George Mutandwa Chiweshe
Encyclopedia
Retired Brigadier General
George Mutandwa Chiweshe (born June 5, 1953) is the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
. He was born in the Mazowe
district of Mashonaland Central
, just northeast of Harare
. Chiweshe attended Tendayi Primary School in 1961 and subsequently Fletcher Secondary School in 1969. He had established a reputation of being a bright student, which was highlighted by the fact that he managed to enroll at a prestigious secondary school. Chiweshe obtained his law degree at the University of Zimbabwe
in 1988.
Chiweshe joined ZANLA in 1975 after fleeing from the then University of Rhodesia as a law student. He trained in Mozambique. Chiweshe deputised the present Zimbabwe National Army General Constantine Chiwenga
; and commanded to the likes of the late Zimbabwean hero Brigadier General Charles Tigwe Gumbo. His nom de guerre was "Yasser Arafat
." Chiweshe rose through the ranks to political commissar. After independence, Chiweshe joined the Ministry of Justice as a prosecutor in 1980 and became a magistrate three years later. He later joined the Zimbabwe National Army
in April 1983 as a major and rose through the ranks from Major to Brigadier General (Judge Advocate General) in 1996. Chiweshe retired from the army in April 2001 after being appointed to the bench by President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
In September 2004 Chiweshe was appointed Chairman of the Delimitation Commission of Zimbabwe by Mugabe, a move that was criticised by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change as a ploy by ZANU PF to rig the March 2005 parliamentary elections. In January 2005, Chiweshe was appointed Chairman of the new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (a body that supervises and co-ordinates all elections in Zimbabwe), where he presently serves.
In May 2010,President Mugabe swore in George Chiweshe, former chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as Judge President. This appointment brought about massive protests by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
George Mutandwa Chiweshe (born June 5, 1953) is the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is a nominally independent organization which controls elections at all levels of Zimbabwe politics. It was established by an Act of the Parliament in 2004, with influence from its predecessor, the Electoral Supervisory Commission as well as the Southern African...
. He was born in the Mazowe
Mazowe
Mazowe is a village in Mashonaland Central province in Zimbabwe....
district of Mashonaland Central
Mashonaland Central
Mashonaland Central is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 28,347 km² and a population of approximately 998,265 , representing about 8.5% of the total Zimbabwe population.- Background :Bindura is the capital of the province...
, just northeast of Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. Chiweshe attended Tendayi Primary School in 1961 and subsequently Fletcher Secondary School in 1969. He had established a reputation of being a bright student, which was highlighted by the fact that he managed to enroll at a prestigious secondary school. Chiweshe obtained his law degree at the University of Zimbabwe
University of Zimbabwe
The University of Zimbabwe in Harare, is the oldest and largest university in Zimbabwe. It was founded through a special relationship with the University of London and it opened its doors to its first students in 1952. The university has ten faculties offering a wide variety of degree programmes...
in 1988.
Chiweshe joined ZANLA in 1975 after fleeing from the then University of Rhodesia as a law student. He trained in Mozambique. Chiweshe deputised the present Zimbabwe National Army General Constantine Chiwenga
Constantine Chiwenga
- Personal life :He was born in 1956 in Hwedza district of Mashonaland East Province. General Chiwenga was educated up to Form 4 at St Mary's Mission in Hwedza, together with Air Marshal Perence Shiri and Brigadier General Shungu, Commander Mechanised Brigade....
; and commanded to the likes of the late Zimbabwean hero Brigadier General Charles Tigwe Gumbo. His nom de guerre was "Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
." Chiweshe rose through the ranks to political commissar. After independence, Chiweshe joined the Ministry of Justice as a prosecutor in 1980 and became a magistrate three years later. He later joined the Zimbabwe National Army
Zimbabwe National Army
The Zimbabwe National Army is the land warfare branch of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000.-History:...
in April 1983 as a major and rose through the ranks from Major to Brigadier General (Judge Advocate General) in 1996. Chiweshe retired from the army in April 2001 after being appointed to the bench by President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
In September 2004 Chiweshe was appointed Chairman of the Delimitation Commission of Zimbabwe by Mugabe, a move that was criticised by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change as a ploy by ZANU PF to rig the March 2005 parliamentary elections. In January 2005, Chiweshe was appointed Chairman of the new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (a body that supervises and co-ordinates all elections in Zimbabwe), where he presently serves.
In May 2010,President Mugabe swore in George Chiweshe, former chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as Judge President. This appointment brought about massive protests by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.