Patrick Chinamasa
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The Right Honourable Patrick Chinamasa |
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|---|---|
| Minister of Finance of Zimbabwe | |
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Assumed office 10 September 2013 |
|
| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Preceded by | Tendai Biti |
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Minister of Finance of Zimbabwe Acting |
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In office 7 January 2009 – 13 February 2009 |
|
| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Preceded by | Samuel Mumbengegwi |
| Succeeded by | Tendai Biti |
| Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Zimbabwe | |
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In office July 2000 – September 2013 |
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| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Deputy | Jessie Majome |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 January 1947 Southern Rhodesia |
| Political party | Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front |
| Spouse(s) | Monica Chinamasa |
| Children | Gamuchirai Chinamasa |
Patrick Antony Chinamasa (born 25 January 1947) is a Zimbabwean politician who has served in the government of Zimbabwe as Minister of Finance since 2013. Previously he served for years as Minister of Justice.
A leading member of the ruling ZANU-PF party, Chinamasa became first deputy Agriculture Minister, and then Attorney General of Zimbabwe; he also has held the role of Leader of the Zimbabwean Parliament.
Following his appointment, many Zimbabwean judges resigned, complaining of political pressure. On 9 February 2001 after Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay took early retirement at his suggestion, Chinamasa held meetings with senior Justices Ahmed Ebrahim and Nicholas McNally (the last white justice on the Zimbabwean Court), and told them for their own safety to leave.
In 2002, following what Chinamasa considered lenient conviction of three American citizens caught and convicted of smuggling arms in an aircraft, Zimbabwean High Court judge Fergus Blackie brought successful charges against Chinamasa for a conviction of "scandalising the court." Chinamasa had Blackie immediately arrested on charges of "corruption," on the grounds of having decided the case of a white woman improperly (on the basis of an alleged adulterous relationship and racist bias), and without the support of the other judge that was sitting with him on the matter. After the case closed, Chinamasa declared various NGO's illegal, including leading Human Rights organisation the Amani Trust which provides support to victims of torture; and was reportedly accused of working with the British government to unseat President Robert Mugabe and destabilise the nation.
On 17 December 2004, Chinamasa, who had been the Secretary for Legal Affairs of ZANU-PF, was removed from the party's Politburo. In 2005, Chinamasa was ejected from his post as Justice Minister; however, six months later he was returned to the post.
In September 2006, Chinamasa was cleared by a judge of trying to pervert the course of justice. Chinamasa was accused of trying to stop a prosecution witness, James Kaunye, from testifying in a case against the Minister of State for National Security, Didymus Mutasa, who had been accused of inciting public violence.
He is among a host of individuals not allowed to travel to the USA because the USA government feels he has worked to undermine democracy in Zimbabwe.
Chinamasa and Labour Minister Nicholas Goche met with Tendai Biti (MDC-T) and Welshman Ncube (MDC-M), Secretaries General of their respective Movement for Democratic Change factions, in Pretoria, South Africa on 16 June 2007. South African President Thabo Mbeki, appointed by the Southern African Development Community, presided over the negotiations which sought to end economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.
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Wikipedia