/ 16 April 2005

Mugabe names ‘development’ Cabinet

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Friday named a new 30-strong Cabinet, recycling most of the loyal stalwarts who have presided over the Southern African nation for last two decades.

Among the few new faces is the former ambassador to the United Nations Tichaona Jokonya, who was named Information Minister replacing the controversial Jonathan Moyo sacked early this year over a leadership succession row.

Another former diplomat to Britain, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, is the new Foreign Affairs Minister in what Mugabe termed a ”development Cabinet”.

”This is a development Cabinet. We are certainly setting ourselves up preparing for an effective turn-around of the economy,” Mugabe told journalists after swearing in the ministers.

Zimbabwe has been in the throes on economic crisis since the late 1990s and currently has one of the highest inflation rate of over 100%, while inflation rate and poverty levels hover above 70%.

Mugabe created a new portfolio of Rural Housing and Social Amenities which he gave to former speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was at one time speculated to be his likely successor when he retires in 2008.

Hardliners like Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and Agriculture Minister Joseph Made — all of whom have supported Mugabe through increasing international isolation — kept their posts.

Former Foreign Minister Stan Mudenge was moved to education, while the loyalist Herbert Murerwa, was appointed Finance Minister to succeed jailed Chris Kuruneri, who is facing charges of corruption.

Mugabe said his new government will focus on agricultural, mining, and industrial development.

He said that as part of transport and infrastructural development, Zimbabwe would soon import new passenger aircrafts from China.

Following sanctions and isolation mainly by Western countries, Zimbabwe has adopted a ”look East” policy, fostering new relations with South East Asian and Far Eastern countries, particularly China, Malaysia, Singapore and India. – Sapa-AFP