Tshinga Dube assails Mpofu over price controls

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By Lindie Whiz

COLONEL Tshinga Dube has launched a scathing attack on Industry and Trade Minister Obert Mpofu for being "irresponsible" and denting Zanu PF’s electoral chances by causing shortages of basic commodities.

The Zimbabwe Defence Industries chief executive and aspiring Zanu PF parliamentarian – without mentioning the minister by name – said Mpofu acted irresponsibly by ordering companies to slash prices in June last year, causing many businesses to close shop.

Dube, who is standing on a Zanu PF ticket in Makokoba, was addressing members of the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday.

He said some ministers were incompetent, but always found their way back to government.

Col. Dube said: "When I went out in my constituency (Makokoba), I realised that the name Zanu PF is not very popular. Why? When you go through a lot of hardships you want to find out who caused it and now it is being associated with the government of Zanu PF.

“Sometimes people look at a party as a homogeneous entity, instead of looking at it as being composed of people, and these people are the ones causing these problems within the party.

"We have had a system that must be corrected; people stay in government for too long and begin to feel that the government is there because you are there. You have ministers who do wrong things and believe that nothing would ever happen to him or her because he believes the government is part of him, and he is a shareholder.

“So these people create this hatred of the party, yet they are just people. I think as journalists, you like frank talk. Let me give a typical example, on the price controls. You know that it is not government as a whole but people who were given charge to look into this problem who completely made a mess.

“Those type of things are not done by the government but by individuals. From that time all the shops went dry. So it was wrong, isn't it? Something went completely wrong because of someone. As a result he has messed the name of our party. When someone is very angry and does not like the name of the party, it is because of those type of people.”

Challenged to clarify if his comments did not also refer to President Mugabe who has also "overstayed" in power, and is responsible for appointing ministers, Dube said as a soldier, he could not comment of the head of state, who is his Commander-In-Chief.

Pressed further to comment on reports that senior Zanu PF officials he enjoyed good relations with – including Dumiso Dabengwa and Solomon Mujuru -- were believed to be working against Mugabe, Dube declined to comment.

"As they used to say long back, ‘ibizo lomuntu liyadula. (It is expensive to talk about someone's name). I am not going to speak on behalf of anybody. Ask them themselves," he said.

Dube said Matabeleland was underdeveloped because most of the ministers from the region were "invited" to government without support from the people, and could
therefore not voice their concerns for fear of being chucked out.

"If I was elected into Parliament I would raise my voice the loudest knowing no one will say shut up," he said.

Dube will battle it out with incumbent Thokozani Khuphe of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and Welshman Ncube from a rival faction led by Arthur Mutambara.

He has rolled out a well-publicised humanitarian assistance programme in Bulawayo's oldest and poorest township, and says he is confident of victory.

The wealthy Dube is well-known for his philanthropic gestures – most notably rescuing Highlanders Football Club from financial ruin. At one time, he paid British coach Eddie May's salary in foreign currency for a year.

He has also used his influence to secure players for Highlanders from army clubs – Black Rhinos and Chapungu. His latest exploit came last week when he got the Air Force team, Chapungu, to release striker Cuthbert Malajila to Highlanders.

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