Fortune Chasi

Service/Career

Established Chasi, Mlotshwa & Co. Law Firm. ^[2]

Chasi rose after being elected to Parliament for Mazowe South. He was then also appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs on 10 September 2013.^[2] In November 2013, Chasi is said to have abused his power to ward off the police and the messenger of court from evicting farm invaders who were said to have been illegally settled on a farm owned by Alex Chatindo in Mazowe. ^[3]. In March 2014, he clashed with a senior Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) officer identified as P. Kazingizi who attempted to evict people occupying Bloomfield Farm. ^[4] Chasi blocked the move and AFZ Group Captain Albert Murove intervened ordering Chasi to back off.^[4] Kazingizi is believed to have coerced the police to effect the eviction and when that failed, he commanded five soldiers who assaulted the occupants. ^[4]

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mazowe South returned to Parliament:

• Fortune Chasi of Zanu PF with 11 431 votes or 69.35 percent,
• Maxwell Mandimutsira of MDC–T with 4 116 votes or 24.97 percent,
• Adriano Nyakupe of MDC–N with 820 votes or 4.97 percent,
• 1 other with 116 votes or 0.70 percent.

Total 16 483 votes

In the July 2018 elections he contested and was elected Member of Parliament for Mazoe South. Chasi was appointed Minister of Energy and Power Development on 14 May 2019, in President Mnangagwa’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Events

Alleged Misbehaviour and Dismissal

Although Chasi is said to have crossed swords Grace Mugabe, standing as an obstacle to the fulfillment of her 'philanthropic' projects in Mazowe, he temporarily survived being sacked after the Zanu PF 6th Congress when the first batch of ministers was sacked. Chasi had numerous allegations leveled against him. Grace argued that Chasi was on a relentless mission of spreading unfounded allegations aimed at tarnishing the image of the First Family as he was spreading rumours that the First Family is poised to take all the land in Mazowe. ^[5] Zanu PF youths are also said to have played a pivotal role in necessitating Chasi's ouster. During the Youth Conference which was held in August 2014, the youths are said to have passed a resolution asking Mugabe to sack Chasi.

Chasi was also accused of having by-passed protocol when he went on to attend Thomas Mapfumo's concert in April 2014 in South Africa without the approval of the Cabinet. ^[6] but was eventually fired.^[7]

Allegations of Factionalism

Chasi was also accused of dabbling in factionalism as well as fighting Grace's projects. ^[7] This time around, Mnangagwa did not stand up to fight for Chasi. It has been reported that Grace had long wanted to be the MP for Mazowe South to be able to land a cabinet post following her elevation within the party. ^[8] After his dismissal, Chasi was involved in a brawl with Bernard Manyenyeni over his utterances immediately after he was fired.^[9]

Music career

The former deputy minister also tried his hand at music when he recorded songs featuring Zim Dancehall Artists such as Guspy Warrior and Killer T. ^[10] He recorded "Zimbabwe Ino" with Killer T while the other one "Life Haizi Easy" with Guspy Warrior.

Further Reading

References