ZANU PF nationalist and former Cabinet minister Chenhamo Chimutengwende, who died last week, has been remembered for his alleged involvement in orchestrating violence during the contentious 2000 election period.
The former Cabinet minister died on Thursday last week aged 81. He succumbed to chronic kidney disease. President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared him a national hero.
Opposition politician Elliot Pfebve said Chimutengwende was implicated in a violent attack on MDC supporters in Mashonaland Central province during the bruising 2000 election.
Pfebve claimed that Zanu PF supporters wearing campaign T-shirts bearing the slogan Wako Ndewako Che” descended on the gathering armed with machetes, knobkerries and iron bars at one of the rallies.
“They started attacking indiscriminately, even the police were surprised and caught unaware,” Pfebve said. “I immediately pulled my licensed pistol to scare them and save the defenceless people under attack. The police asked me to fire in the air, which worked, scattering the attackers.”
According to Pfebve, the violence left dozens injured, prompting his team to ferry victims to Howard Hospital in Chiweshe for treatment.
He alleged that the attack had been co-ordinated the previous day when Chimutengwende reportedly gave Zanu PF youths Z$7 000 to disrupt the MDC rally.
Following the incident, eight Zanu PF supporters were arrested and appeared in court on February 23, 2000.
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However, Pfebve claimed that Chimutengwende, alongside other high-ranking officials such as the late Border Gezi, interfered with the judicial process.
The suspects, including Chimutengwende’s brother, were released on bail and never prosecuted.
“Zanu PF’s dirty tricks of marauding the streets targeting the opposition had begun, committing crimes with impunity,” Pfebve said.
The Bindura court case became emblematic of a broader pattern of political violence and lack of accountability on the part of Zanu PF supporters.
Chimutengwende was a prominent figure in Zimbabwean politics, known for his eloquence and contribution to the liberation struggle.
He served as Information minister and was instrumental in shaping the country’s media policies.
However, his legacy remains deeply divisive, with allegations of his involvement in suppressing opposition voices overshadowing his accomplishments.
In announcing Chimutengwende’s hero status, Zanu PF national chairperson and Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri described the politician as a strong member of the ruling party who played a major role before and after independence.
A longstanding supporter of the late former strongman Robert Mugabe, Chimutengwende’s last post in Cabinet was as Minister of State for Public and Interactive Affairs.
He also served as a Mashonaland Central senator and a legislator for Mazowe East and Mazowe Central constituencies, as well as Mashonaland Central Zanu PF provincial chairperson and politburo member.
He lost his parliamentary seat in the 2008 general election, which ended his 23-year career as a Member of Parliament.
