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Has
Mugabe floored Mnangagwa
Adrian
Mutigwe
September 10, 2013
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/news/zimbabwe/68293/has-mugabe-floored-mnangagwa.html
Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe today announced
the first post-Government
of National Unity cabinet in which he seemed to have dealt a
body blow to Presidential aspirant, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambitions.
Mnangagwa has
since independence served mostly in the security cluster but has
now been relegated to the less powerful Justice Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs portfolio from Defence now in the hands of Sidney Sekeramayi.
Popularly known
as the “Crocodile” in political circles, Mnangagwa,
insiders were quick to point out, could still land the State Security
Ministry and this was cemented by Mugabe’s failure to name
a minister responsible for the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation
for the first time since majority rule 33 years ago.
However, the
former guerrilla leader, in a move that has sent shockwaves in media
circles brought back from the cold political turn-coat Jonathan
Moyo to the fold as the Media, Information and Broadcasting Services
minister.
Moyo wasted
no time telling bemused journalists there would be no media reforms.
“When
one is given an assignment, you feel like hitting the ground running,”
a visibly elated Moyo quipped.
When asked if
he would look at reforming the notorious Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, one of the most
hated media laws, Moyo did not mince his words.
“You do
not reform something that is not deformed,” he said.
Moyo will be
deputised by former ZBC journalist and ZiFM propriator Supa Mandiwanzira
Party chairman
Simon Khaya Moyo has been appointed Senior Minister in the President’s
Office. There was no announcement of a second deputy president.
Reports have
indicated Mugabe now wants to turn the party’s annual conference
set for December into a mini-congress and get Moyo into the presidium.
As usual Mnangagwa
was slippery coming out and getting past the hordes of journalists
without a word.
By contrast
Mnangagwa’s arch-foe deputy President Joice Mujuru appeared
hip-swaying.
In an indication
that could point to a shift in policy, Mugabe moved the acerbic
Saviour Kasukuwere to an obscure ministry of Water. Obert Mpofu
and Webster Shamu lost out with Mpofu being moved from the influential
Mines ministry that presided over the country’s diamonds while
Shamu has been thrown into a ministry that includes ICTs.
The wily old
fox could have outsmarted all factions battling to succeed him amid
reports the 89 year-old leader will seek a fresh mandate to lead
Zanu-PF in December.
The only causality
from Mugabe’s previous cabinet is Herbert Murerwa whose lands
ministry was given to Douglas Mombeshora while the Finance ministry
has been given to Patrick Chinamasa.
Chinamasa was
Mnangawa’s preferred candidate for the party chairmanship
post in the botched 2004 palace coup allegedly engineered by Jonathan
Moyo. Another returnee is Dzikamayi Mavhaire famed for the “Mugabe
must go” rant in the late 90s. He has been awarded with the
Energy and Power Development portfolio.
Mugabe also
circumvented the new constitution that dealt away with provincial
governors by appointing Ministers responsible for Provincial Affairs
including the metropolitan provinces of Harare and Bulawayo.
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