President Mugabe welcomes Tanzanian People’s Defence Forces Chief General Davis Adolf Mwamunyange while Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi looks on in Harare on October 15, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Tanzania Defence Force General pays call on President
October 16, 2013
Herald Reporter
THE visiting chief of Tanzania People’s Defence Forces General Davis Adolf Mwamunyange yesterday paid a courtesy call on President Mugabe at his Munhumutapa Offices. Gen Mwamunyange is leading a seven-member delegation from the TPDF which is on a week-long visit to the country.
Tanzania and Zimbabwe enjoy strong bilateral relations dating back to the days of the liberation struggle.
After his meeting with President Mugabe, Gen Mwamunyange described the president as a moving encyclopaedia.
“He is a moving encyclopaedia,” he said.
He alluded to the time during the liberation struggle when he was based in Tanzania and his interaction with the Tanzanian people.
“He talked about the contemporary situation and the bonds of friendship between the people of Zimbabwe and the people of Tanzania.”
Gen Mwamunyange said he was in the country to strengthen military co-operation between the ZDF and TPDF.
“The purpose of my visit is to strengthen and reinforce military to military friendship and co-operation between our two countries. We discussed with my colleague (General Constantine Chiwenga) and agreed on areas for expansion of our co-operation,” he said.
Gen Mwamunyange and his delegation have visited the Zimbabwe Staff College, Zimbabwe Military Academy, the Heroes Acre and are expected to tour the Chiadzwa diamond fields and the Chisumbanje Ethanol plant today (Wednesday). They are also expected to visit the Victoria Falls.
General Mwamunyange is a veteran of the Tanzania military who played a key role in the then Organisation of African Unity mobilising resources for the liberation of southern African countries.
He also participated in the ouster of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin between 1978 and 1979.
“I took part in that campaign. The fact is that we fought along the people of Uganda to get rid of Amin. The people of Uganda were tired and afraid of him. He had also invaded our country and so we teamed up,” he said.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Gen Chiwenga accompanied Gen Mwamunyange when he paid a courtesy call on President Mugabe.
Speaking on the tour of the Zimbabwe Military Academy Gen Mwamunyange said Zimbabwe and Tanzania had excellent fraternal relationship that needed enhancing.
“Zimbabweans and Tanzanians are brothers. This is further strengthened by the strong relations between Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and Tanzania People’s Defence Forces. We hope to continue relating well.
“Our visit to Zimbabwe is to reciprocate the gesture after ZDF Commander General Constantine Chiwenga visited our country earlier this year,” he said.
“ZDF is well organised and I should commend Zimbabwe for its determination to develop its defence forces. We are going to learn a lot of things from this visit,” said Gen Mwamunyange.
Gen Mwamunyange was accompanied by ZDF director general policy, public relations and international Affairs, Brigadier General John Chris Mpande who also concurred that the cordial relations dated back to the liberation struggle.
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