ED retains old guard

By Vanessa Gonye | Sep. 12, 2023 | 4 Min read

Announcing the new Cabinet at State House in Harare, a week after he was sworn in for his second term, Mnangagwa retained Mthuli Ncube, who will lead the re-named Finance and Investment Promotion ministry.

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday announced his new Cabinet, retaining several ministers who served under him for the past five years.

Most notable of the old guard were Oppah Muchinguri (Defence), who previously led the Defence and War Veterans ministry; July Moyo (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare), who was shuttled from the Local Government and Public Works portfolio; Sithembiso Nyoni (Industry and Commerce), who previously led the Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development portfolio.

Christopher Mutsvangwa was brought back into Cabinet to lead the Veterans of Liberation Struggle Affairs ministry, while his wife Monica was moved from the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services ministry to head the Women’s Affairs ministry, where she will be deputised by Jennifer Mhlanga, who previously deputised July Moyo at Local Government.

Frederick Shava retained the Foreign Affairs and International Trade portfolio), Kazembe Kazembe was not moved from the Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage ministry, so was Amon Murwira (Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development), Daniel Garwe (National Housing and Social Amenities) and Felix Mhona (Transport and Infrastructural Development).

Garwe will be deputised by Yeukai Simbanegavi, who held a similar position in the previous Cabinet.

Zanu PF secretary for security Lovemore Matuke was appointed Minister of State responsible for Provincial Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

Chikomba West legislator Tatenda Mavetera, who led Mnangagwa’s campaign through the Young Business Women for ED, was rewarded with the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) ministry.

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Some Cabinet ministers retained their positions, while others had their portfolios re-configured.

Kirsty Coventry was retained in Cabinet, but her ministry was reconfigured from Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.

Nqobizita Mangaliso Ndlovu’s Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministry was reconfigured to Environment, Climate and Wildlife, while Tourism and Hospitality was given to Barbara Rwodzi, who was Ndlovu’s deputy in the previous Cabinet.

Mnangagwa retained the team at the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry led by Anxious Masuka and his deputies Vangelis Haritatos and Davis Marapira.

Besides Monica, the others who were reassigned were Winston Chitando, who was moved from Mines and Mining Development to Local Government and Public Works; Jenfan Muswere was shuttled from ICT to Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Soda Zhemu who was moved from Energy and Power Development to Mines and Mining Development, whereas Paul Mavima was moved from Public Service, Labour and Social welfare to an altogether new ministry, Skills Audit and Development.

New members of the Cabinet include Tino Machakaire, who was promoted from being Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation deputy minister to head the Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training ministry; Rwodzi who was also promoted to head the Tourism and Hospitality portfolio; Torerai Moyo who is the new Primary and Secondary Education minister and replaces Evelyn Ndlovu, who was moved to be Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister; Edgar Moyo who takes over from Zhemu at the Energy and Power Development ministry and former Lands minister Douglas Mombeshora, who has taken over the Health and Child Care ministry from Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

However, Mnangagwa caused controversy after announcing two of his relatives, David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa and Tongai Mnangagwa, as deputy ministers for Finance and Tourism, respectively.

He promoted Zanu PF deputy national secretary for youth affairs John Paradza to the Environment ministry, where he will deputise Ndlovu.

Other appointed deputies include Junior Mupamhanga (Youth Empowerment), Emily Jesaya (Sports), Levy Mayihlome (Defence), Mhlanga (Women’s Affairs), Obert Mazungunye (Justice), Simelizezwe Sibanda (Higher and Tertiary Education), Angeline Gata (Primary and Secondary), Mercy Maruva-Dinha (Public Service) and Simbanegavi (National Housing).

Mnangagwa also retained Provincial Affairs ministers Aplonia Munzverengi (Mashonaland East), Judith Ncube (Bulawayo), Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo), Nokuthula Matsikenyere (Manicaland), Richard Moyo (Matabeleland North), while making new appointments — Ndlovu (Matabeleland South), Christopher Magomo (Mashonaland Central), Marian Chombo (Mashonaland West), Owen Ncube (Midlands) and Charles Tavengwa (Harare).

Ndlovu replaces Abednico Ncube, who was not appointed to any ministry, while Magomo replaces Monica Mavhunga, who was moved to deputy in the Veterans of Liberation Struggle Affairs ministry.

Chombo replaced Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, who is now a councillor in Hurungwe Rural District Council after sailing through the women’s quota, while Ncube takes over from Larry Mavhima who was not appointed to any ministry.

Tavengwa replaces Oliver Chidawu, who died in July last year after reportedly suffering a heart attack.

Fielding questions from journalists, Mnangagwa defended the return of Coventry, who faced criticism during the last Cabinet for being too timid.

“An appointee reports to the appointer and the satisfaction lies only on the appointer. The fact that I have reappointed her means I am satisfied,” he said.

He also indicated that the much-critiqued Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) would be retained.

“The Polad platform was extremely useful. Through the platform, we were able to interact across the board. I think it was a very good platform and it will continue,” Mnangagwa said.

He also dismissed speculation that he had been pressured by the United Nations to appoint female ministers in his Cabinet.

Mnangagwa said he won overwhelmingly and was not obliged to appoint opposition members to his Cabinet.