1 6 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁South ▁African ▁President ▁Th ab o ▁M be ki , ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Southern ▁African ▁Development ▁Community , ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁which ▁sought ▁to ▁end ▁economic ▁san ctions ▁on ▁Z imb ab we . ▁ ▁Ch in am asa ▁was ▁nominated ▁as ▁Z AN U – PF ' s ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁seat ▁from ▁Mak oni ▁Central ▁in ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁parliament ary ▁election , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁defeated . ▁Ch in am asa ▁received ▁ 4 ▁ 0 5 0 ▁votes ▁against ▁ 7 , 0 6 0 ▁for ▁John ▁Ny am ande ▁of ▁the ▁Mov ement ▁for ▁Democratic ▁Change ▁( MD C ). ▁ ▁Within ▁Z AN U - PF , ▁Ch in am asa ▁has ▁been ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁al ly ▁of ▁Em m erson ▁M n ang ag wa ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Ch in am asa ▁is ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁Z AN U ▁P F ' s ▁Information ▁and ▁Public ity ▁Sub - Com mit te e , ▁and ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁he ▁acted ▁as ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁Z AN U ▁P F ▁in ▁the ▁period ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁president ial ▁and ▁parliament ary ▁election . ▁In ▁this ▁respect , ▁he ▁was ▁viewed ▁as ▁taking ▁over ▁the ▁roles ▁of ▁Minister ▁of ▁Information ▁and ▁Public ity ▁S ikh any iso ▁N d lov