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The new Cabinet has been announced and now the work should begin. President Mugabe appointed a mixed line-up of veteran Ministers and promoted some who were Deputy Ministers to full Ministers. An efficient Minister since joining Cabinet, new Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa should be able to deliver given he was once Acting Finance Minister leading up to the birth of the inclusive Government.
Cde Chinamasa is credited with mooting the introduction of the use of multiple foreign currencies during the time he was Acting Finance Minister. The move brought some semblance of stability into our economy, which had taken a severe battering from the illegal economic sanctions imposed by the West.
Although the MDC-T wanted to claim credit for the introduction of multiple foreign currencies in the economy, it was Minister Chinamasa who conceived the idea during his short stint as Acting Finance Minister.
Minister Chinamasa will most probably find a tight purse at Treasury but he will have to think outside the box to contend with numerous demands from Government Ministries and Departments.
Funding for agriculture, education and health will be top priorities while promises to improve the welfare of civil servants will also have to be fulfilled among a myriad of other tasks.
Ministers who have their work cut out for them are those appointed to head Industry and Commerce, Mines, Indigenisation, Agriculture and Lands, Energy, Education and Health.
The new Minister of Mines, Cde Walter Chidhakwa, brings with him experience from industry having been a technocrat prior to joining politics. He will have to take up and continue the fight to ensure Zimbabwe is allowed to sell its diamonds unhindered so that the country and economy benefits from this mineral resource.
Minister Chidhakwa will also be expected to co-operate with Minister Francis Nhema (the new Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister) on the indigenisation of the mining sector.
Minister Mike Bimha also has experience from industry having been a business executive and board member before switching to politics. The revival of the manufacturing sector and other struggling industries will confront him. Having been Deputy to Professor Welshman Ncube in the inclusive Government, he knows the challenges to be tackled.
The deal between Essar of India and Zimbabwe to revive Ziscosteel (now NewZim Steel) is one of the top most priorities.
The new Minister in charge of Indigenisation Cde Nhema will be under spotlight as he will be leading a Ministry at the core of his party’s election manifesto – indigenisation and empowerment.
Agriculture Minister Joseph Made will have to look after the needs of farmers and should find the job easier this time around as he and his Finance counterpart come from a party with the same ideology.
Education Ministers Lazarus Dokora (Primary and Secondary) and Olivia Muchena (Higher and Tertiary and Science and Technology) have the task of ensuring the gains Zimbabwe has made in the education sector are maintained or even improved. Funding is an enormous challenge for both Ministries.
Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire will be expected to proffer solutions to the challenges in the energy sector with electricity shortages and the development of alternative and environment friendly sources of energy requiring urgent attention.
New Lands Minister Douglas Mombeshora is expected to quench the clamour by Zimbabweans for land as well as deal with other issues regarding resettlement.
Ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Ignatius Chombo (Local Government), David Parirenyatwa (Health), Sydney Sekeramayi (Defence) Emmerson Mnangagwa (Justice) Kembo Mohadi (Home Affairs), Jonathan Moyo (Information), Sithembiso Nyoni (Small and Medium Enterprises), Walter Mzembi (Tourism), Oppah Muchinguri (Women’s Affairs), Nicholas Goche (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare) and Ministers of State Flora Bhuka and Sylvester Nguni are returning to familiar territory and should know how to find their way round.
The President must be commended for appointing a fully fledged Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture. Sports, Arts and Culture have a huge potential to provide employment to thousands of our talented youths out there. Minister Andrew Langa will have to find ways of improving funding and the administration of the sports, arts and culture sectors.
Ministers assigned new portfolios Obert Mpofu (Transport), Saviour Kasukuwere (Environment, Water and Climate) Webster Shamu (Information Communication Technology) and Josiah Hungwe (Psychomotor Activities) will draw from their experience in Government to tackle their work.
Online Reporter