Webster Shamu

The Right Honourable
Webster Kotiwani Shamu
MP
Minister of Information and Publicity of Zimbabwe
In office
13 February 2009 – 21 December 2014
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
Minister of State for Policy Implementation
In office
February 2004 – 13 February 2009
President Robert Mugabe
Member of the Zimbabwean Parliament
for Chegutu
Assumed office
2000
Personal details
Born (1945-06-06) 6 June 1945
Southern Rhodesia
Political party Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front

Webster Kotiwani Shamu is a former Zimbabwean Zanu PF politician & Minister of Publicity and Information. He was previously Minister of State for Policy Implementation,[1] and he is a member of parliament representing Chegutu constituency.[2]

Background

Webster Shamu has also been known as Charles Ndlovu, having changed his name during the civil war (1972–1980), as did many others who used pseudonyms to mask their identities. Shamu, previously a free lance broadcaster under the Smith regime and a well-known presenter to thousands on Radio Harare as the voice behind "The Lyons Maid Hit Parade", escaped from British South Africa Police attention for suspected or alleged crimes, crossed the border into Mozambique where he became again a well known voice to African listeners, broadcasting back from Maputo as the "Voice of Zimbabwe".

Upon Zimababwe gaining freedom, he was appointed as Minister of State for Policy Implementation on 9 February 2004.[3]

Shamu, as Minister of State for Policy Implementation, presented President Robert Mugabe with a present of a nile crocodile, to be part of the museum being built for the president.

Shamu is among a host of individuals not allowed to travel to the United States because the US government feels he has worked to undermine democracy in Zimbabwe.[4]

He has business interests in common with Charles Davy, the father of Chelsy Davy, the former girlfriend of Prince Harry, through Davy's HHK Safaris,[5] which incorporates Shamu's Famba Safaris.[6] HHK Safaris and Shamu were investigated for illegal ivory trading in 2007.[7]

The People's Voice

He was the editor of the ZANU-PF weekly news publication, the People's Voice, until he stepped down in 2004 to take up his post as the Minister of Policy Implementation in the President's office.[8]

2000 parliamentary election

Shamu controversially won the Chegutu constituency in 2000 parliamentary election. His adversary in the election, Philemon Matibe, who ran on an MDC ticket, was one of the few black commercial farmers to lose a farm after the elections, to a mob purportedly hired by Shamu.[9]

Minister of Industry and International Trade

Shamu has appeared at the forefront praising the work of Gideon Gono to revive the economy of the country, although all these efforts appear to have been in vain.[10]

2008 parliamentary election

Shamu was nominated by ZANU-PF as its candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Chegutu East constituency in the March 2008 parliamentary election.[11] According to official results, he easily won the seat, receiving 9,222 votes against 2,724 for the candidate of the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai and 1,218 votes for the candidate of the MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara.[12]

When the ZANU-PF–MDC national unity government was sworn in on 13 February 2009, Shamu became Minister of Information and Publicity.[13] After taking office, he fell into a dispute with Nelson Chamisa, the Minister of Information Communication Technology, regarding which ministry should deal with telecommunications. The Herald reported on 10 April 2009, that President Mugabe had assigned responsibility for telecommunications to the Ministry of Transport, headed by Nicholas Goche.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Parliament of Zimbabwe". Retrieved 2008-02-06.
  2. ↑ Shamu Reps government (accessed 02/11/2008)
  3. ↑ "Mugabe rewards loyalists in new Cabinet", New Zimbabwe (zimbabwesituation.com), 9 February 2004.
  4. ↑ Recent OFAC Actions, US Dept. of Treasury, 23 November 2005 (accessed 02/07/2008)
  5. ↑ "Minister used as 'front' – Shamu linked to controversy-hit safari firm". ZWnews. 14 April 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  6. ↑ Blair, David (11 June 2005). "Zimbabwe's great white survivor". London: The Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  7. ↑ "Shamu, Mpofu deny illicit ivory dealing". The Zimbabwean. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  8. ↑ Mataire Takes over (accessed 02/11/2008)
  9. ↑ Mob Seizes Farm (accessed 02/11/2008)
  10. ↑ Gono Lays ground for Growth (accessed 02/11/2008)
  11. ↑ "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates", The Herald (allAfrica.com), 15 February 2008.
  12. ↑ "Zimbabwe election results 2008", newzimbabwe.com, 1 April 2008.
  13. ↑ "Cabinet sworn in amid chaotic scenes", Newzimbabwe.com, 13 February 2009.
  14. ↑ "Mugabe gives ally control of telecoms", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 10 April 2009.
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