View source for Joice Mujuru

{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician (born 1955)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Joice Mujuru
| image               = Joice Mujuru at Horasis Global Arab Business Meeting 2012 crop.jpg
| caption             = Mujuru in 2012
| office              = [[Vice President of Zimbabwe|First Vice-President of Zimbabwe]]
| president           = [[Robert Mugabe]]
| term_start          = {{start date|2004|12|6|df=y}}
| term_end            = {{end date|2014|12|8|df=y}}
| predecessor         = [[Simon Muzenda]]
| successor           = [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]]
| office1             = President of the [[National People's Party (Zimbabwe)|National People's Party]]
| term_start1         = 2017
| predecessor1        = Party established
| office2             = Vice-President and Second Secretary of [[ZANU-PF]]
| president2          = [[Robert Mugabe]]
| term_start2         = 6 December 2004
| term_end2           = 8 December 2014
| alongside2          = [[Joseph Msika]]<br>(1999-2009); [[John Nkomo]]<br>(2009-2013); 	[[Phelekezela Mphoko]]<br>(2014-2017)
| predecessor2        = [[Simon Muzenda]]
| successor2          = [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]]
| office3             = [[ZANU–PF Women's League#List of secretaries|Secretary of the ZANU–PF Women's League]]
| term_start3         = 1981
| term_end3           = 1988
| predecessor3        = [[Sally Mugabe]]
| successor3          = Tsungirirai Hungwe
| birth_name          = Runaida Mugari
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1955|4|15|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Mount Darwin, Zimbabwe|Mount Darwin]], [[Southern Rhodesia]] (now [[Zimbabwe]])
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[National People's Party (Zimbabwe)|National People's Party]] <small>(since 2017)</small><br />[[Zimbabwe People First]] <small>(2016–17)</small><br />[[ZANU–PF]] <small>(until 2015)</small>
| spouse              =  {{marriage| [[Solomon Mujuru]]|1977|2011|end=died}}
| children            = 4
| alma_mater          = [[Women's University in Africa]]
| website             = 
| nickname            = Teurai Ropa
| allegiance          = [[Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army]]
| branch              = 
| serviceyears        = 1972–1979
| rank                = Commissar
| commands            = Second-in-Command of Zhunta Camp
| battles             = [[Rhodesian Bush War]]
}}
'''Joice Runaida Mujuru''' ([[née]] '''Mugari'''; born 15 April 1955), also known by her [[nom-de-guerre]] '''Teurai Ropa Nhongo''', is a [[Zimbabwe]]an revolutionary and politician who served as [[Vice-President of Zimbabwe]] from 2004 to 2014. Previously, she had served as a government minister and as Vice-President of [[ZANU–PF]]. She was married to [[Solomon Mujuru]] until his death in 2011 and was long considered a potential successor to President [[Robert Mugabe]], but in 2014 she was denounced for allegedly plotting against Mugabe. As a result of the accusations against her, Mujuru lost both her post as Vice-President and her position in the party leadership. She was expelled from the party a few months later, after which she formed the new Zimbabwe People First party.

==Early life==
Runaida Mugari was born in [[Zimbabwe|Zimbabwe's]] Northeastern district of [[Mount Darwin, Zimbabwe|Mount Darwin]], a [[Shona people|Shona]] from the Korekore language group. She attended a [[The Salvation Army|Salvation Army]] mission school, Howard High in Chiweshe in [[Mashonaland Central Province]].

At eighteen years old, Mujuru was the only woman who trained in [[Lusaka]].<ref name="auto">{{cite book|last=Pennington|first=Reina|title=Amazons to Fighter Pilots: a Biographical Dictionary of Military Women|location=Westport|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=0313327076|page=316}}</ref> After completing two years of secondary education, she decided to join the [[Rhodesian Bush War]]. She is said to have downed a helicopter with a machine gun on 17 February 1974 after refusing to flee. The helicopter downing incident has been vehemently denied by [[Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association|War Veterans]] chairman, [[Christopher Mutsvangwa]] after her expulsion from the party; other ballistic experts have also questioned the possibility of shooting down a helicopter with such a light weapon as narrated on her story.<ref>{{Cite web|title=VP Mujuru stole my picture: War veteran |newspaper=The Herald |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |url=http://www.herald.co.zw/vp-mujuru-stole-my-picture-war-veteran/ |access-date=9 February 2016 }}</ref> By 1975, she was the political instructor of two successful military bases. At 21, Mujuru was camp commander at the [[Chimoio]] military and refugee camp in [[Mozambique]].<ref name="auto"/>

She took the [[nom de guerre|nom-de-guerre]] ''Teurai Ropa Nhongo'' ([[Shona language|Shona]] for "spill blood"),<ref>{{cite book|title=The International Dictionary of Women's Biography|year=1985|publisher=Continuum|location=New York|isbn=0-8264-0192-9|page=342|chapter=Nhongo (née Mugari), Joyce (1955–)}}</ref> and then rose to become one of the first women commanders in Mugabe's [[ZANLA]] forces. In 1977, she married Solomon Mujuru, known then by his nom-de-guerre ''Rex Nhongo'', deputy commander-in-chief of ZANLA. That same year, she became the youngest member of the ZANU Central Committee, a member of the National Executive.<ref name="auto"/> Her political activity made her a target for the [[Rhodesian Security Forces]], which tried to capture her but were unsuccessful.<ref name="auto"/> As part of [[Operation Dingo]], the ZANLA camp in [[Chimoio]] was attacked by Rhodesian soldiers on November 23, 1977. Mujuru managed to elude capture by hiding in a well-used communal pit latrine.<ref>Cole, Barbara The Elite: The Story of the Rhodesian Special Air Service</ref> In 1978, when her camp came under attack, Muruju—nine months pregnant at the time—was still an active combatant. She gave birth only days later.<ref name="auto"/>

Upon return from the war, little was known of the origins of her name and her real name. Her mother, in an interview for The Sunday Mail newspaper at her rural Mount Darwin home, spoke exclusively to journalist and media anthropologist Robert Mukondiwa, to whom she revealed that Joice was a name she had also adopted during her time away at the war. Her actual name, he was told, was Runaida, which had been her late paternal aunt's name.

The Mujurus now live on a {{convert|3500|acre|km2|adj=on}} requisitioned farm, [[Alamein Farm]], {{convert|45|mi|km}} south of Harare, which has been found by the Supreme Court in Zimbabwe to have been illegally seized from the farm owner.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6507993.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Profile: The Mujuru couple|date=24 February 2009|access-date=24 May 2013}}</ref>

==Political career==
At independence in 1980, Mujuru became the youngest cabinet minister in the cabinet, taking the portfolio of sports, youth and recreation. She fitted secondary school in between her busy schedule after she was appointed minister.

As Minister of Telecommunications, she tried to stop [[Strive Masiyiwa]] from establishing his independent cellphone network Econet.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Zim government leaves out cellphone pioneer |date=24 March 1997 |newspaper=ZA*NOW (Electronic Mail and Guardian) |location=South Africa |url=http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/za1/24mar-news.html#zimcell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050414132818/http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/za1/24mar-news.html#zimcell |archive-date=14 April 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Masiyiwa had been given an ultimatum by the cabinet to sell his imported equipment to his rivals. On 24 March 1997, Mujuru decided to issue Zimbabwe's second cellular telephone licence to the previously unknown Zairois consortium Telecel,<ref>[http://www.btimes.co.za/98/1018/world/world03.htm How a man called Strive beat off the corrupt cronies] Business Times</ref> cutting out Masiyiwa. The Zairois consortium included her husband Solomon and President Robert Mugabe's nephew Leo. After many legal fights, Masiyiwa won his licence in December 1997.

===Vice-President===
The ZANU-PF Women's League resolved at its annual conference held in September 2004 to put forward a female candidate for the party's vice-presidency, a position left vacant following the death of [[Simon Muzenda]].

Mugabe bowed to pressure from a ZANU-PF faction led by Mujuru's husband, General Solomon Mujuru, to give a woman the second vice-presidency post—effectively sidelining Speaker of Parliament [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]], widely seen as his favoured heir. This ZANU-PF reshuffle was dubbed "the night of the long knives" by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4058369.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Mugabe moves against party rivals|date=1 December 2004|access-date=24 May 2013}}</ref>

Mujuru was sworn in as Vice-President of Zimbabwe on 6 December 2004.<ref>[http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=52333 "ZIMBABWE: Mujuru sworn in as vice president"], IRIN, 6 December 2004.</ref>

Mujuru was nominated as ZANU-PF's candidate for the [[House of Assembly of Zimbabwe|House of Assembly]] seat from [[Mt. Darwin West]] in the [[2008 Zimbabwean parliamentary election|March 2008 parliamentary election]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200802150006.html |title=Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates |newspaper=[[The Herald (Zimbabwe)|The Herald]] |date=15 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219020318/http://allafrica.com/stories/200802150006.html |archive-date=19 February 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> According to official results she won the seat by an overwhelming margin, receiving 13,236 votes against 1,792 for Gora Madzudzo, the candidate of the [[Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai|Movement for Democratic Change]] (MDC) faction led by [[Morgan Tsvangirai]]. This ran contrary to earlier claims from the MDC that Mujuru had lost the seat.<ref>Mutongi Gava, [http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral204.17985.html "VP Mujuru not defeated"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317103254/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral204.17985.html |date=17 March 2018 }}, newzimbabwe.com, 31 March 2008.</ref> After the election, she was again sworn in as Vice-President by Mugabe on 13 October 2008, together with Msika.<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6514510.html "Zimbabwe President Mugabe swears in vice presidents"], Xinhua, 14 October 2008.</ref>

She is the subject of personal sanctions imposed by the United States.<ref>[http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=13267 US Personal Sanctions] ZWNews</ref>

Joice Mujuru was implicated in a 2009 attempted sale of up to 3.5 tonnes of gold from the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] to a European company, in contravention of European Union sanctions on the part of that company.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7907177.stm|title=Zimbabwe 'illegal gold sale bid'|date=25 February 2009|access-date=28 February 2009|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

She currently lives on [[Alamein Farm]], a productive and high-value operation illegally requisitioned as part of the [[Land reform in Zimbabwe|land reform programme]] from Guy Watson-Smith in 2001,<ref>[http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-3319957-we-were-given-minutes-to-leave.do "Farm owner given minutes to leave his Farm"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805144548/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-3319957-we-were-given-minutes-to-leave.do |date=5 August 2011 }}, ''London Evening Standard'', 10 February 2003.</ref> as found by the Zimbabwe High Court and international courts. In 2001 the Mujuru family became the subject of the first legal action against any member of Mr Mugabe's inner circle implicated in the illegal seizure of land and assets. The seizure of Alamein Farm was ruled illegal by the [[Supreme Court of Zimbabwe]].<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/1366242/Evicted-farmer-sues-for-return-of-2m-assets.html " Evicted farmer sues for return of £2m assets"], ''The Telegraph'', 24 December 2001.</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120914142124/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-541448-britain-must-act-on-zimbabwe.do "Britain must act on Zimbabwe"], ''London Evening Standard'', 25 January 2002.</ref>

Mujuru was considered a potential successor to President Mugabe, competing against Emmerson Mnangagwa. She rallied support among the [[politburo]], central committee and the [[presidium]], and the provincial party chairs. She also garnered support from the general Zimbabwean population, indicated by the election of her loyalists to the youth league. However, her succession was expected to be challenged at the December 2014 congress, where the members of all politburo and central committee cadres were expected to seek re-election.<ref>[http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/southern-africa/zimbabwe/b103-zimbabwe-waiting-for-the-future.pdf "Zimbabwe: Waiting for the Future"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930210617/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/southern-africa/zimbabwe/b103-zimbabwe-waiting-for-the-future.pdf |date=30 September 2014 }}, International Crisis Group, 29 September 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.</ref>

===Expulsion and new political party===
In late 2014, Mujuru was accused of plotting against Mugabe and became an outcast within ZANU-PF. She lost her positions in the party leadership at the December 2014 congress, and shortly afterward, on 8 December 2014, Mugabe dismissed her from her post as Vice-President, along with ministers who were identified with her faction. In comments published on 9 December, the same day the dismissals were announced, Mujuru said that the claims that she had plotted against Mugabe were "ridiculous".<ref>MacDonald Dzirutwe, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-mujuru-idUSKBN0JN0P420141209 "Zimbabwe's Mugabe fires deputy, seven ministers"], Reuters, 9 December 2014.</ref>

On 10 December 2014, Mugabe appointed Mujuru's long-time rival in the succession battle, [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]], to replace her as Vice-President.<ref>MacDonald Dzirutwe, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-idUSKBN0JO1GW20141210 "Zimbabwe's Mugabe names 'The Crocodile' Mnangagwa as deputy"], Reuters, 10 December 2014.</ref>

Mujuru was expelled from ZANU-PF on 3 April 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32176164|title=Zimbabwe ruling party expels Mugabe rival Joyce Mujuru|date=3 April 2015|publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2015/04/03/mujuru-expelled-from-zanu-pf|title=Mujuru expelled from Zanu PF|last=AFP}}</ref> and subsequently moved on to form the Zimbabwe People First party, in opposition to ZANU-PF.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/11852311/Robert-Mugabes-new-opponent-his-daughter-Joice-Mujuru.html "Robert Mugabe's new opponent: his 'daughter' Joice Mujuru"], ''The Telegraph''.</ref> In 2017 after expelling seven senior members of the ''Zimbabwe People First'' party, she changed its name to ''National People's Party'' when the expelled members challenged ownership of the Zimbabwe People First name.<ref>[http://www.herald.co.zw/latest-mujuru-changes-party-name-to-national-peoples-party/ "Mujuru change her faction's party name to National People's Party"], ''The Herald''.</ref>
Joice Mujuru signed an alliance with 20 smaller parties during the run up to the 2018 Presidential election. This was believed to be a counter to Tsvangirai's MDC alliance that is to give her a large bargaining power on the coalition table. The Lucia Matibenga-led People's Democratic Party (PDP), Dumiso Dabengwa's Zapu and the NPP unveiled a coalition pact to challenge Zanu PF in Matabeleland in the 2018 elections. The Zapu, NPP and PDP leadership said they would not contest each other for any parliamentary seats in Matabeleland, before noting that "doors were still open" for a broader coalition with other opposition parties, raising fears that the MDC Alliance, which was announced recently, could have hit turbulence.<ref>Nqbani Ndlovu and Sharon Sibindi,  [https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/09/mujuru-biti-dabengwa-form-coalition/ "Mujuru, Biti, Dabengwa form own coalition"], ''Newsday'', 23 September 2017.</ref>

She was part of the 23 candidates that ran for the Presidency.<ref>https://m.news24.com/Africa/Zimbabwe/mujuru-promises-to-leave-no-stone-unturned-in-finding-missing-mugabe-critic-20180405 | Mujuru promises to leave no stone unturned in finding missing Mugabe critic | News24</ref>

==Positions held==
*[[Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Community Development and Women's Affairs]] (1980–85)
*[[Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Zimbabwe)|Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office]] (1985–88)
*[[Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives and Women's Affairs]] (1988–92)
*[[Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland Central|Resident Minister and Governor for Mashonaland Central]] (1993–96)
*[[Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Information, Post and Telecommunication]] (1996–97)
*[[Ministry of Water Resources and Development (Zimbabwe)|Minister of Rural Resources and Water Development]] (1997–2004)
*[[Vice President of Zimbabwe|First Vice-President of Zimbabwe]] (2004–14)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Joice Mujuru}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100721223126/http://www.vpmujuruoffice.gov.zw/ Official website]
*[http://www.mujuru.com/ "Mujuru Story" website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330094603/https://mujuru.com/ |date=30 March 2022 }} Mujuru.com
*[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6507993.stm BBC NEWS website Profile] BBC

{{Vice-Presidents of Zimbabwe|state=expanded}}
{{Zimbabwe government ministers 2000–2009}}
{{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 3rd Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Members of the 1st Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mujuru, Joyce}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Zimbabwean politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Zimbabwean women politicians]]
[[Category:African women in war]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Female revolutionaries]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:People from Mashonaland Central Province]]
[[Category:Shona people]]
[[Category:Sports ministers of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Vice-presidents of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Women in the Rhodesian Bush War]]
[[Category:Women vice presidents in Africa]]
[[Category:ZANU–PF politicians]]
[[Category:Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army personnel]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean revolutionaries]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean Salvationists]]
[[Category:Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe]]