Blessing Chebundo

Infobox Politician
name =Blessing Chebundo

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imagesize =200px
width =
height =
caption =
order = Member of Parliament
office = Kwekwe Constituency
term_start =2000
term_end =
predecessor =Emmerson Mnangagwa
successor =
constituency =Kwekwe
majority =
order1 = Secretary
office1 = MDC Secretary for Health
term_start1 =2001
term_end1 =2005
predecessor1 =
successor1 =
constituency1 =
majority1
order1 = Member
office1 = National Executive Committee
term_start1 =2006
term_end1 =
predecessor1 =
successor1 =
constituency1 =
majority1
birth_date =birth date and age|1958|10|08
birth_place =flag|Rhodesia
death_date =
death_place =
party =Movement for Democratic Change
relations =
spouse =
civil partner=
children =
residence =Kwekwe
occupation =
religion =Christian


website =http://www.mdc.co.zw
footnotes = He belongs to the 'Tsvangirai MDC Faction'

Blessing Chebundo (born October 8 1958) is a Zimbabwean politician, a Member of Parliament and a leading figure in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). [http://www.mdc.co.zw/parliament-BlessingChebundo.asp Profile at MDC website] .] He rose to fame by defeating Emmerson Mnangagwa in a contest to represent Kwekwe constituency in the parliament of Zimbabwe in the 2000 parliamentary election.Lebo Nkatazo, "After 2 defeats, Mnangagwa opts for rural constituency" [http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/mnanga12.17704.html] (accessed 02/11/2008)] [Mugabe Cabinet Crisis [http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/2julb.html] (accessed 02/11/2008)] Mnangagwa, a heavyweight in ZANU-PF, was predicted to easily win the constituency, but Chebundo won the seat despite threats to his life. [Terror Tactics [http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR460142000?open&of=ENG-ZWE] (accessed 02/11/2008)] As an incumbent, he again defeated Mnangagwa and was re-elected in the March 2005 parliamentary election.

Background

Chebundo is a founder member of the Movement for Democratic Change, a political party that was formed in September 1999. He has represented Kwekwe constituency in the Parliament of Zimbabwe since the watershed elections of 2000. Before the formation of the MDC, Chebundo had been the Vice-Chairman of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for the Central Region; he was also National Treasurer of the Zimbabwe Chemical & Allied Workers Union from 1990 to 2000. He served as the MDC's Secretary of Health from 2001 to 2005 and has been a member of its National Executive Committee since 2006.

MDC split

Chebundo initially joined the 'rebels', led by Welshman Ncube, that broke away from the MDC. However, Chebundo eventually rejoined the main MDC, citing the wishes of the members of his constituency in Kwekwe. [Mutambara Faction hit by defections [http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-04/2006-04-11-voa66.cfm] (accessed 02/11/2008)]

See also

*Morgan Tsvangirai
*Arthur Mutambara

References