Olivia Nyembezi Muchena (born 18 August 1946) is a

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

an politician and the former Minister of Higher Education in the

Cabinet of Zimbabwe The Cabinet of Zimbabwe is the executive body that forms the government of Zimbabwe together with the President of Zimbabwe. The Cabinet is composed of the President, the Vice-Presidents, and ministers appointed by the President. Until 1987, the Ca ...

. She has also served as the Minister of Science and Technology Development and as the Minister of Women's Affairs.

Early life and education

Muchena studied at

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...

and graduated with a PhD in agriculture and minors in social change and technology. During the late 1970s she was a faculty member at the

University of Rhodesia The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) is a public university in Harare, Zimbabwe. It opened in 1952 as the University College of Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and was initially affiliated with the University of London. ...

. When Muchena started her career at the

University of Zimbabwe The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) is a public university in Harare, Zimbabwe. It opened in 1952 as the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and was initially affiliated with the University of London. It was later renamed the University o ...

in 1983, she held the positions of Deputy Dean and Senior Lecturer. When her position as Deputy Dean ended in 1985, she remained as a lecturer until 1995.

Politics

Muchena had served in various positions in the Zimbabwe government including in the Office of the

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

and the

Ministry of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

. During her position in the Ministry of Agriculture, she was involved in Zimbabwe's land reform process. When the ZANU-PF–MDC

national unity government A national unity government, government of national unity (GNU), or national union government is a broad coalition government consisting of all parties (or all major parties) in the legislature, usually formed during a time of war or other nati ...

was sworn in on February 13, 2009, Muchena became Minister of Women's Affairs. In June 2015, Muchena lost her seat in the

Senate of Zimbabwe The Senate of Zimbabwe is the upper of the two chambers in Zimbabwe's Parliament. It existed from independence in 1980 until 1989, and was re-introduced in November 2005. The other chamber of Parliament is the National Assembly. In its curren ...

after the ZANU-PF ousted her out for supporting

Joice Mujuru Joice Runaida Mujuru (née Mugari; born 15 April 1955), also known by her nom-de-guerre Teurai Ropa Nhongo, is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 2004 to 2014. Previously she had served as a g ...

, who was formerly the

Vice-President of Zimbabwe The vice-president of Zimbabwe is the second highest political position obtainable in Zimbabwe. Currently there is a provision for two vice-presidents, who are appointed by the president of Zimbabwe. The vice-presidents are designated as "First ...

. She was placed on the

United States sanctions After the failure of the Embargo Act of 1807, the federal government of the United States took little interest in imposing embargoes and economic sanctions against foreign countries until the 20th century. United States trade policy was entirely a ...

list in 2003.Blocking property of persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.
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Literature

She contributed the piece "It can only be handled by women" to the 1984 anthology '' Sisterhood Is Global: The International Women's Movement Anthology'', edited by

Robin Morgan Robin Morgan (born January 29, 1941) is an American poet, writer, activist, journalist, lecturer and former child actor. Since the early 1960s, she has been a key radical feminist member of the American Women's Movement, and a leader in the ...

Achievements

Muchena has received multiple awards including a scholarship from the Africa-America Institute and a fellowship from Kellogg International.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muchena, Olivia Living people ZANU–PF politicians Government ministers of Zimbabwe Iowa State University alumni 1946 births Women's ministers People from Mashonaland East Province Women government ministers of Zimbabwe 21st-century Zimbabwean women politicians 21st-century Zimbabwean politicians