Winston Chitando

Career

Professional Career

After graduating from the University of Zimbabwe in November 1984, Chitando joined Anglo American Corporation in December of the same year as a graduate trainee based at Hwange Colliery Company, where he rose to the position of Chief Accountant. For a total of 11 years, Winston worked for the Anglo American Corporation group. During this period he rose through the ranks to hold various positions and directorships in a number of industrial and mining companies which were part of the Anglo American group.

He left the group to join Zimasco in 1997, he held the position of Divisional Commercial Manager in the Mining and Industrial Division. From 1998 until September 2007, Winston was an Executive Director with responsibility for Finance for both Zimasco (Pvt) Ltd and Mimosa Mining Company. He at various periods also held Executive responsibility in Zimasco for Sales and North Dyke Mining during this time.

He was subsequently appointed Managing Director of Mimosa Mining Company effective 1 October 2007. In May 2013, Mimosa restructured and Winston was appointed to the position of Executive Chairman of Mimosa Holdings and Mimosa Mining Company. As Executive Chairman, Winston’s mandate included driving long term strategies and effective stakeholder management.

Winston served as Vice President of the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe from 2008 until 2011 and as President from 2011 to 2013. He continues to serve on the Chamber of Mines Executive Committee and is currently Chairman of the Platinum Producers Association. Winston sits on various other boards including Zimbabwe School of Mines where he chairs the Audit Committee. He was also appointed the board chairman of Hwange Colliery Company Limited on 19 May 2016^[3]

Political Career

Initially Chitando was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa as Mines Minister in November 2017 based on his vast experience in the mining sector. In July 2018 general elections Chitando contested Gutu Central seat which he went to win under Zanu PF. He retained his position in government as Minister of Mines. ^[4]

Following the 23-24 August 2023 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced his new cabinet on 11 September 2023. The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is headed by Winston Chitando.

Events

Winston Chitando is mentioned on p31 Cartel Power Dynamics in Zimbabwe under the Case Study 5 The Mining Cartels.

Kudakwashe Tagwirei is alleged to have recently moved into the gold mining sector through Mauritius-based Sotic International, (Africa Confdential. Inside the state capture project. 27 August 2020.) Sotic has acquired Bindura Nickel Company (BNC), Freda Rebecca gold mine, Shamva Mine (newZWire. Tagwirei’s Sotic completes BNC takeover in Z$3.4 billion share deal. newZWire, 22 September 2020.) and a coal-bed methane concession. (Nyathi, P. Kuda Tagwirei’s Sakunda Granted Methane Concession Taken Away From ZCDC. Zimeye, 19 July 2020) These assets are mined by Landela Mining Venture (Pvt) Ltd. (Njini, F & Marawanyika, G. Zimbabwe Gold Mines Lure Investor Despite Economic Ruin. Bloomberg, 10 July 2020) Landela’s CEO is David Brown, a former CEO of Implats (Business Day. 2019. Former Implats head David Brown to lead Zimbabwe-Russia platinum joint venture. Business Day, 23 October 2019.), which owns Zimplats and half of Mimosa Mining (Implats. 2020. Annual Integrated Report). Brown is therefore the former boss of Winston Chitando, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, since Chitando was employed at Mimosa before becoming Minister. (Chingwere, I. Mimosa not replacing Chitando.” The Herald, 5 April 2018.)

Arrest

Winston Chitando was ordered imprisoned in February 2020 and committed to Harare Remand Prison to serve three-months for contempt of court for failing to transfer ownership over mining claims to mining conglomerate, RioZim.^[5]

Alleged affair

Prior to July 2018 general elections former Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi accused Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba of engaging in an extra-marital affair with Chitando. Kudzayi argued that her alleged affair with Chitando will make Chigumba favor Mnangagwa and Zanu PF. Winston Chitando was contesting Gutu Central seat in the National Assembly which he went on to win.

Gold Claims

In February 2022, Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando was accused of grabbing eight gold mining claims belonging to businessman Yakub Ibrahim Mahomed’s company, Anesu Gold (Pvt) Ltd. Chitando allegedly then re-issued the claims under a special grant to Golden Reef Mining (Pvt) Ltd, in which he has interests.^[6]

References