The late ZANU PF Politburo member and war veteran, Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube, who passed away on Thursday evening after a long battle with kidney failure, has been declared a national hero.
In a message of condolence delivered to the Dube family on Friday by ZANU PF National Chairman Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, President Emmerson Mnangagwa hailed Colonel Dube as a committed freedom fighter, loyal soldier, and diligent politician. Mnangagwa said:
“In recognition of his pivotal role in the liberation of Zimbabwe and other nations in our region, and for his dedicated service to his people both before and after Independence, the ZANU PF Politburo has declared Cde Tshinga Dube a national hero.
This ensures that he is honored appropriately and laid to rest alongside other esteemed heroes.”
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Born on July 3, 1941, in Fort Usher, Matobo District, Matabeleland South, Dube joined the liberation movement in the 1960s and trained as a guerrilla fighter in the Soviet Union and China by 1972.
He became a significant figure within the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), particularly in arms procurement during the liberation war.
Operating under the pseudonym “Cde Embassy,” Dube was one of the early guerrillas deployed to the frontlines, helping to initiate the Wankie Battles, a joint operation between ZAPU and ANC forces, in Matabeleland North and South.
He worked closely with military comrades like Cain Mathema and ANC’s Umkhonto WeSizwe fighters, including Walter Mavuso and Jackie Modise.
One of his notable contributions was his involvement in the nearly five-day Madliwa battle along the Zambezi River near Kariba. This engagement was led by Retired Major-General Stanford Khumalo, known as uMadliwa.
After the ceasefire, Dube played a key role in the integration and formation of the Zimbabwe National Army, representing ZIPRA on a committee alongside Josiah Tungamirai (ZANLA) and General Jacobs (Rhodesian Army). Dube later became the head of the army’s signals department and was promoted to full Colonel.
He spent a decade in the army before moving to the Defence Headquarters as Deputy Secretary of Research and Development. He then led the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) as its chief executive for 23 years.
Transitioning to politics, Dube served as the Member of Parliament for Makokoba, Bulawayo, and was appointed Minister of War Veterans in 2015. He also authored a memoir titled Quiet Flows the Zambezi.
Colonel Dube is survived by his wife, Nomathemba Wendy Dube, and several children and grandchildren.
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