2008. A spokesman for Mugabe said that Dabengwa's defection to Makoni was unimportant, claiming that Dabengwa did not command any support. It was reported that Mugabe had offered to appoint Dabengwa as Vice-President following the election as the replacement for Joseph Msika
, but that Dabengwa had declined the offer.
Following the election, although no official results were immediately announced, Dabengwa said in April that Makoni's campaign had accomplished its mission by preventing either Mugabe or Tsvangirai from winning a first round majority; he opposed holding a run-off and favored the formation of a transitional government of national unity followed by a new election. He was critical of Mugabe, saying that he was too old and should make way for younger leadership, but also criticized Tsvangirai, comparing him to former Zambia
n President Frederick Chiluba
and saying that a Tsvangirai victory would have been celebrated by the whites.
Dabengwa is currently the leader of the revived Zimbabwe African People's Union
, which is separating from the unity accord of 1987.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an politician. He served as the head of ZIPRA
ZIPRA
Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army was the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a political party in Rhodesia. It participated in the Second Chimurenga against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia....
intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
.
In 1982 he was charged, with Lookout Masuku
Lookout Masuku
Lieutenant General Lookout Masuku commanded the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army, the militant wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, during the Rhodesian Bush War...
and four others, of treason by the Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
administration. They were acquitted, for lack of evidence in 1983. On release they were redetained under emergency regulations. At this time the Gukurahundi
Gukurahundi
The Gukurahundi refers to the suppression by Zimbabwe's 5th Brigade in the predominantly Ndebele regions of Zimbabwe most of whom were supporters of Joshua Nkomo. A few hundred disgruntled former ZIPRA combatants waged armed banditry against the civilians in Matabeleland, and destroyed government...
began.
He was released four years later.
Between 1992 and 2000 he was appointed Minister of Home Affairs in the Zimbabwe government and in 1991 was appointed to the chair of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project
Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project
The Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project is an ambitious project being undertaken in the arid Matabeleland North province of Zimbabwe.The project seeks to end the perennial water shortages bedevelling Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo by bringing water from the mighty Zambezi river to the city.-The...
.
During the Rhodesian Bush War the white minority nicknamed him the "Black Russian" because he trained in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Dabengwa ran as a ZANU-PF candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly from Nkulumane in the 2000 election, but was defeated by Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) candidate Gibson Sibanda
Gibson Sibanda
Gibson Jama Sibanda was a Zimbabwean politician and Trade Unionist. He was a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change and at the time of his death was the Vice-President of the faction of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Arthur Mutambara...
. Dabengwa said that the MDC would have won even if its candidate was a donkey. He was again defeated in the March 2005 parliamentary election. He served as a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo, but he announced his support for the opposition candidacy of Simba Makoni
Simba Makoni
Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni is a Zimbabwean politician and was a candidate for the March 2008 presidential election against incumbent Robert Mugabe. He was Minister of Finance and Economic Development in President Robert Mugabe's cabinet from 2000 to 2002...
in the March 2008 presidential election
Zimbabwean presidential election, 2008
The Republic of Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election on 29 March 2008. The three major candidates were incumbent President Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front , Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change , and...
at a press conference in Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
on March 1, 2008. A spokesman for Mugabe said that Dabengwa's defection to Makoni was unimportant, claiming that Dabengwa did not command any support. It was reported that Mugabe had offered to appoint Dabengwa as Vice-President following the election as the replacement for Joseph Msika
Joseph Msika
Joseph Wilfred Msika was a Zimbabwean politician who served as Vice President of Zimbabwe from 1999 to 2009.-Early life:...
, but that Dabengwa had declined the offer.
Following the election, although no official results were immediately announced, Dabengwa said in April that Makoni's campaign had accomplished its mission by preventing either Mugabe or Tsvangirai from winning a first round majority; he opposed holding a run-off and favored the formation of a transitional government of national unity followed by a new election. He was critical of Mugabe, saying that he was too old and should make way for younger leadership, but also criticized Tsvangirai, comparing him to former Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
n President Frederick Chiluba
Frederick Chiluba
Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was a Zambian politician who was the second President of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as the candidate of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy , defeating long-time President...
and saying that a Tsvangirai victory would have been celebrated by the whites.
Dabengwa is currently the leader of the revived Zimbabwe African People's Union
Zimbabwe African People's Union
The Zimbabwe African People's Union was a militant organization and political party that fought for the national liberation of Zimbabwe from its founding in 1961 until it merged with the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front in December 1987....
, which is separating from the unity accord of 1987.
External links
- http://www.zapu.org/index.php