Oppah Muchinguri

Education

Primary: St James Zongoro, an Anglican Institution.
Secondary: Hartzell High School.
Tertiary: She graduated with a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe in 2013. ^[3]

Service/Career

Oppah received her military training in Mozambique and later joined the Second Chimurenga fighting in the Josiah Tongogara- commanded Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, (ZANLA). ^[4]

At independence, she was appointed Private Secretary to the President between 1980 and 1981. She was Deputy Minister twice, first of State for External Affairs between 1989 and 1993 and of Environment and Tourism between 1993 and 1997. Her first ministerial post came in 1997 when she was appointed Minister of State in the President’s Office, a post she held until 2000. Muchinguri was appointed Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development in 2005. ^[5]

In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mutare North returned to Parliament:

• Oppah Muchinguri of Zanu PF with 14 165 votes,
• Giles Mutsekwa of ZUM with 13 484 votes,
• David Mabunyara of ZANU–Ndonga with 1 481 votes.

Turnout - 30 671 voters or 72.22 %

In the 2000 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mutare North returned to Parliament:

• Giles Mutsekwa of MDC with 15 500 votes,
• Oppah Chamu Zvipange Muchinguri of Zanu PF with 5 564 votes,
• Justin Nyatoti of UP with 235 votes.

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections), sixty seats were allocated to women, under the 2013 Zimbabwe Constitution. They were divided into 6 per province, based on a party's share of votes in the province. The parties produced lists of candidates before the elections. Successful candidates are listed in bold. Only parties which had successful candidates are listed. Vote counts for these seats may vary slightly from the official provincial vote totals due to some multiple candidates votes.

Positions Held

• 1980-1981 Private Secretary to Prime Minister Robert Mugabe
• 2000-2003-Secretary to the President Governor of Manicaland Province
• 2005-2009 Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development
• 2009-2014 Secretary General ZANU-PF Woman’s League
• 2014 -Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education in the Zanu-PF party
• 2014 -Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education
• 2015- Minister of Water, Environment & Climate
• Central Committee Member ^[6]
• 11 September 2018 - 2023, Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs.

Following the 23-24 August 2023 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced his new cabinet on 11 September 2023. The newly named Ministry of Defence, Security and War Veterans is headed by Oppah Kashiri with deputy Brig General Rtd Levy Mayihlome.

Events

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, Oppah Muchinguri was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million
• Midlands US$14 million.

Oppah Muchinguri is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. According to the list, she and her Middlepos Farm have a debt of US$383,131.00 under the scheme. ^[7]

Push To Replace Mujuru - 2009 to 2017

In 2009, it was reported that the Emmerson Mnangagwa faction was to push for the election of Muchinguri as vice-president of the party to replace Joice Mujuru who was accused of working with the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T. .^[8]

In 2014 when Joice Mujuru was Vice President it was reported again that the Mnangagwa camp was strategizing on how Mujuru could be challenged and Muchinguri would take over. The media reported that there were moves to push Women Affairs minister, Oppah Muchinguri to challenge Mujuru at the Congress so that they take her out of the succession race and pave way for the strategic positioning of Mnangagwa to ultimately take over the reins when the time comes.^[9]

Muchinguri, however, dismissed the reports as baseless fabrications created by individuals with an agenda to divide Zanu-PF.

“In Zanu PF, we don’t work like that. We have clear rules and regulations and established structures in place,” said Muchinguri. ^[9]

In October 2017 the team Lacoste Faction was reportedly backing Muchinguri for vice presidency in the event that Mnangagwa did not succeed.^[10]Lacoste Manoeuvring To Have Oppah Muchinguri Nominated For Female Vice President

Support of War Vets -2011

In 2011, Muchinguri threatened to expose Zanu PF officials who do not appreciate the sacrifice the War Veterans made and how hard it was for them to liberate the country. Muchinguri reportedly said Zanu PF was infiltrated by crooks who were abusing their positions to amass wealth through corruption and underhand dealings and that she was not afraid to expose them despite being in top positions. ^[11]

Alleged ties to Emmerson Mnangagwa

Muchinguri has been generally viewed as a Mugabe loyalist and also closely linked to Emmerson Mnangagwa and Jonathan Moyo. In 2013, the battle for succession for Presidency between Joice Mujuru and Emmerson Mnangagwa, who both denied that they harbour presidential ambitions at that time, reportedly spilt over to Zanu PF’s provincial structures. Muchinguri was one of the members accused of causing divisions and belonging to the Mnangagwa camp in Manicaland. ^[12]

After Mnangagwa was dismissed in early November 2017 by Robert Mugabe, Muchinguri was largely accused of being the 'godmother' of team Lacoste and being an accomplice to remove Mugabe from presidency. ^[13]

Stepping Down As Secretary of Women's League - 2014

Muchinguri made headlines in 2014 when she stepped down from her position as the Secretary of the Women's League in Zanu PF. The stepping down was received as a calculated move to bring Grace Mugabe into the mainstream Zimbabwean political arena. However, in November 2017 Muchinguri revealed that she had been forced to resign from her position,

It’s unfair to say I handed it over. I was pushed to surrender that position. Grudgingly, I surrendered that position because some women approached me to say I should give it up for the first lady. I don’t know what benefits they were looking for, so I had to do so reluctantly.

^[14]

Appointment in Cabinet - 2014

During the Zanu PF People’s Congress in 2014, Oppah Muchinguri and Grace Mugabe went on a crusade denouncing what they called divisive elements in Zanu PF. Muchinguri together with Grace Mugabe openly accused the then vice president Joice Mujuru of fanning factionalism in the party and also plotting to unseat Robert Mugabe. Soon after, Muchinguri was one of the people appointed by Robert Mugabe in the cabinet reshuffle later that year. The appointment came after the Zanu PF congress which also saw the demotion of some senior members and cabinet ministers. Muchinguri was given the post of Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education which was previously led by Olivia Muchena who was dismissed on allegations of factionalism. ^[15]

Covid-19 Comments

In 2020, Oppah Muchinguri was in the limelight after she took delight in the virus’ spread — then mainly in Western countries, such as the U.S. — saying it was God’s punishment for imposing economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Muchinguri told a Zanu PF meeting in Chinhoyi:

"The coronavirus is the work of God punishing countries that imposed sanctions on us. They’re now keeping indoors. Their economies are screaming, just like they did to ours. (Donald) Trump should know that he is not God."

^[16]

In January 2021, Muchinguri said China's botched "experiments" were responsible for the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government distanced itself from the accusations made in a tearful interview as Muchinguri mourned Ellen Gwaradzimba who died from COVID-19. In an audio recording Muchinguri is heard saying:

"The disease is now on a fresh peak now. Cases are rising again. They (Chinese) are the ones who started their experiments and things got out of hand and now their experiments are costing us. They cannot control this now. They have costed us. Those whom we call our all-weather friends, look at what they have done to us.

^[17]

Trivia

The late musician Simon Chimbetu sang a song titled Oppah which talks about his love for such a woman, was widely believed to be dedicated to Muchinguri. Muchinguri was passenger in a car crash that killed Tongorara on the eve of independence in December 1979 and it was reported the two were in a romantic relationship. ^[18]

Picture Gallery

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri and Grace Mugabe

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri and Grace Mugabe, with Amos Midzi in the middle

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  Mugabe greets Cde Nicholas Goche with Oppah Muchinguri in the background, before the politburo meeting at the party headquarters in Harare

• 

  Robert Mugabe chats with Oppah Muchinguri, Nicholas Goche, and Absolom Sikhosana before a politburo meeting in Harare -Nov 2014

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri and Anthony Kashiri at Mutare Polytechnic in 2015

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri attending ZANU-PF Conference in Chinhoyi in December 2013

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  Oppah Muchinguri chats to Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri at one of Grace Mugabe's Meet the People Rallies in Bulawayo in October 2014

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri alongside Grace Mugabe at a Meet the People rally in Bulawayo Oct 2014

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri on Zanu-PF party business

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri with Grace Mugabe in 2014

• 

  Oppah Muchinguri

References