ZANU PF politburo member, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube has defended the party’s old guard which continues to cling to top government positions despite advanced ages, saying pensions offered by the government were too little to sustain them after retirement.
Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre this past week, the outspoken politician said in normal countries, people retired at the age of between 50 and 60 but in Zimbabwe, some retired even after turning 80 years.
“You are saying we recycle the old guard. Yes, because the old guard too needs that power because they need to eat and live well.
“I will be 80 years in a month’s time, and I still work not because I want to do so but because my pension is so small that it will never satisfy my family.
“So, I am forced to remain working but in normal countries where things are done properly, you find that you retire when you get to the age of 50 to 60 because you are sure that you have enough pension that will satisfy you until you die.
“So, these are the circumstances that force people like us not to completely disappear from the scene because I will starve,” said Dube.
The former war veterans minister also ridiculed young politicians who have been clamouring for top political positions to be parcelled out to them on a silver platter.
“You say we are depriving young people from getting into influential positions.
“Let me tell you one thing; power is not given. It is taken. You can never be given power on a silver platter, no matter what.
“That’s why even now when we had to take this power we have, we had to fight.
“Many people died. Some had to be in prison for a long time. So, young people like yourself if you believe that you must be given power, no you must work for it,” said Dube.
He said there were very few instances where power could be given to the next person without a fight.
“Maybe if you have a special relationship with the man who has power, he might call you but in normal practice, you fight for it,” added the former Makokoba legislator.
