Zim appoints acting ministers

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has appointed eight acting ministers days after firing a number of ministers from his Zanu-PF party who lost in the March 2008 elections, state media said yesterday.

Mugabe appointed Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana as the new acting minister of information and publicity, taking over from Sikhanyiso Dlovu who failed to secure a parliamentary seat in his constituency, The Herald reported.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi is the acting minister of mines and mining development, taking over from Amos Midzi, who also lost in his constituency, said the report which quoted an official document.
Aeneas Chigwedere, Mashonaland East Governor, will continue as education, sports and culture minister while Christopher Mushohwe retains his job as acting transport and communications minister.
Non-constituency senator Patrick Chinamasa, who was erstwhile justice minister, is now acting finance minister, taking over from Samuel Mumbengegwi, who also lost in the March 2008 poll.
Mugabe, currently on annual leave, last week dismissed the executive appointments of 12 cabinet ministers and deputy ministers who failed to secure parliamentary seats.
Mugabe, 84, could form a power-sharing government at the end of next month despite a stalemate in unity talks, The Herald had reported earlier this week.
The unity accord was meant to haul the country from political limbo and halt its economic meltdown.
Instead the country’s crisis has only worsened, with a cholera epidemic killing more than 1 700 people across the country and chronic food shortages worsening. – Nampa-AFP