EX-CIO boss pledges to follow Mohadi path
FORMER director in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Cde Albert Miles Nguluvhe, who was recently elected to be the Zanu-PF candidate for the Beitbridge East National Assembly seat has pledged to continue with his predecessor, Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s vision to develop the area and eradicate poverty.
Cde Nguluvhe won the ticket to represent the ruling party after trouncing Cdes Fulufhelo Muleya, Steven Stubbs, Mekia Muyambo, Ntshavheni Smutha Ndou and Hamadziripi Ncube in the just-ended primary elections. The former head of national security and bodyguard of the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo said his priority was to carry on with the vision of VP Mohadi, whom he described as his political mentor.
“I appreciate that Cde Kembo (Mohadi) is my senior politically and even during the liberation struggle and now he is the Vice President. He played a very crucial role as MP for Beitbridge East and I know it will be somewhat a formidable task for me to fill his shoes given his vast political experience,” said Cde Nguluvhe.
“He played his part and passed the baton and once I am elected as member of the National Assembly, I am certainly going to continue in that path”.
He said in the event that Zanu-PF retains the seat, he will continue to spearhead development in the district. “He (VP Mohadi) has actually passed the baton and I have an obligation to continue with the race. Well, we might not be able operate in the same manner, but primarily, what guides us are the Zanu-PF policies and we will carry on with those policies to develop our constituency.
“I know it is going to be difficult as people will want to compare me with my predecessor, but personally I don’t think it is an issue of comparison, it is actually an issue of listening to the people and implementing party programmes in the new dispensation,” Cde Nguluvhe said. He said his election as the Zanu-PF candidate was a calling to serve people and contribute towards the development of the constituency. Cde Nguluvhe urged the losing candidates in the primaries to rally behind the winners and popularise Zanu-PF programmes.
“My appeal to all those who lost is that let us work together and ensure that our party emerges victorious in the forthcoming harmonised elections. In fact, we were not fighting because we all belong to the same party. We are guided by the new policies of the new Government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and with the support of the people, we will achieve our party goals. We are the servants of the people, so I won’t do things on my own. I will consult the people first in whatever decision I make and agree on the way forward.”
Cde Nguluvhe said in the event that he gets the mandate from the electorate, he will strive to ensure that “people come first” in line with the ruling party’s principles.
“As a leader, your duty is to present the desires of the people you represent in Parliament, not to pursue your own individual interests,” he said.
Cde Nguluvhe said his main focus will be on the rehabilitation of roads in the district and addressing the issue of shortage of science teachers and equipment in local schools. First and foremost I have to identify with the people and focus on their major challenges. For example, our roads are inaccessible and most schools in the district do not offer STEM subjects, primarily because they are ill-equipped.
“We also have a challenge of a shortage of teachers resulting in most school leavers, particularly those staying in villages along the border, crossing into South Africa,” he said.
Cde Nguluvhe also highlighted the need to complete the electrification of rural schools and clinics. He said the road linking Beitbridge and Chiredzi via Tshikwalakwala was not traversable because the bridge linking the two districts was washed away by floods.
“The road leading to Chief Matibe is also in bad shape and these are some of the challenges that need urgent attention. We need to address the issue of water and electricity in the area. Basically, these are some of the challenges that we need to address. Once elected, I don’t want to be seen dictating to people in terms of what they primarily want. I want to eradicate this mentality of marginalisation among our people,” Cde Nguluvhe said.
He urged local children to be patriotic and desist from shunning Zimbabwe by trekking down south. Born on November 11 in 1958 at Tshapongwe under Chief Matibe area in Beitbridge District, Cde Nguluvhe attended primary school at Tshapongwe Primary and Beitbridge Mission School.
He proceeded to Manama High School in Gwanda District for secondary education. He, however, dropped out at Form Two to join the liberation struggle.
In 1977, he joined the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) in Zambia, which was then under the command of General Philip Valerio Sibanda, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander.
Cde Nguluvhe was part of a group of 15 people who were selected to undergo specialised military intelligence training in Bulgaria. Soon after completing the training programme in February 1978, he was deployed to the National Security Organisation (NSO) under the command of Zipra’s former intelligence chief Dumiso Dabengwa. In September during the same year, he was redeployed to the PF-Zapu president Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo’s Close Security Unit. During that time he survived a bomb attack in Lusaka.
In 1979, Cde Nguluvhe sneaked into then Rhodesia using a fake British passport to make arrangements for the return of the PF-Zapu leadership. After Independence, Cde Nguluvhe resumed his secondary school studies through correspondence.
In 1981, he joined the President’s Office, serving as an instructor for 12 years.
In 2011, he was appointed assistant director of operations. He rose through the ranks to the post of director of national of security until his retirement in February this year.