Zimbabwe’s President Names Top Military Officers In New Cabinet

Zimbabwe’s new president named his first cabinet Thursday, appointing two senior military officers to key portfolios and dropping close allies of Robert Mugabe who resigned after the armed forces took control of the country.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed as foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo, the army major general who went on state television announcing the military’s take-over, a dramatic powergrab which culminated in Mugabe stepping down a week later.

The long-serving airforce commander Perence Shiri also became the Lands and Agriculture minister, according to a statement released late Thursday night.

A video grab made on November 15, 2017 from footage of the broadcast of Zimbabwe Broadcasting corporation (ZBC) being shown on a television screen of Zimbabwe Major General Sibusiso Moyo reading a statement at the ZBC broadcast studio in Harare. Zimbabwe’s military appeared to be in control of the country on November 15 as generals denied staging a coup but used state television to vow to target “criminals” close to Zimbabwe’s President. / AFP PHOTO / ZBC / Dewa MAVHINGA

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Mnangagwa however kept a sizeable number of ministers from Mugabe’s former cabinet – including Patrick Chinamas who returns to the finance ministry from which he had been removed by Mugabe during a cabinet reshuffle in October.

War veteran leaders who spearheaded mass protests to force Mugabe out of office, four days after the military sent tanks to the streets of the capital Harare, were also awarded positions in the cabinet.

Chris Mutsvangwa is now the Information Minister while another became a deputy in the defence and security ministry.

Zimbabwe’s Commander Defense Forces General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga (C) speaks during a press conference at the Tongogara Barracks on November 20, 2017 in Harare, Zimbabwe. / AFP PHOTO / Jekesai NJIKIZANA

Read: Zimbabweans look forward to post-Mugabe era

The cabinet did not include figures from the opposition to Mugabe.

Mnangagwa, 75, was sworn in last Friday following dramatic events in the southern African country after the military took over saying they wanted to arrest criminals in government around 93-year-old Mugabe.

Mugabe’s tenure withstood repeated claims of hanging on to power through brutal repression of dissent, election rigging and corruption, until concerted pressure from the military finally forced him to quit.

Parliament had begun proceedings to impeach Mugabe for allowing his wife Grace and a coterie of followers to “capture” the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Now the new president has vowed sweeping changes in government and new policies to attract investment and revive the ailing economy.- AFP