Cabinet reshuffled
• 10 ministers reassigned new portfolios • Eight new appointments, 3 dropped
PRESIDENT Mugabe has, in terms of Section 100 (200) (c) and (d) of the Constitution, reassigned 10 ministers and made eight new appointments in a Cabinet reshuffle announced last night.
In a statement, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the reassignments and appointments were with immediate effect.
For the first time in years, the ruling Zanu-PF party and Government information portfolios are under one hand, a development that saw Cde Simon Khaya-Moyo, who is the Zanu-PF spokesperson being appointed Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, taking over from Dr Christopher Mushohwe.
Dr Mushohwe, a long-serving director of the Presidential Scholarship Programme, is now the Minister of State in the President’s Office Responsible for Scholarships, a new ministry.
All scholarships will now be handled by the President’s Office under the Presidential and National Scholarships Department.
Previously, scholarships were handled by the Presidential Scholarships Department and various ministries.
Dr Ignatius Chombo has been appointed Finance and Economic Development Minister, leaving the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Dr Chombo takes over from Cde Patrick Chinamasa, who has been appointed Minister of Cyber Security, Threat Detection and Mitigation, a new ministry apparently geared to deal with the growing abuse of cyber space.
Dr Obert Mpofu is the new Minister of Home Affairs. He leaves the Ministry of Macro-Economic
Planning and Investment Promotion to Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who was the Foreign Affairs Minister.
The Foreign Affairs portfolio has been taken over by Engineer Walter Mzembi, who leaves the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Cde Edgar Mbwembwe, the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has been appointed the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Hospitality Industry.
The expanded ministry now incorporates environment used to fall under the ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, which has now been left with Water Resources Development and Climate.
Major-General (Retired) Happyton Bonyongwe, who was Director-General in the President’s Department, is the new Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, a portfolio that was overseen by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Cde Patrick Zhuwao, who was Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister, has been appointed Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, taking over from Cde Prisca Mupfumira, who has been dropped from Cabinet.
Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, who was Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, has been appointed Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister.
Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has been given a new Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and National Housing.
His Ministry was formerly Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.
Cde Makhosini Hlongwane heads another new ministry, that of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, previously he was the Minister of Sport and Recreation.
Dr Paul Chimedza is the new Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, replacing Cde Shuvai Mahofa, who passed on in August and was declared a national heroine.
Cde Webster Shamu bounces back as Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs, taking over from Cde Faber Chidarikire.
Cde Thokozile Mathuthu, who was deputy minister of Media, Information and Broadcasting services; returns to head Matabeleland North Province as the new Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, a position that was held by Cde Cain Mathema.
Cde Mathema is the new Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Former Political Detainees and Restrictees.
He takes over from Cde Tshinga Dube, who has been dropped from Cabinet.
Former Zimbabwe ambassador to Egypt, Cde Aaron Mabhoyi Ncube, is the new Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs, a portfolio that was held by Cde Abednico Ncube hitherto the Minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage.
President Mugabe had last reshuffled his Cabinet in September 2015.