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{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician (1943–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{infobox person
| image =
| caption =
| name =
| birth_name = Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende
| birth_place = Chiweshe, [[Mazowe District]], [[Mashonaland Central Province]], Zimbabwe
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|8|28|df=y}}
| death_place = {{death date and age|2025|1|16|1943|8|28|df=y}}
| death_date =
| education =
| alma_mater = [[University of Bradford]]
| occupation = Politician
| employer =
| spouse =
| notable_works =
| awards =
}}
'''Chenhamo Chakezha''' "'''Chen'''" '''Chimutengwende''' (28 August 1943 – 16 January 2025) was a Zimbabwean politician who was the Minister of State for Public and Interactive Affairs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/inside.aspx?mpgid=2&spid=8|title=Parliament of Zimbabwe|access-date=6 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318145813/http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/inside.aspx?mpgid=2&spid=8|archive-date=18 March 2009}}</ref> and a longstanding supporter of [[Robert Mugabe]]. On 31 March 2008, Chimutengwende lost his parliamentary seat in the general election, which ended his 23-year career as a Member of Parliament.<ref name=Bhebhe /> From September 2009, he was chairman of the Zimbabwe Foundation for Sustainable Development.<ref name="Bhebhe">{{Cite web |title=Chimutengwende in comeback bid |url=https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2012/04/chimutengwende-in-comeback-bid/ |access-date=12 June 2024 |website=www.thezimbabwean.co|date=April 2012}}</ref>

==Early years==
Chimutengwende was born on 28 August 1943,<ref name="AGN">{{Cite web |title=The Profile of Chen Chimutengwende |url=http://www.afrikaglobalnetwork.com/htm/cv.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124144004/http://www.afrikaglobalnetwork.com/htm/cv.htm |archive-date=24 January 2020}}</ref> in Chiweshe, Mazowe District, Mashonaland Central Province, to John Nyangoni and Ronia Nyangoni (née Rusere).<ref name="Chronicle">{{cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/obituary-dr-chenhamo-chakezha-chimutengwende/|title=Obituary DR. Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende|website=[[The Chronicle (Zimbabwe)|The Chronicle]]|date=22 January 2025|access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref> He was the third of the family's eight children.<ref name="Chronicle" /><ref name="Senate Hansard">{{cite journal|url=https://www.parlzim.gov.zw/download/senate-hansard-20-march-2025-vol-34-no-35/|title=Motion: Condolences on the death of the former Deputy President of the Senate Hon. Chen. Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende |work=Senate Hansard|volume=34|number=35|publisher=Parliament of Zimbabwe|date=20 March 2025|access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref> He attended Gweshe Primary School in Chiweshe, followed by [[Highfield Secondary School]] in 1956.<ref name="Chronicle" />

During the 1960s and 1970s, Chimutengwende lived in exile in [[London]], England, where he directed the Europe-Africa Research Project from a basement in [[Gower Street (London)|Gower Street]]. He was a member of the editorial board of ''[[International Marxist Group#Red Mole|Red Mole]]'', a paper closely associated with the [[International Marxist Group]]. A staunch supporter of [[Mao Zedong]]'s China, he resigned from the editorial board when the paper criticised Mao's policies with regard to the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] of 1971.

He earned a master's degree in social science and a PhD from the [[University of Bradford]], writing a doctoral thesis on "Mass Media and the State in the Socio-Economic Development Process".<ref name=AGN /> He was the author of the book ''South Africa: The Press and the Politics of Liberation'' (Barbican Books, London, 1978).<ref name="Chronicle" />

==Zimbabwean politics==
After relations with Britain worsened during the early 2000s, Chimutengwende was used by the party as a negotiator. He had many personal ties to London and many connections within British politics. His attempts at reconciliation did not bear much fruit, however, as the governments of [[Tony Blair]] and [[Robert Mugabe]] continued to denounce one another in public.

During the 2005 parliamentary election, Chimutengwende's opponent Shepherd Mushonga accused him of being hypocritical for supporting Mugabe. Chimutengwende responded by saying to a crowd in [[Mazowe]]: "I love England, that country will always have a special place in my heart, but I am a proud Zimbabwean and always will be." Shepherd Mushonga was notably in favour of Mugabe's controversial land reform programme, whereas Chimutengwende was more introspective about the issue. Chimutengwende said his position was that he favoured land reform as such, and land redistibution in particular, but he did not think it was done in a good way. He was, however. noted for being "deeply loyal" to President Robert Mugabe.<ref>https://nehandaradio.com/2005/04/11/Chen-Chimutengwende-loves-England{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Chimutengwende won the election with 18,041 votes, compared to 7,567 votes for Shepherd Mushonga and 386 votes for Gideon Chinogurei of ZAPU.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zimfa.gov.zw/current/election%20results.htm |title=Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zimbabwe |website=www.zimfa.gov.zw |access-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051217183211/http://www.zimfa.gov.zw/current/election%20results.htm |archive-date=17 December 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 2005, Chimutengwende was placed on the [[United States sanctions]] list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 2005 |title=Issuance of new Zimbabwe Executive Order; Zimbabwe Designations and Designations Updates |url=https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20051123|publisher=U.S. Department of the Treasury}}</ref> He died on 16 January 2025, at the age of 81.<ref name="zimlive">{{cite web|url=https://www.zimlive.com/ex-information-minister-chen-chimutengwende-dies-aged-81-family/ |title=Ex-information minister Chen Chimutengwende dies aged 81: family|website=zimlive.com|date=17 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-minister Chen Chimutengwende dies |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200037042/ex-minister-chen-chimutengwende-dies |access-date=17 January 2025 |newspaper=[[NewsDay (Zimbabwean newspaper)|NewsDay]] |date=16 January 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.afrikaglobalnetwork.com/htm/cv.htm "The Profile of Chen Chimutengwende"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213004411/http://www.afrikaglobalnetwork.com/htm/cv.htm |date=13 February 2012 }}, Afrika Global Network (AGN).
* [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4020589/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t10 "Chen Chimutengwende"] at IMDB.

{{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 3rd Parliament of Zimbabwe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chimutengwende, Chenhamo}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Zimbabwean politicians]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Bradford]]
[[Category:Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:ZANU–PF politicians]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean expatriates in the United Kingdom]]

Chenhamo Chimutengwende - Revision history

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