Cleveria Chizema
Cleveria Chizema is a Zimbabwean politician and former Zanu PF Politburo member. She was suspended after she was allegedly found in possession of flyers denouncing the party's first secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa and extolling his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.
Background
Cleveria Chizema was born on 23 March 1946. Chizema is a senator in Parliament and was the party's Secretary for Health, Child Care and Elderly before being replaced by David Parirenyatwa after her suspension.[1]
Suspension from Zanu PF
Cleveria Chizema, a member of the Zanu PF party’s women’s wing, was suspended by the party’s Politburo earlier in August 2020 after she was allegedly found in possession of flyers denouncing Mnangagwa and extolling his deputy Constantino Chiwenga. She was suspended together with Tendai Savanhu who is a business and former Mbare MP who has been expelled as an accomplice of Chizema.[2]
The flyers were allegedly due to be used during anti-government demonstrations that were planned for 31 July 2020, before Mnangagwa deployed security forces to force people to stay home. Mnangagwa’s supporters believe Chiwenga – the 63-year-old former army general who led the coup that ousted the late former President Robert Mugabe – is behind the plot to oust him, but have so far shied away from confronting him.
Patrick Chinamasa said Chizema was expelled because of what he called “the seriousness of her case”, stating that “she did not deny any wrongdoing.”
“The Politburo warned that any elements bent on or working to split our leadership and dividing the party will be treated with no leniency. We’re making these very serious decisions to send a clear message that anyone, anyone, anyone who does not follow the party line does not deserve to be in our midst,” Chinamasa to reporters.
