Joseph Chinotimba

Infobox Officeholder
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name =Joseph Chinotimba
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order = President
office = Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions
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order2 = Vice Chairman
office2 = Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA)
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birth_date =Birth date and age|1950|03|23|df=yes
birth_place =flagicon|Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia
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nationality =flagicon|Zimbabwe Zimbabwean
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residence = Zimbabwe
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occupation = Politician
profession = Security Guard
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Joseph Chinotimba is a Zimbabwean political figure. He rose to prominence during the invasions of white owned commercial farms that started after the 2000 referendum in Zimbabwe. He is widely regarded as a militant ZANU-PF cadre with unquestionable allegiance to the old guard of the ruling party. He is the President of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions and the National Vice-Chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. [http://allafrica.com/stories/200807250480.html "Zimbabwe: Chinotimba Calls It a Day"] , "The Herald" (allAfrica.com), July 25, 2008.]

Background

Chinotimba worked as a security guard for the Harare City Council before 2000. He joined the municipal police section of the Council in 1982 and eventually became chief inspector.

Farm invasions

Joseph Chinotimba is credited with spearhearding the violent invasions of commercial farms in Zimbabwe, in collaboration with his mentor and ally, Dr. Chenjerai Hunzvi.

Political activities

He has led the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions, a grouping that was formed to counter the influence of the restive Zimbabwe Confederation of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

During the parliamentary elections of 2005, Chinotimba ran for the Highfield seat. Reports indicated that he tried to buy votes by giving voters money and food. He lost the seat.

The Courts

At one time, war veterans led by Joseph Chinotimba invaded the Supreme Court to influence decisions regarding the land question. [State of Judiciary [http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10112:State%20of%20Judiciary%20an%20international%20scandal&catid=35:zimbabwe%20opinion%20and%20analysis&Itemid=64] ] [Chief Justice Stands down [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/03/03/wzim03.xml] ]

2007 Robert Mugabe endorsement

Chinotimba, together with his close ally Jabulani Sibanda, led million-men marches across the country in the run-up to the ZANU-PF congress of December 2007 designed to endorse Robert Mugabe as the only candidate suitable to represent the party in the 2008 presidential election. Mugabe was nominated as the ZANU-PF candidate at the congress. [War Vets Split Looms [http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1583/2008-02-10.html] (accessed 02/10/2008)]

2008 parliamentary election

In late 2007, Chinotimba announced his intention to contest for the Buhera South constituency, a seat that Kumbirai Kangai had held since 1980, in the March 2008 parliamentary election. [News from Buhera [http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10097:-chinotimba-to-campaign-in-buhera-challenges-kangai&catid=31:top%20zimbabwe%20stories&Itemid=66] ] Popular musician Alick Macheso was among others who joined Chinotimba to bolster his prospects of winning the seat.

Chinotimba was successful in being nominated by ZANU-PF as its 2008 candidate for the Buhera South constituency. [ [http://allafrica.com/stories/200802150006.html "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates"] , "The Herald" (allAfrica.com), February 15, 2008.] However, in the election he was defeated by Nemadziva Naison of the Movement for Democratic Change, receiving 7,613 votes against 8,833 for Naison. [ [http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral203.17984.html "Zimbabwe election results 2008"] , Newzimbabwe.com, April 2, 2008.]

On May 20 2008, SW Radio Africa reported that Chinotimba led a militia group to murder Chokuse Mupango, the election strategist for Nemadziva Naison, who was beaten and stabbed to death.Fact|date=July 2008

Chinotimba resigned as chief inspector of the municipal police at the Harare City Council in July 2008 in order to concentrate on his work in politics and business.

References