Of particular interest is his choice of finance minister to replace Ignatius Chombo, who was among members of a group allied to Mugabe and his wife, Grace, who were detained and expelled from the ruling party. Chombo is facing corruption charges and is due to appear in court for a bail hearing on Monday.
In a tentative sign that he might do things differently, ZANU-PF cut the budget for a special congress to be held next month and also slashed the duration by half from six days, the state-owned Herald newspaper reported on Monday.
He vowed to rebuild Zimbabwe’s ravaged economy and serve all citizens. But behind the rhetoric, some Zimbabweans wonder whether a man who loyally served Mugabe for decades can bring change to a ruling establishment accused of systematic human rights abuses and disastrous economic policies.
“ALL HANDS ON DECK”
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has called for an inclusive “transitional authority” to mark a break with Mugabe’s 37-year rule and enact reforms to allow for credible and free elections due next year.
“Zimbabwe needs all hands on deck…We cannot continue reproducing these cycles of instability,” Biti, who earned international respect as finance minister in a 2009-2013 unity government, told Reuters.
Some economic and political analysts say Mnangagwa’s choices may be limited after Cyber Security Minister and close ally Patrick Chinamasa said last week he saw no need for a coalition, as ZANU-PF had a parliamentary majority.
And with Mnangagwa saying on Friday elections would go ahead next year as scheduled, the opposition would have little to gain from participating in a coalition just eight months before the vote, Professor Anthony Hawkins, a business studies professor, said.
“If I were an opposition politician I would say: what’s in it for me? Unless I‘m convinced I‘m going to lose the election, I won’t participate,” Hawkins told Reuters.
“He (Mnangagwa) might introduce technocrats from commerce and that will send out a signal of sorts… As far as the international community is concerned legitimacy is important. It’s a very delicate situation and he has very little room for manoeuvre.”
The Standard newspaper, which has been critical of Mugabe and his government over the years, said Mnangagwa would be judged on how he delivers on the bold commitments he made at his inauguration. It said he must “walk the talk on graft” that has exacerbated the country’s economic decline.
Mugabe’s fall after 37 years in power was spurred by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa, his former deputy who had stood by him for 52 years, and Mugabe’s wife, Grace, 52, who has been at the couple’s “Blue House” mansion in Harare and hasn’t been seen in public since.
Post published in: Featured
This is nonsense!
President Mnangagwa said he would hit “the ground running”; so why has it taken him over a week since it was clear Mugabe was going to resign and he was set to takeover for him to name his cabinet?
Mugabe has managed to stay in power for 37 years because he surrounded himself with some of the most simple minded people he could get. Who could ever forget simpletons like the late Simon Muzenda and Joice Mujuru. Mnangagwa himself is a simpleton too, only a real moron would agree to do some of the dirty jobs Mnangagwa has done for Mugabe. Thanks to all these simpletons, Mugabe stayed several blocks ahead of them all these years and very nearly hoodwinked them all to get his wife to succeed him.
Even Julius Malema, himself with a few working brain cells, could not fail to see just how helpless incompetent Zanu PF leaders had proven to be in get Mugabe to go even when he was a doodling old man.
President Mnangagwa is a thug per excellence but above all he is a simpleton and his failure to appoint a cabinet timeously is just one of the many, many failures to follow!