Patrick Zhuwao

Patrick Zhuwao (; born 23 May 1967) is a Zimbabwean businessman, farmer, and politician. He served as minister of public service, labour and social welfare between October and November 2017. He was expelled from the ruling ZANU–PF party during the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état.

Zhuwao was born in 1967 to Sabina Mugabe and a Mozambican father. His uncle is former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. He studied at the University of Zimbabwe, where he earned two bachelor's degrees and four master's degrees. Zhuwao went on to become a tobacco farmer and businessman, with interests in several parastatals. He also founded a think tank, the Zhuwao Institute, which focused on economic development and was aligned with the policies of President Mugabe.

Zhuwao entered politics in 2007 when President Mugabe appointed him deputy minister of youth. A year later, he was elected to the House of Assembly for the Zvimba East constituency and was appointed deputy minister of science and technology, a position he held until 2012. In 2013, he was defeated in the ZANU–PF primaries for reelection to Parliament. In 2015, he was named minister of youth development, indigenisation and economic empowerment. In October 2017, he was appointed minister of public service, labour and social welfare. In November 2017, he was expelled from ZANU–PF due to his association with First Lady Grace Mugabe and her Generation 40 faction. He is now living in exile in South Africa.

Early life and education Zhuwao was born on 23 May 1967 to Sabina Mugabe and a Mozambican father. He is the brother of Innocent Mugabe, the former head of the Central Intelligence Organisation, and Leo Mugabe, a businessman and politician. He holds a Bachelor of Science in computer systems engineering, a Bachelor of Science in economics, a Master of Business Administration in information technology management, a Master of Management, a Master of Public and Development Management, and a Master of Science in economics. He was said to have been involved in a salary dispute at Norton Farm when he allegedly went three months without paying the workers.

Zhuwao also has business interests in Telecel Zimbabwe, a telecommunication firm that is Zimbabwe's second largest mobile phone operator, through the Empowerment Corporation of Zimbabwe, of which he is a stakeholder. In August 2013, he played a pivotal role in restoring Telecel Zimbabwe's license.

In 2014, Zhuwao started his own think tank, the Zhuwao Institute. The think tank was described by Ken Mufuka in The Financial Gazette as having "jumped on the governmental bandwagon" for its association with the policies of Robert Mugabe. In 2008, Zhuwao was elected to the Zimbabwe House of Assembly for the Zvimba East constituency, as a member of ZANU–PF.

In October 2014, Zhuwao became involved in the heated ZANU–PF succession infighting between Vice-President Joice Mujuru and then-Minister of Justice Emmerson Mnangagwa. In an article published in state media, Zhuwao claimed that during a "coup" attempt at the residence of President Mugabe a week earlier, his wife Beauty Zhuwao slapped ZANU–PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa after a tense verbal exchange. She reportedly slapped Mliswa, who did not retaliate, once, before others present intervened. In the op-ed, published in The Sunday Mail, Zhuwao described Mawere as "ideologically bankrupt, devoid of ethics, morality and decency". He succeeded Christopher Mushohwe, who went on to become Minister of Information. Zhuwao had been called before the committee to answer questions about an allegedly corrupt deal he had brokered when he hired a private consultancy firm, whose owner Zhuwao had a personal relationship with, to spearhead Zimbabwe's National Economic Empowerment Strategy. He announced on 10 November that government employees would be receiving bonuses.

2017 coup d'état and aftermath

On 11 November 2017, it was often incorrectly reported that Zhuwao was taken into custody by the Zimbabwean military in relation to the 2017 coup d'état. On 19 November 2017, Zhuwao was expelled from ZANU–PF by the party's central committee. Other prominent G40 politicians, including Grace Mugabe, Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo, Ignatius Chombo, Walter Mzembi, Shadreck Mashayamombe, Makhosini Hlongwane, Innocent Hamandishe, Samuel Undenge, and Sarah Mahoka were also expelled from the party. Even after fleeing the country, Zhuwao continued defending Robert Mugabe, calling the president's critics "dumb" and saying that the president was "willing to die for what is correct." ZANU–PF spokesman Nick Mangwana responded that Zhuwao should stop making "inflammatory" remarks.

On 27 November 2017, Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa dissolved the cabinet, keeping only Patrick Chinamasa and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi as acting ministers of Finance until a new cabinet was named. In a December 2017 phone interview with The Standard, Zhuwao reported that during the coup, his farm was looted and his workers were beaten. Zhuwao cited the example of the United States, which sent Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel to Ethiopia to investigate a bombing in Addis Ababa that happened on the same day as the Bulawayo bombing.