Mabel Chinomona Biography | Personal Life and Age | Education | Political and Professional Career
This is the biography of Mabel Memory Chinomona, a Zimbabwean politician affiliated with the ZANU-PF party. She currently serves as the President of the Senate, the upper chamber of Zimbabwe’s Parliament. Her political career spans decades, including roles as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and as a representative for the Mutoko North Constituency.
Personal Life and Age
Birthdate: January 21, 1958
Chinomona is a widow, mother of four (two sons and two daughters), and grandmother to three.
Education
- Primary School: Kaware School
- Secondary School: Nyamuzuwe High School (Junior Certificate), Murehwa High School (O Level)
- Tertiary Education:
- Speciss College (Secretarial Studies)
- Kushinga Phikhela (National Certificate in Administration)
- Local Government Certification
Political and Professional Career
Chinomona joined Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, the Second Chimurenga, in 1975. After independence, she held leadership positions within ZANU-PF, including Chairperson for Mashonaland East for a decade and Political Commissar.
Parliamentary Career
- 1990: Elected unopposed as Member of Parliament for Mutoko North.
- 2013: Re-elected to Parliament, representing Mutoko North, and appointed Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.
- 2018: Re-elected to Parliament with 16,902 votes but vacated the seat upon being elected President of the Senate.
Leadership Roles
- Served as Deputy Chief Whip and a member of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) for 10 years.
- Held membership in the Portfolio Committees on Mines and Energy.
- Served as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and worked in the Ministry of Local Government for a decade.
Women’s League
Chinomona has been active in the ZANU-PF Women’s League, serving in various roles, including Director of the Commissariat and later as the League’s Secretary. Her role as Secretary also made her a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo.
Also read: Tafadzwa Mugwadi Biography | Age | Education | Political Career
Suspension and Political Challenges
In February 2016, while serving as the Women’s League head in Mashonaland East, Chinomona faced a vote of no confidence from the party’s provincial coordinating committee. Officially, the suspension cited her failure to facilitate a planned trip for Women’s League members to meet then-President Robert Mugabe. However, it was widely reported that her suspension was tied to her association with the Lacoste faction within ZANU-PF, aligned with Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The suspension was eventually overturned, with influential party figures, including Sydney Sekeramayi, reportedly intervening on her behalf. Chinomona continued in the Women’s League as Political Commissar and ascended to the position of Secretary after the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d’état.
Senate Presidency
In her current role as President of the Senate, Chinomona oversees legislative processes in Zimbabwe’s upper chamber. Her tenure has included controversial decisions, such as accepting a letter from Senator Douglas Mwonzora expelling MDC Alliance Senators from Parliament, a move criticised by some as contentious.
