George Charamba
| George Charamba | |
|---|---|
| Press Secretary President's Office | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2000 | |
| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information (Zimbabwe) | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2000 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 May 1963 Southern Rhodesia |
| Nationality |  Zimbabwean |
| Political party | ZANU-PF |
| Spouse(s) | Rudo Grace Charamba |
George Charamba is the press secretary in the president's office and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information in Zimbabwe. His position makes him the official spokesperson for President Robert Mugabe.
Background
Charamba was appointed to Robert Mugabe's government following the elections of 2000. He is among a set of individuals not allowed to travel to the United States because the Department of the Treasury is of the opinion that they are "undermining democratic processes" in Zimbabwe.[1]
Columnist
Charamba writes a column in the state newspapers under the pseudonym 'Nathaniel Manheru,' a column started by Prof. Jonathan Moyo. He attacks perceived enemies of the state from this column every week.[2]
Press Secretary
Since the departure of Jonathan Moyo from the information ministry and his re-appointment in 2013 and the minister of information, Charamba has become the defacto government spokesperson and permanent secretary on the ministry, usurping the powers of Sikhanyiso Ndlovu. He regularly appears in the government media trashing the opposition parties, dismissing them outrightly as western inspired and backed. Charamba slams opposition manifestos[3] He recently declared that "West could go hang a thousand times",[4] in response to Western critics about Mugabe's reelection, whose supporters killed many opposition MDC members and arrested opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai several times.