On Monday, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa made a significant decision by appointing his son to the role of deputy finance minister in the country’s new cabinet.
He also kept Mthuli Ncube as the finance minister as he grapples with the challenges facing the nation’s troubled economy.
At the age of 80, President Mnangagwa faces immense pressure to revive an economy that has been struggling due to a lack of foreign investments, high unemployment, soaring inflation, and a local currency that has lost much of its value, declining by 80% in just one year.
Mnangagwa secured a second term in a recent election, although it was marred by controversy and allegations of fraud from the opposition.
International observers also expressed concerns that the election did not meet the expected standards.
Ncube, who has a background in banking, has faced criticism for his economic policies, which have not succeeded in fostering economic growth.
Additionally, the country has been unable to meet its foreign debt obligations, which exceed $17 billion.
President Mnangagwa appointed his son, David Mnangagwa, to the position of deputy finance minister as part of a youth representation initiative in the parliament.
He also announced Soda Zhemu as the new head of the mining ministry, taking over from Winston Chitando, who had held the position since November 2017 and previously served as the Minister of Energy and Power Development in 2020.
Mining plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for more than half of the country’s foreign export earnings.
President Mnangagwa believes that the mining sector, especially lithium mining, will be a key driver of future economic growth.
In his cabinet reshuffle, President Mnangagwa also reappointed Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri as the Defence Minister.
Notably, there were no opposition officials included in the cabinet lineup.
In response to questions from reporters, President Mnangagwa expressed confidence in his majority and suggested that the opposition might prefer being outside of the government at this time.
“I have a huge majority and I think the opposition would enjoy being in actual opposition rather than in government,” Mnangagwa told reporters after announcing the cabinet list, which had no opposition officials in it.
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