Mary Mliswa
| Mary Mliswa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Mary Thandiwe Mliswa December 22, 1974 Lusaka, Zambia |
| Education | Avonlea Primary School |
| Alma mater | Hertfordshire |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Employer | Parliament of Zimbabwe |
| Organization | Zanu PF |
| Known for | Politics |
| Political party | Zanu-PF |
| Spouse(s) | Cosmas Chikoka |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Relatives | Temba Mliswa |
Mary Mliswa is a Zimbabwean politician and Zanu-PF member. She is the current Member of Parliament for Hurungwe West following her election in the July 2018 elections. Mliswa is also the Minister of State for Mashonaland West. She is mostly known for being the sister of controversial politician Temba Mliswa.
In February 2018, Mary Mliswa was removed from the position of treasurer in the Zanu-PF party Mashonaland West province structures and was replaced by Reuben Marumahoko.
Personal Life
Mary was born on 22 December 1974 in Lusaka, Zambia. She is the third born in a family of five (two girls and three boys). Mary Mliswa has said that she is like her brother Temba Mliswa politically: "“We are wired the same in terms of our political mindset and passion. Accordingly, he played a crucial part and showed me the ropes so to speak and I became his student."[1]
Education
Mary attended Avonlea primary school and later went to Southgate College for her secondary education. She enrolled with Hertfordshire where she attained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Tourism Management.
Political Career
Before being active politically in Zimbabwe, Mliswa was a member of the Zanu PF UK branch in the 90's until she came back to Zimbabwe in 2010, where she said she learnt a lot from her brother. Mary Mliswa spent 18 years in the United Kingdom.[2]
She later started her political career in Karoi at the Zanu-PF cell level. She was brought up in a political home. In 2011 she was a Committee Member in the Bunda Cell and in 2012 she was promoted to Branch Level Nehanda. In 2013 Mary headed the Hurungwe West Development Association where she was the District Vice Secretary for Business and Development Karereshi.[3]
She rose from the district level structures until she contested in the Zanu PF primary elections in 2018 for the Hurungwe West seat defeating Keith Guzah and Chinjai Kambuzuma in the process.
Removal from Mashonaland West executive
In February 2018, Mliswa was removed from her Mashonaland West provincial executive position of treasurer. The move was reportedly instigated by Dexter Nduna following differences he had with Temba Mliswa. Nduna said that Mary Mliswa had been working with former G40 members like Shadreck Mashayamombe, Marumahoko, Saviour Kasukuwere and that she was also working with her brother Temba Mliswa who was influencing her.
We have been seeing that Temba Mliswa has been ruling Mashonaland West province through a proxy which is a sister, so the provincial executive got to that position and relinquished her of that position in the provincial executive.[4]
First Woman To Lead Province
In December 2021, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka became the first woman to lead a province in ZANU PF’s history after defeating her three rivals in the Mashonaland West provincial chairmanship elections.[5]
Alleged Affair With Tatenda Gwinji
On 27 June 2021, Susan Mutami alleged that Mary Mliswa was having an extramarital affair with Tatenda Gwinji. Mutami alleged that she had evidence of the affair and that she would post it on her Twitter account. In a tweet Mutami wrote:
"PaChegutu apo mangwanani Tatenda Gwinji Chairman of Chegutu Rural District Council imwe boyfriend ya Tete Mary-Mliswa Chikoka mudzimai wemunhu. Mufunge file renyu nema pictures na tete musina kupfeka asvika kwandiri kuseni. Vari sei vana kumba nemudzimai?"
References
- ↑ Wisdom Mumera, Who is New in Parliament: Mary Thandiwe Mliswa| Hurungwe West| Zanu PF|, Open Parly, Published:15 Oct 2018, Retrieved: 13 Feb 2019
- ↑ Ruth Butaumocho, Mliswa: Servant leader on a mission, The Herald, Published: October 10, 2018, Retrieved: June 28, 2021
- ↑ [1], Parliament of Zimbabwe, Accessed: 16 May, 2020
- ↑ LISTEN: Dexter Nduna Apologises For Boasting About Killing Countless Number Of People, Pindula News, Published:12 February 2019, Retrieved: 13 Feb 2019
- ↑ Mary Mliswa-Chikoka Becomes The First Woman To Lead A Province In ZANU PF’s History, Pindula News, Published: January 6, 2022, Retrieved: January 6, 2022
- ↑ Susan Mutami, Twitter, Published: June 27, 2021, Retrieved: June 28, 2021
