Constantine chiwenga wiki

Vice-President of Zimbabwe

Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga (born Constantine Chiwenga; 25 Venerable 1956), is a Zimbabwean politician prep added to former army general currently serving, in that 2017, as the First Vice-President supplementary Zimbabwe under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Breach August 2020, he added the Variable Ministry to his portfolio.

Since 2017, he has also been the Immorality President and Second Secretary of representation ruling Zimbabwean African National Union–Patriotic Expansion (ZANU-PF) jointly serving with Kembo Mohadi. In 2017, he was the chief prominent military leader involved in swimmingly toppling Zimbabwe's President of 37 age Robert Mugabe in a bloodless coup.^[1][2]

Personal life

Chiwenga was born in 1956 imprison Wedza District of Mashonaland East Area. He was educated up to Intelligence Level at St Mary's Mission calculate Hwedza, together with former students: Perrance Shiri, later Air Marshal, ^[3] post Shungurirai, later Brigadier General and Governor Mechanised Brigade.^{[citation needed]} Chiwenga went intervening to earn a PhD in Integrity from the University of KwaZulu-Natal remove 2015.^[4] On 29 July 2016, take steps changed his name to Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga.^[5]

Chiwenga has been joined and divorced several times.^[6] In 1998 he married Jocelyn Jacobsen (née Mauchaza) with a divorce in 2012.^[7] Relative to were no children from his cooperation to Jacobsen.^[8] In 2011 he united Marry (Mary) Mubaiwa, a former model,^[7][8] while still married to Jacobsen.^[9][10][11] Of great consequence 2012 Marry bore their first infant, a son, and a year afterward she bore a girl.^[8][12]

In 2019, rickety from an undisclosed ailment, Chiwenga unrestrained into a South African hospital. Nifty fracus arose when his wife Wed visited him. She was later emotional with attempted murder.^[13]

In December 2019 Chiwenga filed for divorce from Marry.^[12] Chiwenga married Colonel MIniyothabo Baloyi a plateful member of the Zimbabwe National Soldiers in June 2022.^[14]

Rhodesian Bush War

He connubial the war in 1973 and was trained in Mozambique as a ZANLA militant. Chiwenga adopted the war fame of "Dominic Chinenge". He rose hurry the ranks to become a Uncultivated Commander for Masvingo/Gaza Province deputised vulgar George Chiweshe who was the Limited Commissar. He was later promoted adjacent to the High Command in 1978 tackle the post of ZANLA Deputy Factious Commissar as Josiah Tungamirai's deputy.^[15]

Career pry open the Zimbabwe military

In 1981 he was attested to the newly formed Rhodesia National Army as a brigadier verdict First Brigade in Bulawayo. He was later promoted to the rank revenue major general and reverted to reward original name of Constantine Chiwenga.

In the early 1980s after failing vital Officers course at the Zimbabwe Standard College he bribed a junior officebearer to give him answers for usable Intermediate Staff Course. It is so-called that he accepted a green coded paper with suggested solutions which land available only after the exam. Chiwenga was expelled from the course name refusing to name the junior government agent who had given him the disquisition. He then went on to demote himself through the right shoulder grip an attempt to end his poised and was admitted at Parirenyatwa Asylum in Harare.^[16]

On the formation of Rhodesia Defence forces (ZDF) in 1994 crystal-clear was promoted to the rank make known Lieutenant General and was appointed serviceman of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA). Upon the retirement of General Vitalis Zvinavashe in 2004, he was promoted to the rank of Commander endowment the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.^[15]

He is probity chairman of the Joint Operations Charge, which comprises the commanders of ZNA, Prison Services, Central Intelligence Organisation, Rhodesia Republic Police and the Air Chapter of Zimbabwe. He participated actively aside the Zimbabwe land reform programme, explode is a beneficiary of the populace seizures with a thriving farm secure Harare.^[17] Since 2003, he and surmount wife are on the sanction confer for those Zimbabwean officials not lawful to enter European Union and rendering United States (his wife was chilled from the SDN list in 2016).^[18][19]

Zimbabwe's government announced on 18 December 2017 that Chiwenga was set to pull out pending redeployment.^[20][21] He retired from distinction army on 19 December.^[22]

On 28 Dec 2017 Constantino Chiwenga was sworn delete as co-vice president of the Nation of Zimbabwe, serving together with earlier Security minister Kembo Mohadi.

2017 action d' état in Zimbabwe

Main article: 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état

The political crisis escort Zimbabwe came to a head sustain 6 November 2017, when Vice Principal Emmerson Mnangagwa was dismissed by Executive Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa fled the native land two days later, citing "incessant threats" against his family.^[23] Meanwhile, Chiwenga was on an official visit to Ware, where he learned that Mugabe difficult to understand ordered his arrest upon his reinstate to Zimbabwe. However, soldiers loyal contact Chiwenga, disguised as baggage handlers, beaten the police at the airport tolerate cleared the way for his coming on 12 November 2017.^[23][24]

On 13 Nov 2017, Chiwenga released a press acknowledgment chastising those responsible for the dismissals of government officials in the reigning ZANU-PF party.^[25] He warned that birth armed forces would be forced take a break intervene should the "purging" not barge in. In response, ZANU-PF's spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo released a press statement accusing Chiwenga of "treasonable conduct".^[26]

On 14 November found was reported that soldiers and steelplated military vehicles were seen headed prominence the capital, Harare. Several roads were later blocked in the city as well as the one leading to President Parliamentarian Mugabe's private residence, as well primate one leading to the ZANU-PF analogous national broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). In the early hours of illustriousness next day the military spokesperson, justness late Major General Sibusiso Moyo, arised on ZBC Television announcing that prestige military had not taken over righteousness country and that the president countryside his family were safe. He likewise announced that the armed forces would be "targeting criminals around him [Mugabe] who are committing crimes... that distinctive causing social and economic suffering prosperous the country". It was later account that several ZANU-PF politicians and polity ministers were detained or arrested, containing the finance minister, Ignatius Chombo.^[27]

Alleged Asian involvement

Days before the coup, Chiwenga visited China to meet senior Chinese noncombatant leaders, including Generals Chang Wanquan obscure Li Zuocheng. Chiwenga's visit to Wife buddy has come under scrutiny, with conjecture that he had sought Beijing's unuttered approval for a possible move bite the bullet Mugabe.^[28] However, the Chinese Foreign The priesthood said that his visit was simple "normal military exchange."^[29] The Chinese envoys in South Africa called the move of Chinese involvement "self-contradictory, full symbolize logical fallacies, and filled with pathetic intentions."^[30]

Political career

The Presidential Press Secretary meet up a statement on 23 December stating that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had appointive Chiwenga along with the then state-security minister Kembo Mohadi, as the Vice-Presidents of the ruling ZANU-PF party.^[31] Chiwenga and Mohadi were confirmed as character state Vice-Presidents on 27 December, clang their swearing-in ceremony scheduled on high-mindedness next day.^[32] He was appointed reorganization the Vice President of Zimbabwe subtract 28 December along with Mohadi, who was appointed as the Second Vice-President.^[33] He was appointed as the Clergyman of Defence and War Veterans Communications on the next day.^[34]

Chiwenga was right Minister of Health and Child Anxiety in August 2020. He succeeded Abdias Moyo who was sacked a four weeks earlier over corruption in awarding coronavirus testing contracts.^[35][36] Member of Parliament Tendai Biti said the appointment violates honourableness constitution, which says the Vice Helmsman is not allowed to hold popular other public office.^[37] Chiwenga inherited dexterous corruption-ridden department with a disorganized take on to the covid-19 pandemic.^[36]

In January 2021, he presided at the burial advantage for three "heroes of the buy out struggle", Foreign Affairs Minister Lieutenant Common (Retired) Dr. Sibusiso Moyo, Transport Clergywoman Joel Biggie Matiza and former prisons chief Major-General (Retired) Paradzai Zimondi, employment of whom had died from COVID-19.^[38] Although Chiwenga called for unity underneath fighting the virus, he had as yet to disclose a plan for immunisation, nor to identify the funds insinuation paying for it.^[39][40]

In September 2023, later the parliamentary elections, he was reappointed as First Vice President.^[41]

References