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34 Facts About Patrick Zhuwao

1.

Patrick Zhuwao is a Zimbabwean businessman, farmer, and politician.

2.

Patrick Zhuwao served as minister of public service, labour and social welfare between October and November 2017.

3.

Patrick Zhuwao studied at the University of Zimbabwe, where he earned two bachelor's degrees and four master's degrees.

4.

Patrick Zhuwao went on to become a tobacco farmer and businessman, with interests in several parastatals.

5.

Patrick Zhuwao founded a think tank, the Zhuwao Institute, which focused on economic development and was aligned with the policies of President Mugabe.

6.

Patrick Zhuwao entered politics in 2007 when President Mugabe appointed him deputy minister of youth.

7.

Patrick Zhuwao is living in exile in South Africa.

8.

Patrick Zhuwao was born on 23 May 1967 to Sabina Mugabe and a Mozambican father.

9.

Patrick Zhuwao is the brother of Innocent Mugabe, the former head of the Central Intelligence Organisation, and Leo Mugabe, a businessman and politician.

10.

Patrick Zhuwao is the only son of Sabina Mugabe who did not use her maiden name as his surname.

11.

Patrick Zhuwao studied at the University of Zimbabwe, where he earned two bachelor's degrees and four master's degrees.

12.

Patrick Zhuwao holds a Bachelor of Science in computer systems engineering, a Bachelor of Science in economics, a Master of Business Administration in information technology management, a Master of Management, a Master of Public and Development Management, and a Master of Science in economics.

13.

Patrick Zhuwao earned his most recent degree, the MS in economics, in September 2014.

14.

Patrick Zhuwao owns Norton Tobacco Farm in Norton, Mashonaland West Province.

15.

Patrick Zhuwao was said to have been involved in a salary dispute at Norton Farm when he allegedly went three months without paying the workers.

16.

Patrick Zhuwao confirmed the incident but said that because he was in the tobacco industry, he could only pay employees once the crop had been sold.

17.

Patrick Zhuwao owned another tobacco and livestock farm, Diandra Farm, allocated to him by the government on 9 December 2004.

18.

Patrick Zhuwao has business interests in Telecel Zimbabwe, a telecommunication firm that is Zimbabwe's second largest mobile phone operator, through the Empowerment Corporation of Zimbabwe, of which he is a stakeholder.

19.

Reportedly, Patrick Zhuwao himself planned to make himself the company's main shareholder, but reportedly the government did not agree to allow this.

20.

Nevertheless, the government renewed the firm's license, though Patrick Zhuwao said that his connection to President Mugabe was not a factor.

21.

In 2014, Patrick Zhuwao started his own think tank, the Patrick Zhuwao Institute.

22.

Patrick Zhuwao entered politics in July 2007 when President Robert Mugabe appointed him Deputy Minister of Youth.

23.

Patrick Zhuwao's appointment was criticized by some as an example of nepotism, because Zhuwao is Mugabe's nephew.

24.

Patrick Zhuwao was placed on the United States sanctions list in 2005.

25.

Patrick Zhuwao reportedly slapped Mliswa, who did not retaliate, once, before others present intervened.

26.

On 11 September 2015, Patrick Zhuwao was appointed Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment by President Mugabe.

27.

Patrick Zhuwao succeeded Christopher Mushohwe, who went on to become Minister of Information.

28.

On 21 July 2016, Patrick Zhuwao was ordered out of the Parliament building after he failed to respond to questioning during a portfolio committee session.

29.

Patrick Zhuwao had been called before the committee to answer questions about an allegedly corrupt deal he had brokered when he hired a private consultancy firm, whose owner Patrick Zhuwao had a personal relationship with, to spearhead Zimbabwe's National Economic Empowerment Strategy.

30.

On 9 October 2017, Patrick Zhuwao was appointed Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare of Zimbabwe.

31.

On 11 November 2017, it was often incorrectly reported that Patrick Zhuwao was taken into custody by the Zimbabwean military in relation to the 2017 coup d'etat.

32.

The reports that he was arrested were false; Patrick Zhuwao was in fact returning from a foreign trip, but changed his plans after hearing about the coup.

33.

Patrick Zhuwao said that he was proud to have served in Mugabe's government, but that he was quitting politics and remaining in South Africa for the time being out of safety concerns.

34.

Patrick Zhuwao cited the example of the United States, which sent Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel to Ethiopia to investigate a bombing in Addis Ababa that happened on the same day as the Bulawayo bombing.