Sikhanyiso Ndlovu was a Zimbabwean politician who was Minister of Information and Publicity from 2007 to 2008. He was also a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo.
Sikhanyiso Ndlovu | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Information and Publicity of Zimbabwe | |
| In office 6 February 2007 – December 2008 | |
| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 May 1937 Southern Rhodesia |
| Died | 15 September 2015 (aged 78) Bulawayo |
| Political party | Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front |
Political career
editAfter serving as Deputy Minister of Education, Ndlovu was appointed as Minister of Information by President Robert Mugabe on 6 February 2007.[1]
EU-Africa Summit
editPresident Mugabe achieved a diplomatic coup in December 2007 when he attended a European Union-Africa summit despite a visa ban on Zimbabwean government officials, effective since 2001. At the summit, Ndlovu called Chancellor Angela Merkel a "Nazi remnant". Responding to Merkel's criticism of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, Ndlovu told her to "shut up or ship out," saying Germany needed a head of state like Otto von Bismarck.[2] By the time of the summit he was already placed on United States sanctions and European Union sanctions lists.[3][4]
House of Assembly
editNdlovu was nominated as ZANU-PF's candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Pelandaba-Mpopoma constituency in Bulawayo in the March 2008 parliamentary election.[5] He launched his campaign by slaughtering a beast and giving away bicycles to some of the people who attended his rally at Nkulumane Primary School, an act that his critics described as a gimmick to buy votes.[6] Milford Gwetu, an MP for the Movement for Democratic Change who was running for re-election in the same constituency as Ndlovu, died during the campaign, and as a result the election there was delayed.[7] In the postponed election held on 27 June 2008 he was defeated by MDC candidate Samuel Sandla Khumalo.[citation needed]
Cholera outbreak
editOn 12 December 2008, a day after Mugabe claimed that the Zimbabwean government had defeated a cholera epidemic, Ndlovu accused the United Kingdom of causing the outbreak in a "racist" attack meant to cause genocide against the Zimbabwean people.[8]
Dismissal
editThe Herald reported on 3 January 2009, that Ndlovu had been dismissed from the Cabinet earlier in the week, along with 11 other ministers, because he no longer held any seat in Parliament.[9]
Death
editNdlovu was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo after he suffered a stroke. He had earlier suffered an Asthma attack. He died early in the morning on 15 September 2015. He was 78 years old.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Mugabe retains old guard during shuffle", Reuters, 7 February 2007.
- ^ "Zimbabwe: Muckraker – Giving Colonisers A Good Name". Zimbabwe Independent. 2007. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
- ^ Blocking property of persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe
- ^ Official Journal of the European Union, L55, 24 February 2004, p.1.
- ^ "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates", The Herald (allAfrica.com), 15 February 2008.
- ^ ZANU-PF candidates hold rallies "The Herald". Archived from the original on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2008.(accessed 2/25/2008)
- ^ Fikile Mapala and Torby Chimhashu, "7 ministers fall as opposition overturns Zanu PF's majority in parliament" Archived 21 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, newzimbabwe.com, 2 April 2008.
- ^ Zimbabwe: Cholera is genocide by UK
- ^ "Losing Ministers Axed", The Herald, 3 January 2009.
- ^ "Breaking: Sikhanyiso Ndlovu dies". NewsDay Zimbabwe. Retrieved 15 September 2015.