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OpenOpposition Remembers Chimutengwende For Alleged Role In 2000 Election Violence
Opposition politicians and activists remember the late ZANU PF official and Cabinet minister, Chenhamo Chekazhe Chen Chimutengwende, for his alleged role in orchestrating violence during the contentious 2000 election period.
Chimutengwende, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 81 after a prolonged battle with kidney disease, was declared a national hero.
However, opposition politician Elliot Pfebve claimed that Chimutengwende was involved in a violent attack on MDC supporters in Mashonaland Central province during the intense 2000 election campaign.
Pfebve alleged that ZANU PF supporters, wearing campaign T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Wako Ndewako Che,” attacked a rally, armed with machetes, knobkerries, and iron bars. Said Pfebve (via NewsDay):
They started attacking indiscriminately, even the police were surprised and caught unaware.
I immediately pulled my licensed pistol to scare them and save the defenceless people under attack.
The police asked me to fire in the air, which worked, scattering the attackers.
Pfebve said that the violence left dozens injured, prompting his team to transport the victims to Howard Hospital in Chiweshe for treatment.
He alleged that the attack had been premeditated the day before when Chimutengwende reportedly gave ZANU PF youths Z$7,000 to disrupt the MDC rally.
Following the incident, eight ZANU PF supporters were arrested and appeared in court on February 23, 2000.
However, Pfebve claimed that Chimutengwende, along with other senior officials such as the late Border Gezi, interfered with the judicial process.
The suspects, including Chimutengwende’s brother, were granted bail and never prosecuted. From then on, ZANU PF activists allegedly began targeting the opposition with impunity.
Chimutengwende was a prominent figure in Zimbabwean politics, known for his eloquence and his contributions to the liberation struggle.
He began his political career at age 14 in Highfield, Harare, and in 1963 became secretary for information and publicity in the ZANU PF Youth League. He completed his military training in Ghana in 1964.
After Zimbabwe’s independence, he was appointed ZANU PF provincial chairperson for Mashonaland Central in 1986, a position he held for 17 years.
Chimutengwende served in various government roles for 14 years and was a member of parliament for 23 years until 2008.
He held ministerial positions in the Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications; Ministry of Environment and Tourism; and the Ministry of Public and Interactive Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Despite his long political career, Chimutengwende’s legacy remains highly divisive. Allegations of his involvement in suppressing opposition voices and benefiting from controversial government programs overshadow his accomplishments.
In July 2020, Chimutengwende was listed in the BSR (Big Saturday Read by Alex Magaisa) of 18 July 2020 as a beneficiary of the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, part of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.
According to the report, he received a loan of US$98,780 under the controversial scheme, which was never repaid, and the burden was ultimately passed on to taxpayers.
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