Nyasha Chikwinya

Nyasha Chikwinya
Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Development
In office
6 July 2015 – 2017
Preceded byOppah Muchinguri
Succeeded bySithembiso Nyoni
Personal details
NationalityZimbabwean
Political partyZANU-PF

Nyasha Chikwinya is a Zimbabwean politician with the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front.

Career

She was elected to the House of Assembly in 1995, representing the Harare North constituency, but lost her seat in the 2000 elections, coming in second with just 4,852 votes, compared to 18,976 for Trudy Stevenson of the Movement for Democratic Change.[1][2] Her attempt in the 2005 elections to regain her seat representing the Harare North constituency was a failure, garnering only 5,134 votes to 11,262 for incumbent Stevenson.[3] However, as of 2005, she remained head of Zanu-PF's women's league.[4]

In the 2013 general elections she became the Member of Parliament for Mutare South in Manicaland.[5] In the aftermath of the election she made allegations of sexual harassment, violence, and discrimination against women during the primaries.[6] In July 2015 she was appointed Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Development as part of a cabinet reshuffle.[7]

Other activities

In 2002, she led the only all-women's delegation to the All Africa Trade Fair in Cairo, Egypt, during which stone carvers, stone sculptors, weavers, and producers of batik fabrics brought product samples from Zimbabwe. She expressed enthusiasm for intra-African trade, but bemoaned the high duties imposed by Egyptian customs.[8] In 2004, she was charged with public violence after allegedly having incited 12 youths to assault Charles Mpofu, a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, with whom she was having a dispute over the management of a housing co-operative; the youths assaulted Mpofu's wife and damaged $5.1 million of property.[9]

References

  1. ^ Hartnack, Michael (28 June 2000). "Fledgling opposition strikes at the heart of power". The Times. United Kingdom. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  2. ^ Kriger, Nroma (2005). "ZANU(PF) strategies in general elections, 1980–2000: Discourse and coercion". African Affairs. 104 (414): 1–34. doi:10.1093/afraf/adi016.
  3. ^ "Final Election Results 2005" (PDF). Zimbabwe Election Support Network. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  4. ^ Hartnack, Michael (6 April 2005). "Zanu-PF threatens to seize companies". The Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  5. ^ "Zanu PF election results for Manicaland". Nehanda Radio. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Female MPs allege sexual harassment". The Herald. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Live Updates: Cabinet reshuffle". Nehanda Radio. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  8. ^ Viban, Napoleon (25 April 2002). "Zimbabwe makes all-women presence at Cairo Fair". Panapress. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  9. ^ "Chikwinya charged with public violence". The Herald. Zimbabwe. 25 February 2004. Retrieved 8 November 2007.