Veteran opposition activist and former long-serving legislator for Mutare Central, Innocent Gonese, has officially retired from active politics. Gonese made the announcement of his retirement in a private message to relatives over the weekend and later confirmed it in an interview with source.
After 24 years in politics, Gonese stated his intention to focus on his law practice, transitioning to being a private citizen and full-time legal practitioner and human rights activist.
He expressed his desire to dedicate more time to his family, long-distance running, golf, and potentially pursuing a Ph.D. Gonese also mentioned considering Arthur Mutambara’s challenge to write a book.
However, he emphasized the need to navigate challenging and difficult times before taking on new endeavors.
In April of this year, Gonese, along with fellow legislator Trevor Saruwaka, withdrew from contesting in the general elections despite being nominated as representatives of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Over his career, Gonese served as the chief whip of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the 8th and 9th Parliaments of Zimbabwe.
With a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 1984 and a Master’s Degree in Human Rights, Peace, and Development from Africa University in 2016, Gonese has made significant contributions to Zimbabwean politics and legal practice.
He joined the MDC in 1999, and his political journey led to his election as the Member of Parliament for Mutare Central in 2000, with re-elections in 2008, 2013, and 2018.
Gonese served as the MDC’s provincial secretary for legal and parliamentary affairs in Manicaland and held the same position in the party’s national executive between 2006 and 2011. From 2009 to 2013, he was a member of the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee on Constitution making, contributing to the drafting of Zimbabwe’s new constitution passed into law in May 2013.
Additionally, he participated in the examination of the constitutionality of laws presented to Parliament by the Executive as a member of the Parliamentary Legal Committee. Gonese also served on the Parliamentary Liaison Co-ordination Committee and the Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Portfolio Committee.
Source Bulawayo24
