Harare Provincial Minister Oliver Chidawu succumbs to heart attack

Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Oliver Chidawu (67) has died.

The former Harare Mayor and close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is said to have succumbed to a heart attack in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana confirmed his death.

“I am saddened to learn of someone I considered a good friend, Hon Oliver Chidhau. For a long time we used to have tea every Sunday and compare notes. He always spoke his mind. Rest In Peace, Dziva,” he said.

Chidawu was appointed resident Minister by Mnangagwa in March 2019 in accordance with Section (2) of the Constitution which obliges central Government to cede more powers to provincial councils for them to determine local development priorities.

He was the youngest mayor of Harare in 1984 at the age of 29 and was a director in several companies

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa said he was gutted by the news.

“Am saddened at the news that Harare Metropolitan Minister Oliver Chidawu has passed away after a heart attack. On Tuesday I met with him and we discussed about Joshua Nkomo Housing Cooperative. He admitted that I had been correct and clarified that we needed to rectify the issue,” Mliswa said.

Chidawu was also a Zanu-PF Politburo member.