Promise Mkwananzi

Promise Mkwananzi
Education	University of Zimbabwe
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Being a Politician
Movement	Tajamuka/Sesjikile Campaign

Promise Mkwananzi is a Zimbabwean activist who is a member of the Tajamuka/Sesjikile Movement where he is the movement's spokesperson. Mkwananzi was the MDC-T Youth Assembly Secretary before he was expelled for calling for the leader's resignation in April 2014.

He's the most prominent Tajamuka/Sesjikile member.

In July 2019, Mkwananzi called for a national shutdown in Zimbabwe, but the shutdown calls were generally not heeded.

In early August 2019, Mkwananzi was arrested in Zimbabwe. He had been on the Zimbabwean police wanted list since the January 2019 shutdown protests for which he was suspected to have played a role in organising.

Education

Mkwananzi studied at the University of Zimbabwe before he enrolled at the University College Ultrech in Netherlands for a degree in International Development.

Political Career

During his studies at the University of Zimbabwe, Mkwananzi was a student leader as well as the president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) from 2006 to 2007. During that period Mkwananzi successfully organized efforts to pressure the government to scrap higher student fees as well as to safeguard students rights. He was expelled from the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirayi (MDC-T) where he was the Secretary General of the Youth Assembly, after he called called for the resignation of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai. He was expelled together with Elton Mangoma, Jacob Mafume and Last Maengahama.

While he was the president of ZINASU, Mkwananzi was put on the wanted list by the police, in 2006, in connection with a case of participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry. At that time he was moving around colleges in the country meeting students.

Promise Mkwananzi Tajamuka

He is currently the spokesperson for Tajamuka/Sesjikile Campaign, a youth movement that seeks to address problems affecting the youth in Zimbabwe. He is also the Executive Director of Zimbabwe Informal Sector's Organization (ZISO).

Arrests

On Friday 8 July 2016, Mkwananzi posted on his Facebook profile that he was handing himself to the police in the presence of his lawyer Mr. Trust Maanda.

Mkwananzi was arrested and he faced charges related to public violence that was committed on June 16 2016. His lawyer dismissed the charges saying that there was no justification for his arrest.

On 26 August 2016, during the Nera demonstration, Promise Mkwananzi was arrested after he had gone to Harare Central for his routine report as per bail conditions granted to him after the Shutdown arrest. He was denied bail 3 days later and remanded to 12 September 2016.

In early August 2019, Mkwananzi was arrested in Zimbabwe. He had been on the Zimbabwean police wanted list since the January 2019 shutdown protests for which he was suspected to have played a role in organising.