Constantino Chiwenga: Difference between revisions

| honorific-prefix = Rtd.[[His Excellency]]<br>[[General officer|General]]

| name = ConstantineConstantino Chiwenga

| honorific-suffix =

| imagesize =

| smallimage =

| caption = Chiwenga in 2024

| order =

| office = [[Vice-President of Zimbabwe|First Vice -President of Zimbabwe]]

|term_start term_start = 28 December 2017

|president president = [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]]

| predecessor = Emmerson Mnangagwa
| successor =

|term_start1 president1 = 4 August= Emmerson 2020Mnangagwa

|term_end1 predecessor1 = [[Obadiah =Moyo]]

|president1 successor1 = Emmerson[[Douglas MnangagwaMombeshora]]

|successor1 term_start2 = 29 December 2017

|term_start2 predecessor2 = 29 December 2017[[Kembo Mohadi]]

|term_end2 successor2 = 11[[Oppah SeptemberMuchinguri|Oppah 2018Muchinguri-Kashiri]]

|predecessor2 alongside3 = [[Kembo Mohadi]]

|alongside3 predecessor3 = KemboEmmerson MohadiMnangagwa

|term_end3 term_start4 = December 2003

|president3 term_end4 = Emmerson19 MnangagwaDecember 2017

|predecessor3 president4 = [[Robert Mugabe]]<br>Emmerson Mnangagwa

|term_end4 term_start5 = 19 December 20171994

|predecessor4 president5 = [[VitalisRobert Zvinavashe]]Mugabe

|president5 education = RobertPolitical Mugabescience

|predecessor5 nationality = Zimbabwean

|successor5 party = Philip Valerio Sibanda = [[ZANU–PF]]

|birth_date relations = {{Birth date= and age|1956|8|25|df=y}}

|education residence = Political= science

|nationality alma_mater = Zimbabwean

|party occupation = [[ZANU–PF]]

|relations nickname = Dominic Chinenge

|children allegiance = {{armed forces|Zimbabwe}}

|alma_mater serviceyears = 1973–2017

|occupation rank = [[General officer|General]]

|profession unit =

|nickname commands = Dominic= Chinenge

|allegiance battles = {{flagicon|ZIM}} = [[ZimbabweRhodesian DefenceBush ForcesWar]]

|serviceyears signature = 1981–2017

|rank website = [[General officer|General]]

|unit footnotes =

'''ConstantineConstantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga''' (born '''Constantine Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga''' on; 25 August 1956), is a Zimbabwean politician and former army general currently serving, since 2017, as the First Vice-President of Zimbabwe under President [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]]. In August 2020, he added the HeathHealth Ministry to his portfolio.

Since 2017, he has also been the Vice President and Second Secretary of the ruling [[Zimbabwean African National Union–Patriotic Front]] (ZANU-PF) jointly serving with [[Kembo Mohadi]]. In 2017, he, amongwas others,the managedmost toprominent military leader involved in successfully toppletoppling Zimbabwe's President of 37 years [[Robert Mugabe]] in a bloodless [[2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état|coup]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/13/zimbabwe-army-chief-warns-military-could-step-in-over-party-purge|title=Zimbabwe army chief warns military could 'step in' over party purge|lastagency=[[Agence France-Presse|first=Agence]]|date=2017-11-13|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-11-21|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/zimbabwe-politics-mugabe/ |title="Treacherous shenanigans" - The inside story of Mugabe's downfall |work=Reuters |first1=MacDonald |last1=Dzirutwe |first2=Joe |last2=Brock |first3=Ed |last3=Cropley |date=2018-11-26 |access-date=2022-11-14}}</ref>

Chiwenga was born in 1956 in [[Wedza District]] of [[Mashonaland East Province]]. He was educated up to [[GCE Ordinary Level|O Level]] at [[Mt St Mary's Mission School|St Mary's Mission]] in Hwedza, together with former students: [[Perrance Shiri]], later Air Marshal, <ref>{{Cite news|last=Nyarota |first=Geoffrey |date=6 January 2009 |accessdate=2010-01-11 |title=Shiri's assassination attempt was a hoax |publisher=The Zimbabwe Situation |url=http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/jan7a_2009.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920212213/https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jan7a_2009.html |archive-date=20 September 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> and Shungurirai, later Brigadier General and Commander Mechanised Brigade.{{Citation needed|reason=Shungurirai not verified |date=March 2021}} Chiwenga went on to earn a PhD in Ethics from the [[University of KwaZulu-Natal]] in 2015.<ref name="UKZN-1">{{Cite web|title=Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander graduates with PhD from UKZN |date=21 April 2015 |publisher=University of KwaZulu-Natal |url=https://www.news24.com/News24/zim-army-commander-gets-phd-from-ukzn-20150510 }}</ref> On 29 July 2016, he changed his name to Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ziga |first=Brenda |date=30 July 2016 |title=Gen Chiwenga changes name |newspaper=[[The Herald (Zimbabwe)|The Herald]] |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |url=http://www.herald.co.zw/gen-chiwenga-changes-name/ |accessdate=16 November 2017 }}</ref>

Chiwenga has been married and divorced several times.<ref>"General Chiwenga has publicly been associated with five women, and has children with two of them. His first wife lives in Marondera and is from Wedza." Chiwenga has adult children from his first marriage. {{Cite news|date=8 December 2019 |title=General Chiwenga Moves Back to His First Wife |newspaper=Gambawe |url=https://gambakwe.com/2019/12/08/exclusive-general-chiwenga-moves-back-to-his-first-wife/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218223940/https://gambakwe.com/2019/12/08/exclusive-general-chiwenga-moves-back-to-his-first-wife/ |archive-date=18 December 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> In 1998 he married Jocelyn Jacobsen (née Mauchaza) with a divorce in 2012.<ref name="Mawire">{{Cite news|last=Mawire |first=Gift |date=7 March 2017 |title=Filthy Rich General Chiwenga Messy Divorce Exposes Plunder, Externalisation And Offshore Properties |newspaper=PaZimbabwe |url=https://www.pazimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-35372-filthy-rich-general-chiwenga-messy-divorce-exposes-plunder-externalisation-and-offshore-properties.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/gQ1UH?https://www.pazimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-35372-filthy-rich-general-chiwenga-messy-divorce-exposes-plunder-externalisation-and-offshore-properties.html |archive-date=18 December 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> There were no children from his marriage to Jacobsen.<ref name="New-baby">{{Cite news|date=19 November 2012 |title=Chiwenga, Wife Welcome New Baby |newspaper=[[Daily News (Harare)|Daily News]] |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |url=https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2012/11/19/chiwenga-wife-welcome-new-baby |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614173859/https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2012/11/19/chiwenga-wife-welcome-new-baby |archive-date=14 June 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy}}</ref> In 2011 he married Marry (Mary) Mubaiwa, a former model,<ref name="Mawire" /><ref name="New-baby" /> while still married to Jacobsen.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 November 2011 |title=Chiwenga in soup over new wife Mary |newspaper=[[NewsDay (Zimbabwean newspaper)|NewsDay]] |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2011/11/2011-11-17-chiwenga-in-soup-over-new-wife-mary/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117143446/https://www.newsday.co.zw/2011/11/2011-11-17-chiwenga-in-soup-over-new-wife-mary/ |archive-date=17 November 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=20 August 2015 |title=Chiwenga 's fight with ex-wife reaches Supreme Court |newspaper=PaZimbabwe |url=https://www.pazimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-7259-chiwengaex-wife-fight-reaches-supreme-court.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/UMTpp?https://www.pazimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-7259-chiwengaex-wife-fight-reaches-supreme-court.html |archive-date=18 December 2019 |url-status=livedead |df=dmy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=12 September 2014 |title=Chiwenga wins farm battle over ex-wife |newspaper=[[Zimbabwe Independent]] |url=https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2014/09/12/chiwenga-wins-farm-battle-ex-wife/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703031240/https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2014/09/12/chiwenga-wins-farm-battle-ex-wife/ |archive-date=3 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> In 2012 Marry bore their first child, a son, and a year later she bore a girl.<ref name="New-baby" /><ref name="PM-News-1">{{Cite news|date=7 December 2019 |title=Vice President divorces wife, evicts her from home |newspaper=P.M. News |location=Lagos, Nigeria |publisher=Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL) |url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/12/07/vice-president-divorces-wife-evicts-her-from-home/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208132354/https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/12/07/vice-president-divorces-wife-evicts-her-from-home/ |archive-date=8 December 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>

He joined the war in 1973 and was trained in [[Mozambique]] as a [[ZANLA]] militant. Chiwenga adopted the war name of "Dominic Chinenge". He rose through the ranks to become a Provincial Commander for Masvingo/Gaza Province deputised by George Chiweshe who was the Provincial Commissar. He was later promoted to the High Command in 1978 to the post of ZANLA Deputy [[Political Commissar]] as [[Josiah Tungamirai]]'s deputy.<ref name="AC">{{cite web|title=Who's Who Profile -– Zimbabwe -– Constantine Chiwenga|url=http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/1005/|publisher=[[Africa Confidential]]|accessdate=2010-01-11}}</ref>

In the early 1980s after failing basic Officers course at the Zimbabwe Staff College he bribed a junior officer to give him answers for practical Intermediate Staff Course. It is alleged that he accepted a green coded paper with suggested solutions which are available only after the exam. Chiwenga was expelled from the course after refusing to name the junior officer who had given him the paper. He then went on to shoot himself through the right shoulder in an attempt to end his life and was admitted at [[Parirenyatwa Hospital]] in Harare.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christina |first=Lamb |date=2017-11-19 |title=Zimbabwe army chief Chiwenga shot himself in chest after British officer caught him cheating |work=[[The Times]] |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/zimbabwe-army-chief-chiwenga-shot-himself-in-chest-after-british-officer-caught-him-cheating-0tj28fx0p |access-date=2022-06-29}}</ref>

He is the chairman of the [[Joint Operations Command (Zimbabwe)|Joint Operations Command]], which comprises the commanders of ZNA, Prison Services, [[Central Intelligence Organisation]], [[Zimbabwe Republic Police]] and the [[Air Force of Zimbabwe]]. He participated actively during the Zimbabwe land reform programme, and is a beneficiary of the land seizures with a thriving farm near Harare.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.africaintelligence.com/ION/who-s-who/2003/12/06/c-guveya-chiwenga,9503849-ART|title=C. Guveya Chiwenga|accessdate=2010-01-11|publisher=Africa Intelligence|archive-date=4 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004063607/http://www.africaintelligence.com/ION/who-s-who/2003/12/06/c-guveya-chiwenga,9503849-ART|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since 2003, he and his wife are on the sanction list for those Zimbabwean officials not allowed to enter [[European Union]] and the United States (his wife was removed from the [[SDN list]] in 2016).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/sanction_list.html|title=Sanctions Lists|year=2005|publisher=The Zimbabwe Situation|accessdate=2010-01-11|archive-date=4 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604193947/http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/sanction_list.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[{{cite web |date=2016-10-04 |title=Zimbabwe Removals and Update; Kingpin Act Updates |url=https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20161004 Zimbabwe|access-date=2021-08-01 removals|website=[[U.S. andDepartment update;of Kingpinthe Act updatesTreasury]]}}</ref>

Zimbabwe's government announced on 18 December 2017 that Chiwenga was set to retire pending redeployment.<ref>{{citeCite news |last=Emelia |first=Sithole-Matarise |date=2017-12-18 |title=Zimbabwe military chief looks set for vice presidency |work=[[Reuters]] web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-chiwenga/zimbabwe-military-leaderchief-chiwengalooks-set-tofor-retirevice-pending-redeploymentpresidency-idUSKBN1EC1TR |access-date=2022-06-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-12-19 |title=Zimbabwe Army chief Constantino Chiwenga retires for possible VP job |yearwork=2017Daily Nation |publisheragency=Daily[[Agence NatioFrance-Presse]] |accessdateurl=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/africa/zimbabwe-army-chief-constantino-chiwenga-retires-for-possible-vp-job-1246770 |access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref> He retired from the army on 19 December.<ref>{{citeCite news |last=Felex |first=Share |date=2017-12-19 |title=UPDATED: Gen Chiwenga, Chihuri retire |work=[[The Herald (Zimbabwe)|The Herald]] |location=Harare, Zimbabwe web|url=http://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-news-general-chiwenga-retires/|title=UPDATED: Gen Chiwenga, Chihuri retire|year=2017|publisher=The Herald |accessdateaccess-date=2017-12-25}}</ref>

On 13 November 2017, Chiwenga released a press statement chastising those responsible for the dismissals of government officials in the ruling [[ZANU-PF]] party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2017/11/14/chiwenga-warns-mugabe-zanu-pf|title=Chiwenga warns Mugabe, Zanu PF|date=14 November 2017|accessdate=15 November 2017|author=Kwaramba, Fungi & Tafirenyika, Mugove |newspaper=[[Daily News (Harare)|Daily News]]|archive-date=16 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116103001/https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2017/11/14/chiwenga-warns-mugabe-zanu-pf|url-status=dead}}</ref> He warned that the armed forces would be forced to intervene should the "purging" not stop. In response, ZANU-PF's spokesperson [[Simon Khaya-Moyo]] released a press statement accusing Chiwenga of "treasonable conduct".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41992351|title=Zimbabwe crisis: Army takes over -– Mugabe 'detained'|date=15 November 2017|accessdate=15 November 2017|newspaper=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

On 14 November it was reported that soldiers and armoured military vehicles were seen headed towards the capital, Harare. Several roads were later blocked in the city including the one leading to President [[Robert Mugabe]]'s private residence, as well as one leading to the ZANU-PF aligned national broadcaster, [[Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation]] (ZBC). In the early hours of the next day the military spokesperson, the late Major General [[Sibusiso Moyo]], appeared on ZBC Television announcing that the military had not taken over the country and that the president and his family were safe. He also announced that the armed forces would be "targeting criminals around him [Mugabe] who are committing crimes... that are causing social and economic suffering in the country". It was later reported that several ZANU-PF politicians and government ministers were detained or arrested, including the finance minister, [[Ignatius Chombo]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-zimbabwe-politics/zimbabwe-army-launches-takeover-against-criminals-around-mugabe-says-president-safe-idUKKBN1DE1WB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115080719/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-zimbabwe-politics/zimbabwe-army-launches-takeover-against-criminals-around-mugabe-says-president-safe-idUKKBN1DE1WB|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 November 2017|title=Zimbabwe army launches takeover against 'criminals' around Mugabe, says president 'safe'|date=15 November 2017|accessdate=15 November 2017|first= MacDonald|last=Dzirutwe |newspaper=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

Days before the coup, Chiwenga visited China to meet senior Chinese military leaders, including Generals [[Chang Wanquan]] and [[Li Zuocheng]]. Chiwenga's visit to China has come under scrutiny, with speculation that he had sought Beijing's tacit approval for a possible move against Mugabe.<ref>[{{Cite news|last1=Westcott |first1=Ben |last2=George |first2=Steve |date=17 November 2017 |title= The Chinese connection to the Zimbabwe 'coup' |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/17/africa/china-zimbabwe-mugabe-diplomacy/index.html]. ''CNN''. Retrieved|access-date= 17 November 2017.}}</ref> However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that his visit was a "normal military exchange."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-china/china-says-zimbabwe-military-chiefs-visit-was-normal-visit-idUSKBN1DF0UB|title=Zimbabwe military chief's China trip was normal visit, Beijing says|date=15 November 2017|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref> The Chinese embassy in South Africa called the reports of Chinese involvement "self-contradictory, full of logical fallacies, and filled with evil intentions."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Tom|title=China rejects claims it had hand in efforts to oust Robert Mugabe|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/21/china-rejects-claims-it-had-hand-in-efforts-to-oust-robert-mugabe|work=The Guardian|date=21 November 2017}}</ref>

The Presidential Press Secretary issued a statement on 23 December stating that President [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]] had appointed Chiwenga along with the then state-security minister [[Kembo Mohadi]], as the Vice-Presidents of the ruling [[ZANU-PF]] party.<ref>{{cite news|title=Constantino Chiwenga named ZANU-PF deputy|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/constantino-chiwenga-named-zanu-pf-deputy-171223151740442.html|work=Al-Jazeera|date=24 December 2017}}</ref> Chiwenga and Mohadi were confirmed as the state Vice-Presidents on 27 December, with their swearing-in ceremony scheduled on the next day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Zimbabwe: Latest -– Chiwenga Mohadi Confirmed State VPs|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201712280015.html|work=AllAfrica|date=27 December 2017}}</ref> He was appointed as the Vice President of Zimbabwe on 28 December along with Mohadi, who was appointed as the Second Vice-President.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former army chief Constantino Chiwenga sworn in as Zimbabwe's vice-president|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/world/africa/former-army-chief-constantino-chiwenga-sworn-in-as-zimbabwes-vice-president|work=Agence-France Presse|publisher=The Straits Times|date=28 December 2017}}</ref> He was appointed as the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs on the next day.<ref>{{cite news|title=More clout for Chiwenga as he is appointed Minister of Defence|url=http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/clout-chiwenga-appointed-minister-defence/|work=The Zimbabwe Mail|date=29 December 2017}}</ref>

In January 2021, he presided at the burial service for three "heroes of the liberation struggle", Foreign Affairs Minister Lieutenant General (Retired) Dr. [[Sibusiso Moyo]], Transport Minister [[Joel Biggie Matiza]] and former prisons chief Major-General (Retired) [[Paradzai Zimondi]], all of whom had died from covidCOVID-19.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Mahlahla |first=Justin |date=27 January 2021 |title=We will conquer covid-19, says Acting President Chiwenga at historic heroes' triple burial |publisher=ZBC News (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation) |url=https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/we-will-conquer-covid-19-says-acting-president-chiwenga-at-historic-heroes-triple-burial/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127152537/https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/we-will-conquer-covid-19-says-acting-president-chiwenga-at-historic-heroes-triple-burial/ |archive-date=27 January 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> Although Chiwenga called for unity in fighting the virus, he had yet to disclose a plan for vaccination, nor to identify the funds for paying for it.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Malanga |first1=Blessed |last2=Chikandwa |first2=Harriet |date=28 January 2021 |title=A healthy Chiwenga resurfaces |newspaper=[[NewsDay (Zimbabwean newspaper)|NewsDay]] |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/01/a-healthy-chiwenga-resurfaces/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128163156/https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/01/a-healthy-chiwenga-resurfaces/ |archive-date=28 January 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Zimbabwe's "Military-assisted Transition" and Prospects for Recovery |journal=Crisis Group Africa Briefing |issue=134 |date=20 December 2017 |volume=International crisis group}}</ref>

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the [[Zimbabwe National Army]]|years=1994 - 20031994–2003}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the [[Zimbabwe Defence Forces]]|years=2003 - 20172003–2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiwenga, ConstantineConstantino}}

[[Category:Defence Ministersministers of Zimbabwe]]