Zimbabwe’s New Cabinet Does Not Inspire Hope.
While Mr Mnangagwa has chosen to keep many of Mr Mugabe's former cabinet ministers in office, the new president has also awarded high positions to the military leaders who have previously supported him.
Zimbabwe Defense Forces Commander, General Constantine Guveya Chiwenga, is expected to become Vice President of Zimbabwe.
Sibusiso Moyo, the general who appeared on state TV after the military takeover and also the man who lied to the world by denying that a coup had taken place, is the new foreign minister; a very appropriate appointment, I'd say. Ah, it is also said that he holds a PhD in international relations, though I could not establish yet who awarded this degree.
The head of Zimbabwe's air force, Perence Shiri, was named the minister of agriculture and land affairs. This soldier was linked to the mass killings of ordinary Zimbabweans during the mid 80s of the previous century while serving Robert Mugabe. Some 20,000 Zimbabweans died during this purge.
Patrick Chinamasa was reinstated as finance minister after Mugabe fired him a while ago.
War veteran leaders, who spearheaded mass protests to force Mugabe out of office, were also awarded positions in the cabinet. Chris Mutsvangwa is now the Information Minister while another became a deputy in the defense and security ministry.
And I suspect more military figures to be imported into the cabinet during the next few months. I think this is stage one of a few to follow. I may be a bit too skeptic about this but it does not look as if we can expect much for the better. On the contrary…
But don't let small thing like this spoil your day. It is Friday.
Comments (48)
T'm not surprised either. This is Africa. And this ex defense minister will probably stay in power until another junta removes him ala Mugabe.
....I`ll join the club of narrowminded instead...
Yes, I have also been told in the past that I'm a doomsday prophet. It is as if the biggest part of the western world are blind to the problems in Africa. Probably not important enough and in the meanwhile the Chinese are moving in. They'll probably wake up when it's too late.
Yes, but the new president promised to root out corruption. We'll have to see about this.
They do it stealthily as they are never in a rush. They think long-term rather than short-term.
China is swamping Africa. They even have our own government in their pocket.
::hug:
The sooner Zuma meets his maker, the better for the country
The new presidential candidates have started their campaigns but whether Zuma will step down peacefully is yet to be seen. We may still have to go Zimbabwe's way to get rid of him. He will face countless charges when he's no longer under presidential amnesty. He's in big trouble and he knows it.
Yes, I think he will try but whether he has enough support remains to be seen. However, if he manages to hang on, chances are good for the ANC to split into two parties which may easily turn into a bloody disaster. No pun intended.
He worked for a big Chinese company in Africa.
Guess what was his job there?
A cook for thousands of Chinese labourers.
Gosh! They even bring in their own cook!
Mimi is a traitor. She lives in Malaysia. And she still owes me a plate of curry & rice. I hope she had informed her Arty about this piece of baggage from her past.
Or does he?!?!?
Nonsense. Once Chinese, always Chinese.
I promise next time.
So he knows everything about you, now does he?
But because of your culinary skills
Catfoot, I'm hold you to that then
But are you not planning to relocate to the USA?
Can't really stay angry with you for long!
Catfoot,
Art and I have made a pact. We will have two holidays in a year.
Malaysia ( 2-3 months ) and another destination of my choice!
The problem is that Africans do not know what to do with freedom. They'll fight for it but will squander it after getting it. They don't mind being in the gutters as long as it is not 'colonists' keeping them there. Having a black dictator is still freedom.
And they have complete different values than us. They don't see corruption as we do. A minister will feel it is perfectly ok to take a kick back on a large arms deal or that he is entitled use government money to pay for an overseas holiday for his family.
I see! You mean like a part-time marriage.
Yes, ,I believe the colonial powers made a mistake there.
Traditionally the great African tribal chiefs like Mzilikaze, Lobengula and Dingaan reigned over a few thousand people, living in one 'city', surrounded by as much territory as they could defend against neighboring tribes. The plundering of neighboring tribes contributed the largest portion of the GNP..
Of course then once upon a day, arrived a new neighboring tribe from across the blue waters.
I don't know much about foreign governments. Thank you for a little education in that department. The way you provided the information here, it don't sound very good at all for the country. Hopefully the way things sound and the reality in how it turns out for the people are not the same.
I, and probably everybody in South-Africa, hope as you do. Anything unhealthy across our northern border inevitably spill over to us.
And the sad part is that the Zimbabweans are hard-working people . All they need is a good, responsible government.
I'd relocate to Omaha. Then somewhere during the summer, Art and I would make a trip to Malaysia and spend 2-3 months in Malaysia. It'd be durian and rambutan season then!
Art and I will also go on road trips around the US coz there's still a lot of places he hasn't been in the US and he'd love to explore them together with me. Lots of places in Europe to explore too....
Well, let me get to Omaha first. I should be there by this time next year
Gosh! I wish I had the money to become part of the jet set. A full time explorer so to speak.
Most people woke up to news on Friday that the cabinet not only included veterans of Robert Mugabe's previous cabinets, but prominent members of the military.
'A cabinet or a regiment?'
Then what would you expect from a man with a nickname as Crocodile? A man who was Mugabe's VP until not so long ago. He only fell into disfavor because he was a threat to the presidential aspirations of Mugabe's wife.
here is another interesting tidbit.
General Constantine Guveya Chiwenga, who is expected to become the vice president, paid a visit to China a week before the coup.
It's interesting that China denied having a hand in it before anybody suggested it. Oh, and with the denial came the congratulations to the new government and the wish for greater cooperation between the two countries.
Well, china have enough people in Africa At the rate they're increasing they'd be able to win an election if there was less election rigging.
FF is one of my favorite authors; if only he would sometimes use less abbreviations.
Did he really finance a few military ops or are you having me on?