Highlights of ED’s new cabinet of old faces
President Mnangagwa
Here is a brief analysis of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s new cabinet:
Cabinet composition
- President Mnangagwa has appointed a new cabinet, retaining a bulk of his ministers in key posts and adding a few new faces1.
- The cabinet has 20 ministers, 10 deputy ministers and 10 provincial affairs ministers23.
- Some of the notable appointments are:
- Prof Mthuli Ncube as Minister of Finance, with Kuda Mnangagwa, the president’s son, as his deputy1.
- Christopher Mutsvangwa as Minister of War Veterans Affairs1.
- Kirsty Coventry as Minister of Sports Recreation Arts1.
- Oppah Muchinguri as Minister of Defence, Security and War Veterans1.
- Frederick Shava as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade4.
- Tatenda Mavetera as Minister of ICTs1.
People’s reactions
- The cabinet announcement has been met with mixed reactions from the public, especially on social media platforms.
- Some have criticized the cabinet as “the worst in Zimbabwe’s history” and accused the president of nepotism, militarism and recycling old faces56.
- Others have praised the cabinet as “progressive” and “technocratic” and expressed hope for economic recovery and stability72.
- The president has also banned Zanu PF members from discussing their grievances through mainstream and social media platforms, claiming such acts brought the name of the governing party into disrepute8.
Political context
- The cabinet announcement comes after a contested victory in last month’s elections, which were marred by allegations of fraud, intimidation and violence by the ruling party910.
- The main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, has rejected the election results and challenged them in court, claiming he won the majority of votes10.
- The inauguration of President Mnangagwa was also marred by reports of multiple human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, abductions and torture of opposition party activists by security forces9.
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