The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has expressed disappointment with the composition of the new cabinet announced on Thursday last week saying they expected President Emmerson Mnangagwa to bring in fresh faces with fresh ideas rather than the same old and failed faces from the past administration.
ZCTU Secretary General, Japhet Moyo noted that besides recycling old faces, Mnangagwa’s cabinet remains bloated considering the size of the country’s economy and the population.
“After a promising first week in office, President Mnangagwa has dashed the hopes of the nation by retaining most of the dead wood that has failed the nation over the past 37 years.
“Besides recycling old faces, the cabinet remains bloated considering the size of our economy and our population.
“As the ZCTU, we do not believe that these recycled individuals will be able to turn around the country’s economy, given their past performances in the ministries they have served before under Robert Mugabe.
“The ZCTU is of the considered view that people who have been exposed to a culture of corruption and patronage cannot suddenly change because there is a new leader, more so one cut from the same cloth as his predecessor,” said Moyo.
He added that there is lack of gender balance in new cabinet with only six women out of the 39 ministerial positions that were on offer.
“Also of concern is the lack of gender balance in President Mnangagwa’s cabinet. Six women out of 39 total ministerial positions is an insult to our female comrades, whose contribution to the development of this great nation has been immense.
“It is surprising that people like Obert Mpofu, from under whose hands the $15 billion from the Chiadzwa diamonds proceeds disappeared, are retained in government, together with one Lazarus Dokora, for who there have been loud clamors of disapproval from both parents and students.
“Our hospitals and clinics have been running without essential drugs for the past years under David Parirenyatwa and for the President to reward such an individual with re-appointment to cabinet is just ridiculous.
“President Mnangagwa’s selection of ministers makes it extremely difficult for any sane Zimbabwean to believe that he is serious about stamping out the scourge of corruption, which has had disastrous consequences for our economy,” added Moyo.
The firebrand trade unionist believes citizens were taken for a ride and used to kick out the former President Robert Mugabe from the helm and replace him with Mnangagwa under a de-facto military state.
“The ZCTU strongly feels that Zimbabweans have been taken for a ride and used to remove Mugabe and let his surrogates jump onto the gravy train and strengthen the very systems that they have put in place together in the last 37 years.
“Lastly, the ZCTU is now worried that the country is now being driven towards a de-facto military state, with the appointment of two key military figures into cabinet.
“ We can be forgiven for observing that the appointments appear to appease certain category of groups and since the army played a pivotal role in his ascendancy, we are likely to see more senior soldiers in President Mnangagwa’s government.
“Under these circumstances, we urge all workers to remain vigilant and stand prepared to intensify the struggle for workers’ rights,” he added.
Mnangagwa on Thursday last week appointed a 22 member cabinet, 10 provincial ministers and six deputies with new faces being Professor Amon Murwira, Winstone Chitando, Air Marshall Perrence Shiri and Major Sibusiso Moyo. The rest are old faces or known Zanu PF party functionaries whose long association with the new President is well known.
