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Eng George Mlilo

Lloyd Gumbo Harare Bureau
President Mugabe has appointed Engineer George Mlilo as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to replace Kilian Mupingo who died last month. He also appointed James Jonga as permanent secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet in charge of  the District Development Fund and related infrastructure development.

Eng Mlilo was secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and National Housing during the inclusive government.
He had not been re-assigned after the formation of the new government in September last year after the July 31 elections won resoundingly by Zanu-PF.

Chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said President Mugabe appointed Eng Mlilo and Jonga in terms of Section 205 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and after consultations with the Civil Service Commission.

“Engineer Mlilo was Gweru’s City Engineer in 1983 and later transferred to the City of Bulawayo,” said Dr Sibanda.
“In 1988, he became Bulawayo’s Director of Engineering Services. In September 2005, he was appointed secretary for Transport and Communications. In 2009, he was appointed secretary for Public Works.

“Eng Mlilo holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor of Science Urban Economy and Planning and Masters in Business Administration.”

Dr Sibanda said Jonga was the Director Operations in the District Development Fund before assuming the Director-General position in 1991.

“He holds a Bachelor of Administration degree, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Master of Science in International Relations,” said Dr Sibanda.

President Mugabe also appointed Ambassador Mary Margaret Muchada as deputy chairperson of the Civil Service Commission with immediate effect in terms of Section 202, sub-section 1(a) as read with Section 320 of the new Constitution.

“Dr Muchada joined the service in 1980 as Senior Research Officer in the Department of Research and Planning in the then Ministry of Manpower Planning and Development,” said Dr Sibanda.

“She was subsequently promoted to the position of under-secretary in the same ministry. In 1985, she was promoted to deputy secretary in the then Prime Minister’s Office for Policy Research and Analysis.

“She was appointed secretary for Information, Posts and Telecommunications in 1994.”
In 2000, Dr Muchada was appointed Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Italy and permanent representative to the United Nations Organisations in Rome before being appointed ambassador to Belgium.

Dr Muchada holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work, Masters Degree in Social Studies and PhD in Development Communications.

President Mugabe also appointed former secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Elizabeth Xaba as deputy chairperson of the Health Services Board with immediate effect.

“Dr Xaba was Gweru City Council’s Director of Health Services. In 2001, she was appointed secretary for Health and Child Welfare,” said Dr Sibanda.

“She became a commissioner in the then Public Service Commission in 2005. She obtained a Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1981 and a Master of Science in Community Health in Development Countries (CHDC) in 1987.”