Zimbabwe Times
13 February 2009
By Our Correspondent
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s new unity government suffered a near still-birth when mainstream Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) ministerial nominees openly refused to take part in the swearing-in ceremony at State House in Harare on Friday.
The MDC members protested after Zanu-PF had apparently attempted to trick the MDC by swearing into office five more state ministers without reaching an agreement with their partners in the coalition as agreed in terms of the Global Political Agreement.
As a result the ceremony was delayed for close to three hours much to the chagrin of the hundreds of guests who thronged the State House grounds to witness the historic ceremony.
The event was supposed to start at about 12 noon but only kicked off sometime after 4 pm after Zanu PF had agreed to remove from the list the five extra ministers and agreed that MDC appoint one Minister of State while it admit two.
In the hushed process the the three political leaders held a closed-door meeting in the State House dining room with Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairman Kgalema Monthlathe and mediator Thabo Mbeki.
President Robert Mugabe’s Chief of Protocol, Samuel Kajese was heard while literally begging MDC MPs to join Zanu-PF MPs in the ceremonial rituals. The MDC MPs openly refused to barge until the three principals had reached a workable solution.
“If we have no agreement then we will not go there for the swearing in. We have counted one by one and why do you have many ministers than the ones agreed under GPA. Why can’t we first agree,†said MDC’s Tendai Biti who was later sworn in as the Minister of Finance.
“How many are your Ministers, we will count again if they are more than the agreed we will not go in there.â€
But Kajese who was visibly at pains to just have things push through later responded saying, “Please, please lets get on with the business, there are state ministers to be sworn in today.â€
Mugabe later on swore into office the Zanu PF, mainstream MDC and MDC-M ministers.
Notable appointments from Zanu-PF are Minister of Information, Webster Shamhu, of State Security, Sydney Sekeramayi and Kembo Mohadi who retained Home Affairs that he will now share with Giles Mutswekwa of the MDC. Emmerson Mnangangwa, long regarded as having presidential ambitions was moved up from Rural Housing to Defence.
The five ministers who lost out following the drama that was witnessed at State House are Former Speaker of Parliament and Zanu PF Chairman, John Nkomo, Health Minister David Parirenyatwa, Deputy Agriculture Minister Sylvester Nguni, Acting Minister of Information, Paul Mangwana and Minister of State, Flora Bhuka.
They had participated in rehearsals for the event, only to be left out at the last minute.
In an open expression of disappointment, Mangwana stood with his wife in the State House car park while the event was still taking place.
“I am not a (full) minister for now unless something changes,†said Mngwana when approached for a comment.
The eventful past 48 hours also saw the mainstream MDC axing two of its ministerial nominees Eddie Cross and Abednico Bhebhe who had earlier been announced as part of the party’s cabinet line-up.
The two were replaced by Human Rights activist and former Bulawayo Agenda Executive Director, Gordon Moyo and Binga MP, Joel Gabuza Gabuza.
Speculation was rife that the two could have been sacrificed to pacify the dissenting voices from Matebeleland region who had complained that the region had very few representatives in the new government.
The appointment of Shamu to the Ministry of Information put paid to widespread speculation that a previous encumbent, Prof Jonathan Moyo was, by his actions and utterances, gearing for re-appointment to the ministry that he controversially devastatingly managed until he was booted out in 2005.
Moyo is the Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North and is partly credited with master-minding Mugabe’s controversial re-election in June 2008 in an electyion in which he was the only candidate.
The swearing-in ceremony revealed the extent to which Mugabe had gone to retain the Zanu PF old guard. He kept his trusted and hardworking lieutenant, Patrick Chinamasa, in the crucial ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The Ministry of State for National Security in the President’s Office went to former Defence Minister, Sydney Sekeramayi while Herbert Murerwa, who was fired by Mugabe as Finance Minister two years ago, bounced back to take over the Lands and Rural Resettlement Ministry.
Samuel Mumbengegwi retained the Foreign Affairs Ministry while Joseph Made, who manages Mugabe’s multiple farms, was strategically redeployed in the Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development ministry.
Former Minister of Industry and International Trade, Obert Mpofu was redeployed at Mines and Mining Development while Ignatius Chombo retained his Local Government, Urban and Rural Development portfolio.
Shurugwi North legislator, Francis Nhema is the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management while Nicholas Goche, one of the two Zanu-PF negotiators who brokered the power-sharing deal was rewarded with the Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry.
Saviour Kasukuwere, otherwise the youngest minister in the Zanu PF line up, is the Youth Development, Indigenization and Empowerment Minister, with the Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development ministry for Mutoko legislator, Olivia Muchena.
Despite her legendary failure to win any parliamentary seat in the opposition dominated Matebeleland region, Stembiso Nyoni was again allowed to retain her Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development ministry.
Stan Mudenge, one of the longest serving ministers in Mugabe’s cabinet, will retain his Higher and Tertiary Education Ministry while Masvingo South legislator, while Walter Muzembi takes over Tourism.
Didymus Mutasa, who retains the State Security Minister, completes the Zanu PF list of substantive ministers.
Zanu-PF Ministers of State are Paul Mangwana, Sylvester Nguni, Flora Bhuka, John Nkomo and David Parirenyatwa.
Professor Welshman Ncube, secretary general in the Arthur Mutambara led MDC is now Industry and Commerce Minister while his deputy and partner in the protracted unity talks, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga becomes Regional Integration and International Co-operation minister.
Khumalo Senator David Coltart, the only elected official in the Mutambara led MDC, is now the new Minister of Education, Sports and Culture.
Tendai Biti, who led the list of ministerial nominees in the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC was sworn is as Finance Minister, while Engineer Elias Mudzuri was confirmed as Energy and Power Development minister.
Theresa Makone was sworn-in as Public Works minister while former Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe CEO, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo took over the Water Resources and Development ministry which had initially been allocated to Nkayi West legislator Abednico Bhebhe of the Mutambara party.
Kwekwe senator, Henry Madzorera was confirmed as Health and Child Welfare minister while Eliphas Mukonoweshuro becomes Public Service minister.
Other confirmed ministers in the mainstream MDC include Elton Mangoma (Economic Planning and Development), Professor Henry Dzinotyiwei (Science and Technology), Fidelis Mhashu (Housing and Social Amenities), Advocate Eric Matinenga (Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs), Nelson Chamisa (Information Communication Technology), Pauline Mpariwa (Labour and Social Welfare) and Joel Gabuza (State Enterprises and Parastatals).