PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa, rattled by the recent loss of three ministers to Covid-19, is considering a cabinet reshuffle that has sparked fierce jostling in Zanu PF and government, The Independent reports.
Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso B Moyo and his Transport and Infrastructural Development counterpart Joel Biggie Matiza and Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba died last month from Covid-19-related complications.
Mnangagwa, insiders said, was under pressure from Zanu PF, the military and close business associates who are lining up their proxies for ministerial posts.
He will need to deploy the skills to walk a fine line between balancing interests of the opposing fronts and bringing in competent personnel to help steer the country out of the current economic and diplomatic mess.
The Zimbabwe Independent is reliably informed that Mnangagwa has already started the consultation process for suitable candidates.
Sources said the President instructed Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu to collect curriculum vitaes (CVs) from members of the National Assembly and the Senate.
Mpofu then delegated Zanu PF parliamentary chief whip Pupurai Togarepi, who on Tuesday, sent SMS and WhatsApp messages to MPs, demanding the CVs.
The message reads: “Attention all members, very urgent: May you send summarised CVs on the following e-mail address (e-mail address supplied). This is an instruction from the secretary for administration’s office. It’s very urgent and confidential, of course.”
In an interview yesterday, Togarepi confirmed calling for MPs’ CVs.
“I think that is an internal party issue which I would normally not respond to, but I will just tell you that this was done to assess our legislators’ skills, qualifications and competencies for future tasks. This may have to do with moving them to different committees of parliament or other appointments; so I will keep the information in my database,” he said.
Pressed on why party leaders demanded the CVs, he said, “Oh, of course, yes, that is true. I was acting on instructions from my superiors. I draw my authority from the leadership of the party. They now have that information, but I don’t know what they will use it for.”
Efforts to get comments from Mpofu were fruitless as his mobile phone was on voicemail. Questions sent via SMS went unanswered.
It is understood that legislators are jostling to take up ministerial posts by angling to gain favour with Mnangagwa.
Some MPs even engaged consultants to prepare attractive CVs.
“It’s not a secret that there will be a cabinet reshuffle soon. The President, though keeping his cards close to his chest, has given a clear indication that he is not going to appoint gap fillers, but wants a cabinet reshuffle. He also appears to be frustrated by the incompetences of some ministers,” an official said.
A Zanu PF politburo member chipped in: “I haven’t seen this level of interest in ministerial appointments. People have been running around trying to fix things and lining themselves up for posts. As we speak, not one MP failed to submit his or her CV.”
According to Pindula, speculations suggest the following people might be appointed or reshuffled to fill in the vacant cabinet seats left vacant by the death of 3 cabinet minister, Joel Biggie Matiza, Ellen Gwaradzimba, and SB Moyo:
- Kirsty Coventry might be moved to the Foreign Affairs Ministry
- Tinoda Machakaire might be made the Youth Minister.
- Arikana Chihombori-Quao might be made the Foreign Affairs Minister
- Simbarashe Mbangegwi might be made Foreign Affairs Minister
- Daniel Mckenzie Ncube might be made Transport Minister
- Justice Mayor Wadyajena Might be made Transport Minister
- Patrick Chinamasa might be made Information Minister
pindula, zimbabwe independent, zwnews
