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Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter

Military Commanders in SADC have congratulated Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga and his wife, Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga, on their wedding.

Acting President Chiwenga is a retired Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces who worked with regional counterparts from days of the liberation struggle and as an army general, including on several missions such as fighting insurgency in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Acting President Chiwenga’s former colleagues in the military attended the wedding including, former Chief of Defence Forces of Namibia Lieutenant-General Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, former Chief of the South African National Defence Force General Solly Zacharia Shoke, former Chief of the Tanzania People’s Defence Force General Davis Adolf Mwamunyange and former Mozambique Chief of Defence Forces General Paulino Jose Macaringue.

Gen Ndaitwah, who was the best man said the former commanders in the region formed a bond when they were all serving as top soldiers of their respective countries which was the basis of the unity the armed forces enjoy to this date.

He said they used to refer to Gen Chiwenga as “Dean of Generals” since he was the most senior and they would listen whenever he spoke.

“Our brother here (Acting President Chiwenga), his brotherhood has gone beyond Zimbabwe. We served together as Chief of the Defence Forces. It was from that time when we formed a bond,” said Gen Ndaitwah.

“We have all retired from the uniform. But before we retired this bond did wonders. In terms of who came in first, he came in before us. So, I looked at other generals and I said we must know him as our Dean of Generals or Dean of Chiefs, that is how we worked.

“When he spoke, we would try to understand what this Dean of Generals wanted to say. We would always caucus, what do you think so that one of us will intervene or come in support of what Zimbabwe said.

“The General has been joined with our sister (Colonel Chiwenga) here. Congratulations. That is a short history of who we are. Our Dean of Generals, our Dean of Chiefs,” said Gen Ndaitwah.

VP Chiwenga’s former colleagues in the Defence Forces and liberation war comrades, among them Senate Deputy President Lt-Gen (Rtd) Mike Nyambuya, Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe, Air Marshal (Rtd) Shebba Shumbayawonda accompanied the Acting President as part of his bridal team at the ceremony.