Saviour Kasukuwere (born 23 September 1970) is a Zimbabwean politician who served in the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

of Zimbabwe as Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and National Housing between October and November 2017. He was also the

ZANU–PF The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) is a political organisation which has been the ruling party of Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The party was led for many years by Robert Mugabe, first as prime minister wi ...

party's national political commissar until December 2017. Before that he was Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, and Minister of the Environment, Water and Climate. In October 2020, the Zimbabwe government sought Kasukuwere's extradition after issuing a warrant for his arrest. It was revealed that Kasukuwere was among loyalists of former President

Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of th ...

who fled to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

before their criminal trials could be completed.

Career

Politics

He has been a member of the

Pan-African Parliament The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union. It held its inaugural session in March 2004. The Parliament exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, ha ...

since 2004. He was Deputy Secretary of Youth Affairs in the

Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the highest organ of the central committee in communist parties. The term is also sometimes used to refer to similar organs in socialist and Islamist parties, such as the UK Labour Party's NEC or the Poli ...

of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and subsequently Secretary for the Commissariat. He has been the Member of Parliament for Mount Darwin South Parliamentary Constituency since 2000. From 2005 until February 2009, he served as the Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation. Kasukuwere was Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment from 2009 to 2013. Following President

's victory in the July 2013 presidential election, he moved Kasukuwere to the post of Minister of the Environment on 10 September 2013. President Mugabe moved Kasukuwere to the post of Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing on 6 July 2015. In October 2017 the ministry was expanded to include Rural Development.

2017 coup d'etat and aftermath

On 19 November 2017, Kasukuwere was expelled from ZANU–PF by the party's central committee. Other prominent G40 politicians, including

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, Shadreck Mashayamombe, Makhosini Hlongwane,

Innocent Hamandishe Innocence is a lack of guilt, with respect to any kind of crime, or wrongdoing. In a legal context, innocence is prior to the sense of legal guilt and is a primal emotion connected with the sense of self. It is often confused as being the opp ...

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, and

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were also expelled from the party. On 27 November 2017, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded ousted President Robert Mugabe, announced the dissolution of the Zimbabwean Cabinet, leaving only

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and

Simbarashe Mumbengegwi Simbarashe Simbanenduku Mumbengegwi (born 20 July 1945.) is a Zimbabwean politician and diplomat currently serving as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Government Programmes. Previously he was acting Foreign Minister for ...

as acting ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs respectively.

Business

He owns several companies including Comoil (executive Director until 2005), Migdale Holdings Limited, and Allen Wack & Shepherd. He is a citrus farmer in Mazowe, Zimbabwe. His business received the political blessings of Robert Mugabe. He joined the Zimbabwean government as a state security official .He served in Mozambique during the Renamo conflict. He chaired the Zimbabwe Defence Forces DRC Fundraising Committee. He was a Member of the Defence Soccer Team, Black Rhinos.

Sanctions

Since 2003, Kasukuwere is on the

United States sanctions United States government sanctions are financial and trade restrictions imposed against individuals, entities, and jurisdictions whose actions contradict U.S. foreign policy or national security goals. Financial sanctions are primarily administ ...

list.

Self Exile

In November 2017, Kasukuwere fled the country alongside other G40 members, Professor

and Mr

, who remain in exile. After six months and six days in self-imposed exile, he finally returned home.

2023 presidential candidacy

Kasukuwere announced his bid to stand for president on 20 June 2023. He was gazetted as a presidential candidate but denied to stand by court order.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kasukuwere, Saviour 1970 births Living people Members of the Pan-African Parliament from Zimbabwe Government ministers of Zimbabwe People from Mashonaland Central Province