Godwills Masimirembwa Biography | Age | Education | Divorce | Political Career | Corruption Allegations
This is the biography of Godwills Masimirembwa a Zimbabwean lawyer, politician, and founder of the Zimbabwe Institute of Legal Studies. He is a member of the ruling party, ZANU-PF, and has held various positions in government and state enterprises.
Age
Masimirembwa was born on December 20, 1959.
Education
Masimirembwa holds multiple academic qualifications, including:
- MSc in International Relations – University of Zimbabwe (UZ)
- LLB (Bachelor of Laws) – University of Zimbabwe
- BL Honours – University of Zimbabwe
- Magistrates’ and Prosecutors’ Certificate – Ministry of Justice
- Certificate in Advanced Public Administration – The Royal Society of Arts
Personal Life
Marriage and Divorce
Masimirembwa was in a customary union with Farisai Nando, with whom he had three children. The union ended in February 2013, and a Deed of Settlement was signed in March of the same year to regulate custody, access, and maintenance of their children, as well as property rights. Disputes over the agreement led Nando to seek legal enforcement, but her application was dismissed with costs.
In February 2021, Masimirembwa had his wife and children arrested over allegations of malicious damage to property in a family dispute.
Political Career
Masimirembwa has been active in Zimbabwean politics as a member of ZANU-PF. He previously served as the party’s Harare provincial chairperson and has held other leadership roles.
- In 2013, he contested the Mabvuku-Tafara parliamentary seat but lost to James Maridadi of the MDC-T. His campaign was criticized for alleged vote-buying.
- In August 2020, Masimirembwa was elected interim chairperson of ZANU-PF Harare Province, replacing Oliver Chidau. He had previously held this position before the province was dissolved in 2019.
- He played a role in the expulsion of Joice Mujuru and her faction from ZANU-PF.
- In June 2015, shortly after being involved in the removal of Amos Midzi, Masimirembwa was ousted as Harare’s acting provincial chairperson due to factionalism allegations, reducing him to an ordinary party member.
Government and State Enterprise Roles
Masimirembwa has served in several key government and parastatal positions, including:
- Chairperson of the National Income and Pricing Commission
- Chairperson of Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC)
- Chairperson of CMED Private Limited
CMED Private Limited
In December 2015, Masimirembwa was dismissed as CMED chairperson following disagreements with Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo over the reinstatement of suspended CMED managing director Davison Mhaka.
- Mhaka had been suspended in 2014 amid investigations into a $3 million fuel procurement scandal involving First Oil, a company that failed to deliver fuel after receiving payment.
- Masimirembwa and the CMED board opposed Mhaka’s reinstatement before investigations were completed, while Minister Gumbo supported his return.
- The disciplinary process led by Retired Justice Simbi Mubako found Mhaka guilty of incompetence but cleared him of theft and fraud charges.
Corruption Allegations
In 2013, then-President Robert Mugabe accused Masimirembwa of soliciting a $6 million bribe from a Ghanaian company seeking to invest in the Marange diamond fields through a joint venture with ZMDC.
- Mugabe alleged that Masimirembwa and his associates demanded cash, created a shelf company to take equity in the mining venture under unclear circumstances, and later claimed the investors had violated Zimbabwean laws.
- The investors were allegedly threatened with arrest, despite receiving assurances of protection from then Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri.
- Mugabe initially ordered Masimirembwa’s arrest, but he was later cleared of charges and not prosecuted.
