UPDATED: leaner cabinet named…First female Defence Minister appointed President Mnangagwa

Tendai Mugabe, Harare Bureau
President Mnangagwa yesterday appointed a diverse and dynamic 20-member Cabinet team expected to help him pursue his multifaceted reforms aimed at realising his vision to turn Zimbabwe into a middle income economy by 2030. The Cabinet is a blend of new technocrats and veterans of the party from the liberation struggle.

Dr Obediah Moyo

The ministers will take oath of Office at State House on Monday.

President Mnangagwa also appointed 13 Deputy Ministers and nine Provincial Ministers of State except for Harare province.

Two Ministers of State were appointed to the Offices of Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.

An outsider in politics and government, renowned mathematician and vice president of the African Development Bank, Professor

Prof Mthuli Ncube

, by far President Mnangagwa’s strongest arsenal to drive the economic reform agenda, was appointed Finance and Economic Development Minister.

Veteran politician and Zanu-PF national chair Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri got the all-powerful Defence and War Veterans portfolio.

Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri

Cde July Moyo and Dr Sibusiso Moyo retained their positions as Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, respectively.

Dr Sekai Nzenza, another new entrant and veteran columnist for The Herald, is the new Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister while Cde Mangaliso Ndlovu is the new Industry and Commerce Minister.

President Mnangagwa retained Professors Amon Murwira and Paul Mavima as Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, and Primary and Secondary Education ministers, respectively.

Cde Joram Gumbo, who served as Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister in the previous Cabinet, was moved to the Energy and Power Development portfolio, until recently held by Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.

Cde Kazembe Kazembe was moved from Youth, Sport and Culture to Information Communication Technology and Courier Services.

President Mnangagwa retained Cde Winston Chitando as Mines and Mining Development Minister.

Former Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Monica Mutsvangwa is the new Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister while Cde Joel Biggie Matiza, who is the Zanu-PF provincial chair for Mashonaland East, was named Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister.

Kirsty Coventry

Swimming sensation and Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry was honoured for her feats with a surprise appointment to the Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister while Dr Obadiah Moyo was announced the new Health and Child Care Minister.

Cdes Ziyambi Ziyambi and Sithembiso Nyoni retained the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Ministries in that order.

Those appointed Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs include Cdes Judith Ncube (Bulawayo), Mary Mliswa (Mashonaland West), Apollonia Munzverengi (Mashonaland East) and Monica Mavhunga (Mashonaland Central).

Cde Ellen Gwaradzimba is the new Minister of State for Manicaland and in the Midlands President Mnangagwa appointed Cde Larry Mavima as the new Provincial Minister of State.

In Masvingo, Cde Ezra Chadzamira is the new Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Cde Abednico Ncube retained his position as Matabeleland South Provincial Minister of State.

Cde Richard Moyo is the new Minister of State for Matabeleland North while the Minister of State for Harare province will be named in due course.

Cde Evelyn Ndlovu is the new Minister of State in Vice President Chiwenga’s Office while Cde Davis Marapira is the new Minister of State in Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s Office.

Those who made it as Deputy Ministers include Cdes Victor Matemadanda (Defence and War Veterans), Jennifer Mhlanga (Local Government, Public Works and National Housing) and Cde Lovemore Matuke (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare).

Cde Rajeshakumart Modi is the new Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce while Cde Mike Madiro is the new Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

Cde Edgar Moyo was named Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister while Cde Polite Kambamura made it as the new Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister.

Cde Magna Mudzingwa will deputise Cde Joram Gumbo in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development while Cde Energy Mutodi will deputise Cde Mutsvangwa in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

Cdes Fortune Chasi and Yeukai Simbanegavi are the deputies for Transport and Infrastructural Development and Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Ministries, respectively.

Cde Jerifan Muswere was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Information Communication Technology and Courier Services.

Fielding questions after the announcement of the new ministers, President Mnangagwa said he believed the team he assembled had the capacity to deliver.

Posting on his Facebook page, President Mnangagwa said: “Today, as promised, I appointed a diverse, dynamic, youthful and streamlined Cabinet with the skills and experience required to achieve our goals. Now it is time to get to work.”

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