Constantino Chiwenga Biography

Background

Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga was born on August 25, 1956, in the Wedza District of Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe. He completed his secondary education up to the O Level at St Mary's Mission in Hwedza. In 1973, Chiwenga left his studies to join the liberation movement, participating in the Rhodesian Bush War, which is also known as the Second Chimurenga.

He received his military training as a ZANLA militant in Mozambique, adopting the nom de guerre "Dominic Chinenge". During the conflict, he became a Provincial Commander for the Masvingo/Gaza Province and was later promoted to the ZANLA High Command in 1978, serving as a Deputy Political Commissar. Years later, in 2015, Chiwenga furthered his education by earning a Doctorate of Philosophy in Ethics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Military Career

Following Zimbabwe's transition to independence in 1980, Chiwenga was attested into the newly formed Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) as a Brigadier. He commanded the First Brigade based in Bulawayo and was later promoted to the rank of Major General. When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) were restructured in 1994, Chiwenga was promoted to Lieutenant General and assumed the role of Commander of the ZNA.

In 2004, upon the retirement of General Vitalis Zvinavashe, Chiwenga was appointed as the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Concurrently, he served as the chairman of the Joint Operations Command (JOC). He retained his position as the military's top commander until his formal retirement from the armed forces on December 19, 2017.

Political Transition and Vice Presidency

In November 2017, Chiwenga emerged as the principal military figure leading "Operation Restore Legacy". This military intervention culminated in the resignation of Robert Mugabe, who had served as the country's president for 37 years.

Shortly after his retirement from the military, Chiwenga entered civilian politics. On December 28, 2017, he was sworn in as the First Vice-President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, serving under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He was also appointed as the Vice President and Second Secretary of the ruling ZANU-PF party. In addition to his vice-presidential duties, Chiwenga was appointed Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs from December 2017 until September 2018, and later served as the Minister of Health and Child Care from August 2020 to August 2023.

Personal Life

Chiwenga has been married several times. From 1998 to 2012, he was married to Jocelyn Mauchaza (Jacobsen); the marriage ended in a publicized divorce. In 2011, he married Marry Mubaiwa, a former model. Their union produced three children but ended in 2019 following a highly publicized legal and customary separation. On June 12, 2022, Chiwenga married Colonel Miniyothabo Baloyi, an officer in the Zimbabwe National Army, in a private ceremony.

In 2019, Chiwenga suffered from an undisclosed medical emergency that resulted in him being airlifted for specialized care. Over the course of the year, he received medical treatment at facilities in South Africa, India, and China before returning to Zimbabwe later that year.