{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician (born 1958)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri | honorific_suffix = | image = File:Oppah Muchinguri.png | caption = Muchinguri in 2015 | office = Minister of Defence | term_start = 11 September 2018 | term_end = | president = Emmerson Mnangagwa | predecessor = Constantino Chiwenga | successor = | deputy = Levi Mayihlome | office2 = Minister of Environment, Water and Climate | term_start2 = 23 July 2015 | president2 = Robert Mugabe<br />Emmerson Mnangagwa | term_end2 = 11 September 2018 | office3 = Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development | term_start3 = December 2014 | term_end3 = 23 July 2015 | deputy3 = | president3 = Robert Mugabe | predecessor3 = Olivia Muchena | successor3 = Jonathan Moyo | office4 = Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development | term_start4 = 2005 | term_end4 = 2009 | deputy4 = | president4 = Robert Mugabe | predecessor4 = Position created | successor4 = Olivia Muchena | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|12|14}} | birth_place = Southern Rhodesia | death_date = | death_place = | party = ZANU-PF | spouse = Anthony Kashiri (m. 2015)<br />Tapiwa Rushesha (div. 1990) | relations = | children = 2 | alma_mater = University of Zimbabwe | occupation = Politician | education = University of Zimbabwe<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uz.ac.zw/|title=University of Zimbabwe - International Academic Brand}}</ref> | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}
'''Oppah Chamu Zvipange Muchinguri-Kashiri''' (born 14 December 1958) is a Zimbabwean politician who serves as minister of defence in the cabinet of Zimbabwe since 2018.<ref name=AllAfrica>{{cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201712010001.html|title=Zimbabwe: New Cabinet Appointed - Ministerial Portfolios Reduced to 22 - Only 6 Deputy Ministers Appointed|publisher=AllAfrica|access-date=2 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203173450/http://allafrica.com/stories/201712010001.html|archive-date=3 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also served as Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Women's Affairs. Muchinguri ran as the ZANU-PF candidate for Mutasa Central constituency in the March 2008 parliamentary election, but was defeated by Trevor Saruwaka of the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai. According to official results, Muchinguri received 4,764 votes against 9,228 votes for Saruwaka.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral203.17984.html |title=Zimbabwe election results 2008 |publisher=newzimbabwe.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405183324/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral203.17984.html |archive-date=2008-04-05 }}</ref>
''The Herald'' reported on 3 January 2009, that Muchinguri had been dismissed from the Cabinet earlier in the week, along with 11 other ministers, because she no longer held any seat in Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200901030013.html|title=Losing Ministers Axed|publisher=The Herald (allAfrica.com)|date= 3 January 2009}}</ref>
She was re-appointed to cabinet in 2014 following the dismissal of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and several of her allies, in December 2014. In 2015 she was moved to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate in a cabinet reshuffle. On 27 November 2017, Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa dissolved the cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/headlines/mnangagwa-dissolves-cabinet-chinamasa-appointed-acting-finance-minister/|title = Mnangagwa dissolves cabinet, Chinamasa appointed Acting Finance Minister|date = 27 November 2017}}</ref>
She was appointed as the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate again on 30 November 2017.<ref name=AllAfrica/> She was later appointed Minister of Defence in September 2018.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2018/09/14/new-cabinet-an-average-team/ | title=New cabinet an average team | newspaper=Zimbabwe Independent | date=14 September 2018 | access-date=8 December 2020 }}</ref>
She was placed on the United States sanctions list in 2003.<ref>[https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/03/10/03-5848/blocking-property-of-persons-undermining-democratic-processes-or-institutions-in-zimbabwe Blocking Property of Persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.]</ref> In 2020 she claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic was God's punishment on the countries (USA etc.) that "suffocate" Zimbabwe by sanctions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/03/15/coronavirus-is-god-s-revenge-against-zimbabwe-s-sanctioners-minister/|title=Coronavirus is God's revenge against Zimbabwe's sanctioners - Minister|last=AfricaNews|date=2020-03-15|website=Africanews|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}</ref>
In January 2021 Muchinguri was condemned by public health experts in Zimbabwe after accusing China of "botched experiments" that were responsible for the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the world after Zimbabwe lost 2 cabinet ministers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.urdupoint.com/en/miscellaneous/zimbabwe-loses-second-minister-to-covid-19-1142215.html|title=Zimbabwe Loses Second Minister To COVID-19|date=2021-01-15|website=UrduPoint|language=en|access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://savannanews.com/china-created-covid-19oppah/|title=China created Covid-19: Oppah|date=2021-01-15|website=Savanna News|language=en|access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/defense-minister-oppah-rushesha-muchinguri-kashiri/5741122.html|title=Zimbabwe Minister Accuses China of Manufacturing COVID-19|date=2021-01-18|website=VOA|language=en|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Mnangagwa cabinet}} {{Zimbabwe government ministers}} {{Current members of the Zimbabwe House of Assembly}} {{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}} {{Members of the 3rd Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muchinguri, Oppah}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Defence ministers of Zimbabwe Category:Science ministers of Zimbabwe Category:Environment ministers of Zimbabwe Category:Female defence ministers Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List Category:Women government ministers of Zimbabwe Category:ZANU–PF politicians Category:First women governors
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