Dzikamai Mavhaire

School / Education

Primary: Mandini, Carai and Morgenster Primary School.
Secondary: Gutu Secondary School, Chibi United College of Education.
Teacher's Certificate.
Land Surveyor, Polytechnic College.

Service / Career

NDP and ZAPU Youth.
1964, Zanu Youth District Secretary, Victoria (Masvingo) Province.
1972, ANC Provincial P/C.
1973, promoted member of National Assembly.
1976, elected Provincial chairman Zanu Prople's Movement.
1971-2, 1976, 1977 - Detention.
Attended Lancaster House Conference for Zanu PF.
1980, elected House of Assembly, Zanu PF, Midlands Province.
He was governor and resident Minister for Masvingo Province in the 1980s. In 2008, he bounced back into politics after some years since his expulsion from Zanu PF in 1997. He contested in the Zanu PF primary elections for a senatorial post but was defeated by Maina Mandava. He was however made a Politburo member as secretary for production and labor. ^[2]

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

• Dzikamai Mavhaire of Zanu PF with 26 188 votes,
• Naboth Musabayana of ZUM with 3 905 votes.

Turnout - 32 062 voters or 76.36 %

Events

Mugabe Must Go

He became popular in 1997 after openly calling for the resignation of President Robert Mugabe in parliament. This led to his expulsion from Zanu PF. Following his fallout with the party, Mavhaire allegedly became a vendor in Masvingo where he was said to be selling oranges. At that time he was said to be driving a ramshackle vehicle from which he sold fruits and vegetables. ^[3]

Clash over Indegenisation Policy

Mavhaire, in 2012, clashed with his Zanu PF colleague Paul Mangwana over the implementation of the Indigenisation law. He said that the law, under which all foreign-owned companies are forced to cede 51 percent of their shares to locals, should not apply to Bikita minerals as he is already a shareholder there. This prompted President Robert Mugabe and the then Indigenization Minister Saviour Kasukuwere to postpone the community share ownership scheme. ^[4]

As Energy Minister

He was head of the Ministry of Energy and Power Development after 2014. He started his tenure by dissolving 8 energy sector boards accusing them of underperforming. The boards were appointed by the then energy minister, Elton Mangoma. The dissolved boards include those for Zimbabwe Power Company, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC), PowerTel Communications, Zesa Enterprises, National Oil Infrastructure Company, Petrotrade, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) and the Rural Electrification Agency. ^[5] Mavhaire said the new appointees would be able to advance the implementation of Zanu PF's economic blue print- Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Social and Economic Transformation (ZimAsset). He came under fire from the media when he said the power shortages being experienced in the country will only be improved in 2018. Since his appointment to the ministry, load shedding had increased. ^[6]

Dismissal From Government

After having been fingered in the plot to oust President Robert Mugabe he went on to lose his post in the central committee and the Politiburo. Apart from losing his posts in Zanu PF, Mavhaire was dismissed as energy minister together with his deputy Munacho Mutezo. ^[7] The dismissal of Mavhaire and his deputy came in the wake of a multiplicity of allegations and a cabinet reshuffle. Some of the allegations that have have been leveled against Mavhaire include coercing Zesa Holdings into depositing USD40 000 in the Zanu PF Manicaland Womens league account. The funds were allegedly meant to facilitate the unseating of President Mugabe.

Scandal

The former energy minister has been fingered in several underhand dealings ranging from corruption and mis-appropriation of ZESA funds among others. Among some of the scandals that Mavhaire has been implicated in is one in which he and his deputy, Munacho Mutezo were allegedly said to have pushed ZESA Holdings to tender 300 000 smart metres for non-existing properties. ^[8] Mavhaire's argument that the project was meant to cater for future demand was shot down by officials at ZETDC who pointed out that smart meters were a luxury which a struggling parastatal like ZESA could not afford. Just like other technologies like cellphones, the metering technology was fast changing and the reason for deploying smart meters preparation for future use was not valid. ^[8] Mavhaire was also caught up in a tender scandal in which The Rural Electrification Agency allegedly awarded a US$2,5 million wiring pole tender to a struggling timber producer and subsequently ordered its own subsidiary, Hotspeck Enterprises (Pvt) (Ltd), to bail out the bid winner. The media also claimed to be in possession of documents showing that there were indeed underhand dealings between REA and Hotspeck Enterprises. ^[8] Asked to comment on the matter, Mavhaire argued that he could not discuss the alleged scam with this publication because The Sunday Mail was a “private newspaper”. He was also fingered in a shareholding scam in which it was alleged that he falsified General Vitalis Zvinavashe’s death and caused his removal from Bikita Minerals directorship, the late national hero’s son, Richard, has claimed. It was further alleged that ex-minister Mavhaire convened a board meeting in March and the gathering declared Gen Zvinavashe dead when in fact he was in hospital receiving medical attention. The ex-energy minister however poured cold water on the allegations claiming that

Zvinavashe anga asiri chigamba changu, he was his own man. The boy (Richard) is absolutely ignorant. He needs help. He wants to make a fortune out of my name.^[9]

Expulsion From ZANU-PF

Mavhaire was expelled from the party on 21 May 2015. This followed his initial dismissal from cabinet as the minister of energy. He was expelled together with other 6 senior members.

References