Phillip Chiyangwa

School / Education

Tertiary: Chiyangwa said he attended Universal College in Highfield and did bookkeeping, elementary, intermediate and advanced certificates in 1976. In 1977, he did Accounting Machines (NCR and Burroughs) at Commercial Careers College, (now ZDECO). He also did an advanced diploma in accounting. Chiyangwa said he did accounting and bookkeeping for a lot of black business people and this also inspired him to go into business. ^[2]

Service/Career

Chiyangwa's first job was working as a garden boy for an elderly Portuguese family that had left Mozambique at Independence in 1975. ^[2]

Chiyangwa later worked at Dunlop Zimbabwe as an Industrial Engineering Assistant and Work Study Trainee. ^[2] He also later worked for Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries and Van Leah in the early 80s.^[2] For a detailed interview of Phillip Chiyangwa

Chiyangwa's first business was Phids Electric Sounds, a disco that Chiyangwa said became very popular in Chitungwiza. He ended up managing some artists like Hosiah Chipanga and the Erosion Band. Eventually, Chiyangwa went into boxing promotion and was a manager for Proud Kilimanjaro Chinembiri (a champion boxer at that time), Gilbert Josamu, Ambrose Mlilo, and Langton (Schoolboy) Tinago. ^[2]

During the 80s he formed Commercial Industrial Agency (CIA), which was a stationery and furniture business. Chiyangwa said in 1984 he was manufacturing his own furniture. ^[2]

In the 90s Chiyangwa became the first black person to have a betting license. He remarked proudly of this development:

"...the whites were after me. They wanted no black person in that industry. I was minting money; I had 43 branches throughout the country and employed more than 183 people. Mashonaland and Matabeleland Turf Clubs were after me, man. They were white-dominated and there were an enclave of classic white racists, diabolic and protective of their interests. They spent three years fighting me. Suddenly, I was fighting all white people because I had gotten deep into their enclave. I touched their raw nerve and white law firms came after me big time. Some blacks are apologetic to the whites because they don’t know these people. Most of them are coconuts for the whites to crush and eat. For whites to respect you, you must know that you are black, good and equal and as hungry for money as them."^[2]

This clash with white people, Chiyangwa said, is what inspired him to form the Affirmative Action Group together with the late Peter Pamire.

Involvement in Politics

It was reported that Chiyangwa was a Rhodesian Policeman. ^[4]

In the 2000 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Chinhoyi returned to Parliament:

• Phillip Chiyangwa of Zanu PF with 8 176 votes,
• Silas Matamisa of MDC with 7 602 votes,
• Eugene Nyahundi of UP with 99 votes.

In March 2006, Chiyangwa was expelled from Zanu PF under unclear circumstances. It was reported though that this was linked to his arrest and allegations of espionage against him in late 2004. ^[5] Around this time, Chiyangwa also expressed that he was retiring from politics. However, he was readmitted to the Zanu-PF party in November 2011.^[6]

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Chinhoyi returned to Parliament:

• Peter Mataruse of MDC–T with 9 863 votes or 52.00 percent,
• Phillip Chiyangwa of Zanu PF with 8 561 votes or 45.14 percent,
• Sibongile Mgijima of MDC–N with 543 votes or 2.86 percent,

Total 18 967 votes.

He contested in the July 2018 elections and was elected Member of Parliament for Zvimba South. ^[3]

On 28 July 2021, Chiyangwa was named as chairperson of the Resource Mobilisation Committee which was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to raise funds for Zanu PF’s activities including preparing for the 2023 elections. Other members of the committee apart from Phillip Chiyangwa were, Anthony Pote, Pedzai Sakupwanya, Tafadzwa Musarara, Zodwa Mkandla and Evaristo Mudhikwa. ^[7]

Business Interests

Chiyangwa is the founder and chairman of Native Investments Africa Group. The company has various subsidiaries in the property, manufacturing, construction, hospitality, travel and tourism industries. Such companies include ZECO Holdings, Pinnacle Holdings and Tsivo Holdings.

Events

Affirmative Action Group

Chiyangwa together with Peter Pamire were the brains behind the formation of a local black empowerment lobby group called Affirmative Action Group. The group was very vocal for the empowerment of black people in Zimbabwe and allocation of significant economic space to indigenous black people. There have been allegations of looting on members of the AAG as well as enriching themselves at the expense of the masses. Chiyangwa was also captured on video giving his own version of events pertaining to the background of AAG.

Football Administration

Being ZIFA President

In late 2015, Chiyangwa stood in the running for ZIFA after the council at the time dismissed Cuthbert Dube. Standing against former administrators Trevor Carelse-Juul, Leslie Gwindi and former player James Takavada. Chiyangwa recorded a victory with 40 votes out of a total of 55.^[8] This being done after much public debate that he was not the right man for the job^[9][10][11]

CAF Presidency

Issa Hayatou had served as CAF President since 1988 and had been seeking an eighth term. It was reported that Chiyangwa and Hayatou became sworn enemies when Hayatou heard rumours of the intention to defeat him at the CAF elections held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. FIFA President Infantino visited Zimbabwe to celebrate Chiyangwa's 59th birthday and it was alleged that the alliance was then built. Chiyangwa became Ahmad's campaign manager and invited various FA presidents from across Africa to a party to celebrate his belated birthday as well as his election as Cosafa President. Chiyangwa announced that FIFA President Gianni Infantino was going to be the guest of honour.

However, CAF warned Chiyangwa about the gathering saying he was attempting to destabilize CAF. Chiyangwa went on to hold a lavish party and got another warning letter from CAF secretary-general Hicham El Amrani. Chiyangwa's campaign worked and on 16 March, Ahmad Ahmad won the CAF Presidency with 34 votes to Hayatou's 20. After the election Chiyangwa said:

We have liberated African football

Wives/Maintenance Cases

Pamela Rusere

Chiyangwa, who sired two children with Pamela Rusere, was ordered to pay $40 000 per month, sometime in 2020. In addition, he was ordered to pay R49 000 directly to a school in South Africa, for the children’s education.
However, in April 2021, he obtained a default judgment that varied the maintenance from $40 000 to $8 000. Rusere noted an appeal at the High Court where a judgment dismissing the downward variation was handed down in her favour by Justices Pisirayi Kwenda and Emilia Muchawa. Chiyangwa was in default when the decision was made. Through his lawyers, the businessman filed an application for rescission of the judgment on December 10 2021, under HC 7097/21. On the same day, Chiyangwa filed an urgent chamber application for stay of execution pending the outcome of the application for rescission. The lawyers claimed the order, in favour of Rusere, was granted in error.^[12]

Arrests

In late 2004, it was reported by Zimbabwean state television that Chiyangwa had been arrested on charges of obstructing the course of justice by trying to prevent the arrest of two ENG Capital directors Nyasha Watyoka and Gilbert Muponda accused of defrauding investors of billions of dollars (60 billion Zimbabwean dollars, which was equivalent to about US $73 million at the official rate. The official rate was known to be unrealistic - See Zimbabwe Hyperinflation)^[13]

Chiyangwa was reportedly also investigated for externalising foreign currency in 2005. ^[14]

Between late 2004 and 2005, it was reported that Chiyangwa and several Zanu PF politicians whose whereabouts had been a mystery for a certain period, had actually been taken into custody by state security agents on allegations of espionage. The other politicians were Kenny Karidza, then the Zanu PF deputy security chief, Godfrey Dzvairo, and Tendai Matambanadzo.^[15]

Alleged Affairs

In 2014, the media reported that Chiyangwa who allegedly had many sexual relationships with numerous girlfriends was spending over US$50 000 for his lovers' upkeep. It was also alleged that on average the business tycoon was having 3 to 5 children per year with these women. ^[16] It was also alleged that most of the kids do not have birth certificates. Additionally, Chiyangwa allegedly was said to be reluctant to use protection when he sleeps with the women.

Bizzare Videos

In 2014, Chiyangwa came under the spotlight for releasing videos of himself boasting of his wealth. This led many to question his sanity. The videos went viral on social networks such as Facebook. In the videos, he boasts of his expensive cars and luxury lifestyle. ^[17]

Acting Career

Chiyangwa appeared in a Zimbabwean movie The Gentleman in which he starred as Mr. Rogers.

Harare Southland dispute

In 2015, Chiyangwa won a land dispute involving three of his farms that Order Housing Development Consortium had sold as stands to over 20 000 people. Order Housing Development Consortium was suing Sensense Investments (Pvt) Ltd, former Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ignatius Chombo and Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya. Justice Joseph Mafusire ruled in favour of Chiyangwa and dismissed the urgent bid on technical grounds.^[18]

Divorce

In March 2018, Phillip Chiyangwa was reported to have been divorced from his wife of 30 years, Elizabeth (nee Jumah) after High Court Judge President Justice George Chiweshe granted the divorce order 13 Mar 2018. Chiyangwa’s wife Elizabeth reapplied for nullification of the marriage on 11 January 2018, after making an initial application in 2013 which failed to materialise, following what appeared to have been efforts to resolve the matrimonial impasse. Elizabeth said she married Chiyangwa on 11 November 1988 in terms of the Marriage Act chapter 37 now Chapter 5:11, but had, however, lost love and affection for the flamboyant businessman over alleged infidelity.

It wasn't reported what Elizabeth got but when she filed divorce papers in 2013 she claimed 85% of the couple’s wealth and $83 000 per month for 120 months as maintenance after the termination of the marriage. However, Chiyangwa allegedly wrote to the High Court then, requesting that his divorce case be removed from the court roll, as the couple was reportedly engaging in out-of-court negotiations to stop their acrimonious divorce. ^[19]

References