Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken steps to address his country's ongoing economic challenges by appointing his son, David Mnangagwa, as the deputy finance minister.
The move is part of the parliament's youth quota. Mnangagwa has also retained Mthuli Ncube as the finance minister in his cabinet.
The 80-year-old president faces mounting pressure to revive Zimbabwe's ailing economy, which has been plagued by a lack of foreign investment, high unemployment, soaring inflation, and an 80% depreciation of the local currency this year.
Mnangagwa secured a second term in a disputed vote last month, a result that drew criticism from the opposition, which labelled it a “gigantic fraud.” International election observers also noted that the election did not meet regional and international standards.
Mthuli Ncube, a former banker who had been criticized for his economic policies, will continue to serve as the finance minister. His policies have faced challenges in generating economic growth, and the country has struggled to repay foreign debt exceeding $17 billion.
In addition to the appointment of his son, President Mnangagwa announced the appointment of Soda Zhemu as the head of the mining ministry, replacing Winston Chitando, who had led the ministry since November 2017.
Chitando had previously served as the Minister of Energy and Power Development since 2020. The mining sector plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe's economy, accounting for over half of its foreign export earnings.
Mnangagwa has emphasized the sector's importance in driving future economic growth, particularly in areas such as lithium mining that are attracting investment.
Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, the national chairperson of the ruling ZANU-PF party, was re-appointed as the Defense Minister.
Mnangagwa commented on the composition of his cabinet, noting, “I have a huge majority, and I think the opposition would enjoy being in the actual opposition rather than in government.” Notably, the cabinet list did not include any opposition officials.
Reporting by Nyasha Chingono. Editing by Mariam Aminu.
