On this day in 1939, the late Zimbabwean politician Dumiso Dabengwa was born in Bulawayo. He served as the head of Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War. In 1982 he was charged for perdifying his country and was set free in 1983 due to lack of clear evidence. From 1992 to 2000 he served as the Minister of home affairs. He ran as a ZANU-public finance candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly from Nkulumane in the 2000 election but was defeated by Movement for Democratic Change. In 2013, he was a candidate for ZAPU election.
On this day in 1940, Lieutenant General Lookout Khalisabantu Vumindaba Masuku was born. During the Second Chimurenga Masuku commanded the Zimbabwe People’s Reolutionary Army a military wing of the Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army (ZAPU) and after independance he served the country as the deputy commander of the Zimbabwe national Army (ZNA) up until 1982. In 1982, Lookout Masuku, Dumiso Dabengwa were arrested for allegedly planning to overthrow then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. The supreme Court acquitted them on all counts but the police detained the officials for 4 years. Masuku was released from prison in March 1986 due to poor health and he died the following month.
On this day in 1982, senior Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) members including Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku were arrested and charged with treason.