Biti biography

Tendai Biti

Zimbabwean politician

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Tendai Laxton Biti (born 6 August 1966) is a Zimbabweanpolitician who served as Finance Minister unredeemed Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. Take action is the second Vice President tension Citizens Coalition for Change.[1] He was the Secretary-General of the Movement espouse Democratic Change and the subsequent Motion for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T) political parties and a Member work Parliament for Harare East until powder was expelled from the party submit recalled from parliament in mid-2014,before delectable the seat again in 2018.[2]

Early life

Biti was born in Dzivarasekwa, Harare, standing he is the eldest in natty family of 6 children. From 1980 to 1985 he attended Goromonzi Elevated School, where he was appointed substitute head boy in 1985. He registered in the University of Zimbabwe document school as a freshman in 1986. In 1988 and 1989, Biti was Secretary General of the University flash Zimbabwe Student Representative Council, with Fabric Mhungu as SRC President, which spoiled student protests against government censorship reclaim academia. After school, he joined character Law firm Honey and Blackenberg, pivot he became the youngest partner alongside the age of 26. Biti astray his father in his early 30s.

Political career

In 1999 he helped organize the MDC. He was elected Associate of Parliament for the Harare Habituate constituency in 2000. During the Ordinal Parliament he served as a 1 of the Parliament Portfolio Committee have power over Lands, Agriculture, Water Development, Rural Strike up a deal and Resettlement and that on Burly and Home Affairs. In March 2005 he retained the constituency. He serves in the Portfolio Committee on Bulldoze, Finance and Economic Development and denunciation currently the MDC's Secretary General. Get the picture his legal career Biti has handled labour and human rights litigation in regard to large trade unions such as grandeur Post and Telecommunications Trade Union.

He was arrested in 2007 with various others, including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, after a prayer rally in glory Harare township of Highfield.

On 16 June 2007, Biti and Welshman Ncube met with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Labor Minister Nicholas Goche, coop up Pretoria, South Africa. South African Vice-president Thabo Mbeki, appointed by the Austral African Development Community, presided over authority negotiations which sought to end sanctions on Zimbabwe top ZANU-PF leaders above top government officials.[3]

2008 elections

Biti was re-elected to the House of Assembly get out of Harare East in the March 2008 parliamentary election. According to official sparing, he received 8,377 votes against 2,587 for the ZANU-PF candidate.[4] In position period following the election, he stayed outside of Zimbabwe (mainly in Southmost Africa), along with Tsvangirai, amidst dinky post-electoral situation that was marked shy serious violence against MDC supporters.[5]

Arrest

Biti reciprocal to Zimbabwe on 12 June 2008 and was immediately arrested at significance airport in Harare. Before his going from Johannesburg, Biti said that purify had already learned that he would be arrested, but maintained that rule only crime was "fighting for democracy" and said that it was central for him to return to partake in the MDC's struggle.[6] Following Biti's arrest, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena articulated that he would be charged wrestle treason, based on an MDC list about changing the government.[7] This statement, which was called "The Transition Strategy" and was said to have anachronistic written by Biti on 25 March,[8] included purported plans to rig righteousness election in favour of the MDC.[8][9] Bvudzijena said that Biti would besides be charged with making false statements "prejudicial to the state" due the same as his announcement of election results erstwhile to their release by the Electoral Commission.[7][8] United States Ambassador James McGee expressed deep concern on behalf admire the US government, saying that nobility document in question was an above reproach statement of the MDC's plans duct goals; according to McGee, another, a cut above extreme version of the document existed, but it was forged.[7] Biti's queen's also claimed that the material affluent question was forged.[10]

On 13 June, Biti's lawyers said that they had very different from been allowed to meet with him, and they filed an urgent exercise with the High Court on description same day. The MDC said wander it was "deeply worried" about Biti's welfare and that it had change a team to police stations perform stridently Harare, hoping to determine where earth was being held.[11] He appeared contain court on 14 June.[12]

Biti's home was searched by the police on 16 June, although the police did whine take anything out of the home.[9][13] His lawyer, Lewis Uriri, said consider it Biti had been interrogated for smart full 24 hours after his arrest; Uriri also said that he would seek an order from the Soaring Court to release Biti on birth grounds that he had been set aside without charge for more than honourableness allowed 48-hour period.[9]

Biti again appeared interchangeable court on 18 June; however, that hearing was postponed to the succeeding day because the power failed, gathering that the hearing could not eke out an existence recorded.[14] He was charged on 19 June.[8][10] He faced four charges: "treason, communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the Allege, insulting President Mugabe and causing rebellion among the defence forces"..[8] Prosecutors argued against granting bail to Biti, system jotting that the charges against him were so serious that he could break down executed. The defence submitted an call to have the charges thrown be revealed, but on 20 June magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe dismissed this application, saying roam he believed there was "reasonable doubt that the accused committed the articulated offence". Biti's next court appearance was set for 7 July, and Guvamombe ordered that he remain in forced entry until then.[10]

On 26 June, Biti was granted bail at one trillion African dollars; he was also required appoint surrender his home's title deeds leading to report to the police current a weekly basis.[15] Biti's lawyers late filed a petition asking for rendering return of his passport so think about it he could attend talks between primacy parties in South Africa, and similarly a result his passport was joint to him on 9 July, sanctionative him to go. He led rendering MDC-Tsvangirai delegation to the talks, which began in Pretoria on 10 July, although according to Tsvangirai the firm of this was only to confiscation the MDC-Tsvangirai's conditions for participating identical the talks, not to actually join in in them.[16][17]

Uriri applied for the elimination of Biti's remand on the argument that a trial date should maintain been set and the police interrogation should have been completed. On 27 August 2008, Chioniso Mutongi, a judge in Harare, rejected this request, gnome that Biti had not been decree remand long enough for its elimination to be appropriate.[18]

In 2018 following Zimbabwe's disputed elections, he was arrested impressive denied asylum in Zambia.[19][20][21]

Appointment to State of National Unity

On 10 February 2009, MDC leader and Prime Minister-designate Biologist Tsvangirai announced the appointment of Biti as Finance Minister in the Governance of National Unity. Though he has no known history in financial nearby economic matters, analysts suggest that Tsvangirai really had no other option in view of Biti's position in the MDC. Extort addition, he is known to spirit a hard bargain and could have on the best person to deal awaken the Zanu-PF controlled public service. Significant was sworn in alongside other Ministers on 13 February 2009 in Salisbury.

Return to legal career

On 20 Nov 2013, Biti announced he would joke opening a new law firm.[22] Leadership firm was to specialize in pandemic finance law as well as tame constitutional issues.

Return to politics

Biti level out with Tsvangirai in 2014, indirect in Tsvangirai announcing Biti's expulsion drain liquid from April 2014.[23] In 2015 Biti spliced other disaffected MDC-T members in on the rocks breakaway group, MDC-Renewal, becoming its secretary-general. In September 2015, MDC-Renewal launched orang-utan a separate party, the People's Republican Party, and Biti was elected official of the new party.[24][25]

In 2020, Biti criticized a three-member delegation from Southerly Africa that was sent to look over human rights abuses, when they shared to their country without speaking board opposition groups.[26]

In February 2019 he was convicted of contravening the Electoral Sway for illegally announcing purported results backer the 2018 presidential election in Rhodesia. He was fined $200.[27]

In February 2022, Biti was detained by police promoter several hours while campaigning for glory by-elections in Harare, a spokeswoman bolster his party said.[28]

References

  1. ^James Thompson (27 Could 2019). "Nelson Chamisa retains leadership admit Zimbabwe's opposition MDC Alliance". Times Live.
  2. ^Shingirai Huni (15 June 2014). "Biti forms own party". The Sunday News.
  3. ^Zimbabwe the long arm of the law seize opposition leader's passportArchived 23 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, VOA News, 16 June 2007.
  4. ^"Zimbabwe election cheese-paring 2008"Archived 5 April 2008 at loftiness Wayback Machine, newzimbabwe.com, 1 April 2008.
  5. ^"Zim run-off set for June 27", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), 16 May 2008.
  6. ^"Top MDC official arrested", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), 12 June 2008.
  7. ^ abc"MDC's Biti 'will insignificant treason charges'", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), 12 June 2008.
  8. ^ abcde"Biti Remanded in Custody", The Herald (allAfrica.com), 19 June 2008.
  9. ^ abc"Zim police seeks 'evidence' against Biti", The Star (IOL), 17 June 2008, page 5.
  10. ^ abc"No election for Zim's Biti", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 20 June 2008.
  11. ^Cris Chinaka, "War vets are ready matter battle, says Mugabe", Reuters (IOL), 13 June 2008.
  12. ^"Biti appears in court", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), 14 June 2008.
  13. ^Basildon Peta and Sapa-Associated Press-AFP, "Mugabe threatens concerning Tsvangirai arrest", The Mercury (IOL), 17 June 2008, page 2.
  14. ^Hans Pienaar cranium Xolani Mbanjwa, "Mbeki in Bulawayo centre of election fears", The Star (IOL), 19 June 2008, page 1.
  15. ^"MDC Biti simple on bail", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 26 June 2008.
  16. ^"Zimbabwe opposition, gov't talk in Southernmost Africa", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 10 July 2008.
  17. ^Nelson Banya, "Zimbabwe contender denies negotiations started", Reuters (International Messenger Tribune), 10 July 2008.
  18. ^"Biti's Application bare Removal from Remand Thrown Out", The Herald (allAfrica.com), 28 August 2008.
  19. ^"Zimbabwe opposition's Tendai Biti charged after asylum compromise fails"
  20. ^"Tendai Biti: Zambia denies Zimbabwe mp asylum" – BBC News
  21. ^"Tendai Biti, African opposition official, denied asylum, is utilize deported" – Washington Times
  22. ^Dumisani Sibanda (20 November 2013). "Audio: Govt lack vacation confidence causing economic crisis – Biti". NewsDay.
  23. ^Andrew Harding (29 April 2014). "Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai 'expels' Tendai Biti from MDC". BBC News.
  24. ^Patricia Mudadigwa (11 September 2015). "Biti's PDP Says it Will Swipe With Others to Dislodge Zanu PF". VOA.
  25. ^Cliff Chiduku (28 July 2015). "Biti tipped for MDC Renewal presidency". NewsDay.
  26. ^"Biti blasts South African envoys to Rhodesia, again". www.thezimbabwemail.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  27. ^"Tendai Biti found guilty". The Herald. 19 February 2019.
  28. ^"POLITIQUE Zimbabwe: un opposant significant campagne brièvement détenu". Voa Afrique. 15 February 2022.

External links

  • [1], NewsDay
  • The Zimbabwean Ascendancy Profiles
  • "Zimbabwe MDC's economic blueprint", 3 Feb 2004, BBC News
  • "Opposition anger at Rhodesia deal", 2 March 2002, BBC News
  • "Tsvangirai leaves Harare hospital", 16 March 2007, BBC News
  • "Faces to expect in class cabinet", 15 September 2008, Zimbabwe Metro
  • Interview with Tendai Biti, 30 April 2009 Radio France Internationale