There has been an outpouring of criticism of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s new cabinet, that was announced late last night. Amidst the doom and gloom it is important to recognise the positive elements of his decision. For example Chris Mutsvangwa as Minister of Information is a hopeful choice. He worked for many years as an official in the Ministry of Information in the 1980s and was on the board of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, where he was a progressive voice. We can expect him to continue in this vein – and hopefully undo a lot of the damage done in this sector by former minister Jonathan Moyo and media hangman Tafataona Mahoso.
July Moyo, the new minister of local government, is an experienced technocrat. He was permanent secretary for local government in the 1990s and understands the issues at stake.
Winston Chitando, the new minister of mines and mining development, is another technocrat. He has an accounting degree and has worked in this sector as managing director of Mimosa Mines and also as Chairman of Hwange Colliery.
Air Marshall Perence Shiri is the new minister of agriculture, which seems to indicate that command agriculture is set to take a central role in this sphere.
Brigadier General Sibusiso Moyo, the man who appeared on ZBC to make the original non-coup announcement, is a surprise inclusion as minister of foreign affairs. Shock and horror has greeted the inclusion of Lazarus Dokora as having retained his post as minister of education – even after Mnangagwa criticised him severely on twitter yesterday.
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