THE new Cabinet sworn in by President Robert Mugabe yesterday,has been received with mixed views by residents of Harare.
JOHN NYASHANU
While some people expressed dismay over the selection of the Cabinet, describing its members as old, tired and incompetent, others said old age brought maturity and could not be considered a liability, while their many years’ experience in government should be counted on in terms of performance and prosperity delivery.
NewsDay yesterday spoke to people from various backgrounds in random interviews and below are excerpts from the interviews: William Muzondo (transport operator): “My concern is that the old guard has been recycled for too long. He (Mugabe) just changed portfolios and I don’t think they have anything new to offer. We were expecting different faces considering that there are many youngsters who made it into Parliament.”
Tauzeni Simon (19-year-old school leaver): “The opportunity must have been given to youngsters. The problem with the old guard is that they do not prioritise programmes which benefit youths like ICTs (information and communication technologies). I also foresee problems in strategic ministries like Finance (given to Patrick Chinamasa).”
Farai Mapuwe (38) of Waterfalls: “Law and finance are two different areas altogether (on the appointment of former Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, a lawyer, to the Finance ministry). The President should have roped in a financial expert, a technocrat who understands modern financial trends. Chinamasa is unlikely to secure the much-needed confidence from investors and industry. In my view, (Reserve Bank governor Gideon) Gono would have been a better choice.”
Others, however, felt the new Cabinet was a mixed grill with the potential to deliver.
James Rwodzi (businessman): “I think he (the President) did a good job to retain former ministers and blending them with a few new ones. They (new ministers) will gain experience along the way. Appointments like that of (Justice minister Emmerson) Mnangagwa, who has run the ministry before, were spot-on. Other worthwhile appointees were (Foreign Affairs deputy minister Christopher) Mutsvangwa and (Media, Information and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Supa) Mandiwanzira.
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Saleslady Loice Chimininge of Mbare (on the appointment of Ignatius Chombo to the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing portfolio): “He slashed (utility bills) rates which benefited us all as we were struggling to pay. He, however, should now sort out the mess at bus terminuses and commuter omnibus ranks around the country. It has now become scary to move around in our cities because of the chaos caused by commuter transporters all over the place.”
Economist John Robertson on the appointment of Francis Nhema (Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment) and Walter Chidhakwa (Mines and Mining Development): “Nhema is a former banker and understands how the banking sector ought to be handled. Chidhakwa is also likely to come up with a more progressive approach in mining. The former minister (Obert Mpofu) was pushing for outright indigenisation which was proving catastrophic.
