ZIMBABWE’S leading business associations have urged President Robert Mugabe to trim the size of his cabinet to cut public spending. In a report obtained by AFP on Tuesday, seven private sector groups urged Mugabe to cut the number of cabinet posts from 52 to 15. Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) scraped a narrow victory on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in elections last month. The president is expected to announce his cabinet soon but has ruled out including members of the opposition. “Cuts should be made to the number of ministries from the opening of next parliament,” the statement said. “The number of foreign embassies and high commissions should be cut to a fraction of the current list and tax-free allowances offered to senior govrnment officials should be withdrawn,” it continued. Ministries such as those of information and employment creation should be a abolished, the statement recommended, saying that largely ceremonial deputy posts should also be scrapped. Among the business groupings who issued the statement were the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism, the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce.