George Mlala
George Mlala is a war veteran who participated in the war of liberation. He was also deputy chairperson of an alleged rebel war veterans’ faction which fought to take over control of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association during the factional fights in ZANU-PF .[1]. Mr Mlala, together with former Manicaland Minister for Provincial Affairs, Ms Mandi Chimene allegedly led the parallel war veterans executive which was believed to be aligned to the G40 cabal.
Disputed Liberation War Credentials
Mlala’s war record was put into question by Tshinga Dube who was the War Veterans minister at that time , Dube argued that Mlala could not lead former fighters when he was not one of them. Mlala dismissed claims that he did not participate in the liberation struggle.
“I don’t know what he (Dube) means when he questions my war credentials. I was vetted, and after all, he is not the right person to say that or question me. I am not fond of talking to the media about people’s war history. That is not what is important, but if he wants me to, I will tell it about him,” Mlala said. “He knows me, and I know him. I am not a bogus war veteran.”
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Mlala tried to explain his role in the war
“My credentials are very clear. I came back to Zimbabwe in 1980 having finished training at the end of 1973 before deployment. I was in the frontline in 1974, I was in Mozambique in 1976 and in 1978 I was in Lusaka.
However Dube refuted Mlala's claim he rejected any knowledge of Mlala
“I just hear his name coming up. He is new to me. He does not impress me. I do not have to be appointed by them to be a minister,” Dube was quoted saying.
Lawsuit Against Tshinga Dube
Mlala filed a $15 000 defamation lawsuit against former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube for allegedly labelling him a fraudster, devil incarnate and an enemy of the ruling Zanu PF party.[2].
Dube allegedly blasted Mlala “on or about July 16, 2017” while addressing a meeting of war veterans at Stanley Square in Bulawayo, Mlala said in papers filed at the High Court.
Resurfacing after Operation Restore Legacy
George Mlala, who had disappeared from the country's political radar following the launch of Operation Restore Legacy by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces resurfaced a few weeks after the Operation .He went into hiding because of his alleged links to the G40 faction.
In a one-minute-39-seconds recording that went viral on social media ,Mlala was seen emerging from a minibus that was carrying the family of Phelekezela Mphoko at the Plumtree Border Post. Mr Mphoko was coming from Botswana where he had been holed up since the launch of Operation Restore Legacy that was targeting criminal elements around former President Cde Robert Mugabe causing instability in the Government.
