Path cleared for Khaya Moyo to be VP

via Path cleared for Khaya Moyo to be VP – DailyNews Live by Maxwell Sibanda  15 SEPTEMBER 2013

The newly-appointed Cabinet has received a lukewarm reception from political and social analysts, with many doubting the capacity of those appointed to turn around Zimbabwe’s dwindling fortunes.

Tabani Moyo, a political activist says it feels like Zimbabwe is back to the year 2000, when the country had the so-called “War Cabinet”, which brought the economy to its knees.

“That Cabinet looks very tired and does not inspire confidence to deliver new thinking nor can it postulate paradigm shifts,” says Moyo.

The appointments show that Zanu PF was not concerned with serving the people but consolidating its power, nothing more, nothing less.

Moyo says he hopes Zanu PF will respect the 1987 Unity Accord, which reserves one of the two vice president posts for a former Zapu cadre.

“The reason why they left (Simon) Khaya Moyo without a defined ministry is that he can assume the VP position, but in the interim, he is assuming the role of Prime Minister. Senior Minister is as good as declaring him as PM.”

Precious Shumba, Harare Residents Trust director says his organisation welcomes the final appointment of the Cabinet after a long wait.

“The fact that he has reappointed them means that he has confidence that they will execute their mandate in line with his vision or mission for Zimbabwe in this current term ending in 2018,” says Shumba.

He believes Zanu PF is not in a hurry to replace the late John Nkomo as vice president because it has retained two-thirds majority in Parliament.

“They may organise a special congress to fill vacancies in the party’s presidium where their membership will be involved,” Shumba said. “In my view, Simon Khaya-Moyo has only been parked in order to facilitate the process of electing the second vice president at an appropriate forum of Zanu PF.

If they use the seniority system, Khaya-Moyo will be the replacement to the late vice president John Nkomo, and obviously they will also have elections to choose who the party’s national chairpeson becomes.

“Zimbabwe will continue to have two vice presidents, as long as Zanu PF is in charge of the government of Zimbabwe.”

Media practitioner Rashweat Mukundu says the new cabinet signified a recycling of the same and failed team.

“Some have been ministers since 1980 and some since 2000 and we cannot expect them to do any better this time around. It’s a Cabinet that shows clueless leadership from the top and rewarding political loyalty ahead of professionalism and capacity,” says Mukundu.

He believes Khaya-Moyo may still be appointed VP and believes the Senior Minister post maybe a way to orient him for higher office.

“Mugabe is however not under pressure from the former PF Zapu anymore as the current Zapu leadership are lowly juniors and cannot counter Mugabe as either Joshua Nkomo or Joseph Msika would do,” Mukundu said.

“Essentially this marks the end of the marginal influence that PF Zapu had on Mugabe, from now on he can afford to ignore the PF Zapu team.”

Thomas Deve, a Pan Africanist, says Mugabe has continued to reward loyalty and not competence but “also has sent a signal that this is his understanding of a revolutionary leadership or team that can deliver on his vision of a post-GNU Zimbabwe.

“He also reinforces an old notion of the vanguard leadership rooted in patriarchy and devoid of the new thinking around the energy one can harness from women and youths,” says Deve.

Playwright Cont Mhlanga says when one looks at the new Cabinet, you see a “go fix it Cabinet.”

“But how are they going to fix the nation, no one knows yet. Let’s hope whatever they are going to fix is going to be good for the economy because that is their biggest challenge.”

Mhlanga believes there are going to be very little surprise on the other vice presidency post.

“If you know how Zanu PF operates…seniority and party hierarchy will determine who the vice president becomes.”

Shingi Munyeza, a hotelier, believes that after the swearing in of the “new” Cabinet, what’s left was to announce the performance targets for each economic and social ministry.

“We need a government that is accountable to its people by delivering its mandate,” Munyeza said.

“Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans need to move forward. When the different tribes came to crown David as king at Hebron, they came with their skills to deliver. I am praying for a better, progressive, peaceful and united Zimbabwe.”