Maravi

Mugabe appoints acting Cabinet ministers

Mugabe appoints acting Cabinet ministers
Written by George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Wednesday, January 07, 2009 3:15:08 PM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has appointed eight Cabinet ministers to head government ministries in an acting capacity.

The new appointments come almost a week after the veteran leader terminated appointments of some cabinet and deputy ministers who lost their parliamentary seats in the March 29 harmonized elections.

State media yesterday announced that President Mugabe appointed Minister of Indigenization and Empowerment Paul Mangwana as the new acting Minister of Information and Publicity, taking over from Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who was recently dropped.

Ndlovu lost the Pelandaba-Mpopoma House of Assembly seat in Matabeleland.
Mangwana also acted as Minister of Information and Publicity after the death of Tichaona Jokonya in 2006.

Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi is the new acting Minister of Mines and Mining Development, taking over from Amos Midzi.

Midzi lost the Epworth House of Assembly constituency to MDC-Tsvangirai faction’s Eliah Jembere.

Economic Development minister Sylvester Nguni is acting as Minister of Agriculture, taking over from Rugare Gumbo.

Gumbo lost in the ruling ZANU-PF primaries to Makhosini Hlongwane for Mberengwa East House of Assembly seat.

Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises Development, Sithembiso Nyoni has taken over from Oppah Muchinguri as the acting minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development.

The veteran Muchinguri lost to Trevor Saruwaka in Mutasa Central House of Assembly constituency.

Newly appointed Mashonaland East Governor and resident minister Aeneas Chigwedere will continue as the acting Minister of Education, Sport and Culture, a portfolio he held before being appointed Governor.

And Manicaland Governor and resident minister Christopher Mushohwe will also continue as acting Minister of Transport and Communications.

The two provincial governors are non-constituency senators though they lost their parliamentary seats in the March 29 harmonized elections.

Patrick Chinamasa, who was appointed a non-constituency senator by President Mugabe after he lost the parliamentary seat, is now the acting Minister of Finance.

Chinamasa takes over the portfolio in an acting capacity from Samuel Mumbengegwi, who lost to ZANU-PF’s Josiah Hungwe in the primaries for the Chivi Senate seat.

Non-constituency senator, Joseph Made is now the acting Minister of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development, taking over from Munacho Mutezo.

President Mugabe last week terminated the executive appointments of 12 cabinet ministers and deputy ministers who lost their parliamentary seats.

Labels: CABINET, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 3:16 PM