In 2021 President Emmerson Mnangagwa introduced annual performance-based contracts that emphasise more work and less talk among top civil servants, including Cabinet ministers.
For cabinet ministers, the idea was to create robust government departments and leadership.
For two consecutive years, thus for the fiscal year 2022 and 2023, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka, was adjudged the best performing minister after exceeding set targets.
Former Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development minister, Amon Murwira was runner-up with his ministry emerging as the second to meet set targets in 2023.
Cabinet ministers achieved an average score of 4.17 in 2023, representing a 6% decrease from 2022.
As we begin the New Year, Alpha Media Holdings’ investigative unit Truth Diggers did its own performance review of selected Cabinet ministers.
Truth Diggers considered the minister’s target performance in assessing their performance in 2024.
Below are the performance reviews, beginning with the reigning best performing minister.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka
Masuka despite spearheading programmes like the Pfumvudza/Intwasa scheme in a bid to ameliorate food security in rural areas has little to show for his stay in that ministry as Zimbabwe is reeling from a spike in hunger and malnutrition.
The scheme last year faced financial constraints with the government failing to pay suppliers over US$300 million, resulting in delays in input importation and delivery to farmers.
As of the end of November, a large chunk of farmers in rural areas had not received inputs under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme and many other government schemes.
Masuka is presiding over one of the most corrupt ministries, especially the Lands administration department.
Complaints are raised on a daily basis against corrupt lands officials in the Lands administration department at the ministry’s headquarters (Makombe Building) and across districts, but no action has been taken against them.
Truth Diggers last year ran a series of land corruption investigation stories exposing the rot within the ministry, but Masuka chose to sit on his laurels while his ministry burns.
He is sitting on a number of offer letters, with some backdating to 2000.
Beneficiaries of the land reform programme have been kicked out of farms to pave way for the Chinese and other foreign nationals.
The majority of them who occupied their pieces of land at the height of the land reform programme in 2001 are now living in fear as “new occupants” are coming in droves, armed with offer letters.
Rating: 4/10
ICT minister Tatenda Mavetera
Mavetera sparked a frenzy on social media with her idea that WhatsApp group administrators need to pay the government for the privilege of running their groups.
The proposed fees ranged from US$50 to US$2500 — because, maybe, Zimbabwe’s economy is clearly booming, and people are clamouring to give their hard-earned cash to the government.
The minister’s announcement was met with widespread confusion, with many wondering how the government planned to enforce this new regulation. Mavetera later made a U-turn, despite having posted her thoughts on Instagram.
While she has made efforts to clarify her position, many Zimbabweans remain sceptical about her leadership. The controversy surrounding Mavetera’s academic credentials has raised questions about her transparency and accountability.
She has been embroiled in a social media controversy surrounding her use of the title “Dr” despite being a PhD candidate.
Mavetera has since clarified that she was awarded an Honourary Doctorate in Humane Letters in 2022. However, many are still questioning whether it’s appropriate to use the title in a professional context.
She has done little to create an environment where Zimbabwe can leverage on the revolution of technology to grow its economy.
Rating: 4/10
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube
Mthuli Ncube’s policies have been criticised for being detached from the reality of Zimbabwe’s economic struggles.
The sudden crash of the local currency against the US dollar earlier this year resulted in citizens losing their savings, sparking widespread concern and instability.
The Finance minister’s fiscal policies have been marked by high tax rates, and a failure to address the informal sector’s needs.
The intermediated money transfer tax has been particularly contentious, with many arguing it disproportionately affects formal businesses.
Ncube’s handling of monetary policy has been criticised for being ineffective in controlling inflation and stabilisng the currency.
While Ncube has been active in presenting budget statements and economic reviews, his communication style has been criticised for being overly technical and detached from the concerns of ordinary citizens.
Rating: 4/10
Health minister Douglas Mombeshora
Mombeshora’s performance throughout the year has been marred by the sugar tax controversy.
The government claimed to have collected US$8 million from the sugar tax, which was supposed to be allocated for cancer treatment and purchasing medical equipment.
However, companies like Delta Beverages reported paying significantly more, with estimates ranging from US$20 million in nine months.
Despite the influx of funds, there haven’t been any noticeable improvements in hospitals when it comes to medical equipment.
This raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the use of sugar tax revenue.
The discrepancy between government figures and company reports raises serious concerns about transparency.
The lack of noticeable improvements in hospitals suggests that the funds may not be used effectively.
In his own admission Mnangagwa at the last cabinet meeting in December last year at State House accused some of his cabinet ministers of skipping cabinet meetings.
Although he could not name them, he accused them of absenteeism and dereliction of duty.
Rating: 4/10
Information minister Jenfan Muswere
Muswere, a close ally of Mnangagwa, replaced Monica Mutsvangwa who is now the Women Affairs minister started on good note by engaging all media houses in the country even visiting their newsrooms to discuss the best way to improve the media landscape in the country.
Despite the engagements, he lost it along the way. Muswere is being accused of failing to improve the media landscape and his tenure has been marked by accusations of media suppression and failure to reform outdated media laws.
Muswere has failed to protect journalists from being chased away from some state functions.
The State media is marred with propaganda, which has seen it losing public trust. Sexual exploitation has also been reported at the national broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
Rating: 5/10
Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri
Muchinguri’s tenure in the ministry has been marred by indiscipline in the force. She is being accused of failing to instil discipline among soldiers as most of them have been caught in armed robbery cases.
She has kept a low profile, with few initiatives in the defence portfolio. Her tenure has also been overshadowed by the army’s involvement in politics in the country drawing the attention of the international community.
There have also been concerns about militarisation of civilian institutions. Muchinguri could be one of the worst ministers as the army has been accused of human rights abuses across the country targeting the opposition.
The army is also reportedly poorly remunerated despite being implicated in human rights abuses.
Rating: 5/10
Sports minister Kirsty Coventry
Coventry might have had a stellar swimming career and be an Olympic gold medallist, but her tenure as the Sports minister is plagued with scandal and total failure.
The country’s stadiums were condemned by the Confederation of African Football from hosting all international games in 2020.
Both the national team and local teams are playing their international home games outside the country.
Some of the stadiums were banned for lack of bucket seats and the absence of electronic turnstiles. Coventry promised to rectify the situation, but to date; the stadiums remain on the blacklist.
She has faced challenges in restoring Zimbabwe’s sporting glory. Her efforts to re-engage international bodies like Fifa have shown progress, but the slow development of grassroots sports and a lack of funding undermine her legacy.
Most sporting disciplines have failed to attend international competitions because of lack of funding.
If all is equal, sports stakeholders have already called for her resignation.
Rating: 3/10.
Skills Audit and Development minister Paul Mavima
In 2023 Mnangagwa created a new ministry — Skills Audit and Development — to fill the critical workforce gap.
Paul Mavima has failed to address his mandate, which saw graduates being turned into vendors.
Tasked with skills development, Mavima’s ministry has made limited strides in addressing youth unemployment.
Critics argue that there has been little alignment between skills training and industry demands, leaving many graduates unemployable.
He has kept a low profile despite the high unemployment facing the country.
Rating: 4/10
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister July Moyo
Last Thursday Mnangagwa shifted July Moyo from the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to the Energy ministry.
However, our review focuses on his tenure as the Labour minister in 2024, which was marred by fights between civil servants and government over poor salaries and welfare.
Teachers’ unions have been on the forefront threatening to strike over poor remuneration while on the other hand the government has been threatening to fire those caught on the wrong side.
Through his ministry pensioners are struggling to make ends meet. Some pensioners currently earn as little as 20 dollars a month while others are failing to access their pensions.
On Friday, he was shunted to the equally strategic Energy and Power Development ministry and his performance will be watched closely by Zimbabweans who are enduring power cuts that can last up to 24 hours at any given time.
Rating: 5/10
Energy minister Edgar Moyo
Edgar Moyo, who as from last Friday became the Labour minister, took over the reins at the Energy and Power Development ministry in September 2023 with high hopes of ending the power crisis in the country.
The little known Moyo and a former Primary and Secondary Education minister has seen the going getting tough as the country has faced one its worst power crisis since independence.
A countrywide power crisis gripped Zimbabwe in 2024 and is expected to continue into 2025 has taken its toll on the manufacturing industry and other sectors.
At some point, Moyo conceded that 2024 had been a difficult year for the power supply sector and he even failed to proffer solutions.
His reassignment last Thursday is clear testimony that he failed to address the power crisis.
Moyo on the other hand has downplayed the proliferation of service stations in major towns, particularly in gold mining towns like Kadoma, Kwekwe and Gweru.
Rating 3/10
Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona
Apart from the much touted Harare-Masvingo road rehabilitation project, Mhona has nothing to show off in 2024. His ministry last year worked on a number of projects, including constructing and maintenance of roads in and around Harare ahead of the Sadc Summit last year.
Several projects under his ministry are in full swing although corruption and delays have flawed progress. The Harare-Masvingo Highway rehabilitation has taken ages to complete, so is the Mbudzi interchange project.
However, Mhona has failed to resuscitate railway infrastructure that has seen the collapse of National Railways of Zimbabwe in the face of a growing negative net capital and ballooning operating costs. Public transport operator Zupco is also struggling, citing viability challenges.
Rating: 5/10
Truth Diggers believes the general performance of ministers, including those that have not been featured here, was generally below par.
From our performance review, Cabinet ministers achieved an average score of four.
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