News / National
Unpacking the 'criminal elements' that caused #Zimbabwe coup
17 Nov 2017 at 23:51hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe's 52-year-old wife rose from political obscurity to the top ranks of the ruling Zanu-PF party women's league secretary in the Zanu PF politburo. She led the charge, leading to the ouster of Joice Mujuru, her husband's deputy for 10 years.
Vitriolic at most rallies, she addressed and, after the purge of vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, became the front-runner to succeed her husband.
Grace is known for her lavish lifestyle with the Daily Telegraph referring to her as "notorious at home for her profligacy" in its coverage of a 2003 trip to Paris during which she reportedly spent £75 000 (approximately $120 000) in a short shopping spree.
She enrolled with the School of Liberal Arts, Renmin University of China in 2007, studying the Chinese language and graduated in 2011.
Grace is well-known for her vitriol at rallies.
Jonathan Moyo:
Without doubt one of the most controversial figures, not only in Zanu PF but the whole national political landscape, Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo was born on January 12, 1957.
Moyo — a holder of a Bachelors (Bsc) degree and a PhD degree in Public Policy and a Masters degree in Public Administration — attended the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Southern California.
Initially a rabid critic of Mugabe and Zanu PF, Moyo — in a space of seven years — went from being a fervent critic of the Mugabe government to being its
fiercest defender and then again to being one of its foremost critics, a fact that renders him a mystery to many Zimbabweans.
An unquestioned propagandist and spin-doctor, Moyo has allegedly been the brains behind the Generation 40 faction (G40) within Zanu PF, a faction in the ruling party, which is rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
After serving as the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Constitutional Commission between 1999-2000 after his stint as programme officer for Ford Foundation in Kenya, Moyo was to become Zanu PF's general election campaign manager in 2000.
He left Ford Foundation under a cloud after allegations that he had embezzled $88 000 from the organisation. Has had two spells as Information minister between 2000-5 and then 2013-15.
Moyo crafted and defended the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) (2001), the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (Commercialisation) Act (2003), the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) (2002), the Public Order and Security Act (2002) which attracted condemnation for him as people felt he was attacking freedom of expression.
One of his most unpopular decisions was the closure of the Daily News in September 2003. He beamed with pleasure and satisfaction when Chief Justice Gubbay resigned after being threatened by Joseph Chinotimba and other war veterans.
When the Daily News was shut down, he claimed: "The Daily News is a victim of the rule of law which it had been preaching since 1999."
In Zanu PF quarters, he must have been a very effective tool in dealing with the hurricane of an emergent and strong Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was borne out of an equally vibrant Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Saviour Kasukuwere:
A combative former Zanu-PF Youth minister nicknamed "Tyson".
Hogged the limelight with controversy surrounding community share ownership schemes during the time he Kasukuwere ran with Mugabe's indigenisation programme, forcing foreign investors to surrender 51 percent in their business stakes to locals.
Currently secretary for the commissariat in the Zanu PF poliotburo, Kasukuwere has been fighting in the G40 corner alongside Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao among others.
He has been the member of Parliament for Mount Darwin South Constituency and is currently Local Government minister having moved through the Youth and Indigenisation as well as Climate ministries. Kasukuwere is detained by the military together with Moyo, Chombo, Chihuri and Kudzanai Chipanga.
Ignatius Chombo:
He was born on August 1, 1952 and is former University of Zimbabwe lecturer who comes from Zvimba — Mugabe's home area.
Has moved from Local Government, Home Affairs to Finance — a key ministry in Mugabe's Cabinet. Many observers suspect his move to the Finance portfolio was a G40 strategy to control the fluid flow of funds from Treasury. Chombo is also detained by the military.
Kudzanai Chipanga:
The 35-year-old is Zanu PF youth leader and Mugabe's praise-singer.
Chipanga organised nationwide presidential youth interface rallies used by Grace and her husband to attack Mnangagwa and his allies.
Chipanga's waterloo came after he read out a speech denouncing Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga, a statement he has since denied authoring following his detention by the military.
Patrick Zhuwao:
He was born on 23 May 1967 to Sabina Mugabe (Robert Mugabe's sister) and a Mozambican father.
Although Zhuwao is a holder of five degrees — which include BSc Computer Systems Engineering, MBA in Information Technology Management, BSc Hons Economics, Masters in Management and Public and Development Management and a MSc Economics from the University of Zimbabwe — his most important "qualification" is that he is Mugabe's nephew.
This has undoubtedly been the passport he has used to shuttle between different Cabinet portfolios in his uncle's Cabinet.
While at the Youth ministry, Zhuwao caused confusion on the terms of the controversial Indigenisation law.
He has been a key member of the G40 faction. He is reportedly out of the country at present.
Vitriolic at most rallies, she addressed and, after the purge of vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, became the front-runner to succeed her husband.
Grace is known for her lavish lifestyle with the Daily Telegraph referring to her as "notorious at home for her profligacy" in its coverage of a 2003 trip to Paris during which she reportedly spent £75 000 (approximately $120 000) in a short shopping spree.
She enrolled with the School of Liberal Arts, Renmin University of China in 2007, studying the Chinese language and graduated in 2011.
Grace is well-known for her vitriol at rallies.
Jonathan Moyo:
Without doubt one of the most controversial figures, not only in Zanu PF but the whole national political landscape, Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo was born on January 12, 1957.
Moyo — a holder of a Bachelors (Bsc) degree and a PhD degree in Public Policy and a Masters degree in Public Administration — attended the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Southern California.
Initially a rabid critic of Mugabe and Zanu PF, Moyo — in a space of seven years — went from being a fervent critic of the Mugabe government to being its
fiercest defender and then again to being one of its foremost critics, a fact that renders him a mystery to many Zimbabweans.
An unquestioned propagandist and spin-doctor, Moyo has allegedly been the brains behind the Generation 40 faction (G40) within Zanu PF, a faction in the ruling party, which is rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
After serving as the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Constitutional Commission between 1999-2000 after his stint as programme officer for Ford Foundation in Kenya, Moyo was to become Zanu PF's general election campaign manager in 2000.
He left Ford Foundation under a cloud after allegations that he had embezzled $88 000 from the organisation. Has had two spells as Information minister between 2000-5 and then 2013-15.
Moyo crafted and defended the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) (2001), the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (Commercialisation) Act (2003), the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) (2002), the Public Order and Security Act (2002) which attracted condemnation for him as people felt he was attacking freedom of expression.
One of his most unpopular decisions was the closure of the Daily News in September 2003. He beamed with pleasure and satisfaction when Chief Justice Gubbay resigned after being threatened by Joseph Chinotimba and other war veterans.
When the Daily News was shut down, he claimed: "The Daily News is a victim of the rule of law which it had been preaching since 1999."
In Zanu PF quarters, he must have been a very effective tool in dealing with the hurricane of an emergent and strong Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was borne out of an equally vibrant Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Saviour Kasukuwere:
A combative former Zanu-PF Youth minister nicknamed "Tyson".
Hogged the limelight with controversy surrounding community share ownership schemes during the time he Kasukuwere ran with Mugabe's indigenisation programme, forcing foreign investors to surrender 51 percent in their business stakes to locals.
Currently secretary for the commissariat in the Zanu PF poliotburo, Kasukuwere has been fighting in the G40 corner alongside Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao among others.
He has been the member of Parliament for Mount Darwin South Constituency and is currently Local Government minister having moved through the Youth and Indigenisation as well as Climate ministries. Kasukuwere is detained by the military together with Moyo, Chombo, Chihuri and Kudzanai Chipanga.
Ignatius Chombo:
He was born on August 1, 1952 and is former University of Zimbabwe lecturer who comes from Zvimba — Mugabe's home area.
Has moved from Local Government, Home Affairs to Finance — a key ministry in Mugabe's Cabinet. Many observers suspect his move to the Finance portfolio was a G40 strategy to control the fluid flow of funds from Treasury. Chombo is also detained by the military.
Kudzanai Chipanga:
The 35-year-old is Zanu PF youth leader and Mugabe's praise-singer.
Chipanga organised nationwide presidential youth interface rallies used by Grace and her husband to attack Mnangagwa and his allies.
Chipanga's waterloo came after he read out a speech denouncing Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga, a statement he has since denied authoring following his detention by the military.
Patrick Zhuwao:
He was born on 23 May 1967 to Sabina Mugabe (Robert Mugabe's sister) and a Mozambican father.
Although Zhuwao is a holder of five degrees — which include BSc Computer Systems Engineering, MBA in Information Technology Management, BSc Hons Economics, Masters in Management and Public and Development Management and a MSc Economics from the University of Zimbabwe — his most important "qualification" is that he is Mugabe's nephew.
This has undoubtedly been the passport he has used to shuttle between different Cabinet portfolios in his uncle's Cabinet.
While at the Youth ministry, Zhuwao caused confusion on the terms of the controversial Indigenisation law.
He has been a key member of the G40 faction. He is reportedly out of the country at present.
Source - Daily News
