Politics

Zimbabwe: A look at the controversial cabinet featuring the president’s son, nephew

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2023

Barely weeks after being declared winner of the presidential elections, Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed his son as the deputy finance minister, and his nephew as deputy minister of tourism and hospitality.

As part of the parliament’s youth quota, President Mnangagwa named Soda Zhemu to lead the mining ministry and named his son, David Mnangagwa to serve as deputy finance minister, Mthuli Ncube’s deputy. His nephew, Tongai Mafidhi Mnangagwa, was assigned the deputy tourism and hospitality minister post.

Winston Chitando, who had led the ministry since November 2017, was replaced as the Minister of Mines by Zhemu. Since 2020, he has served as the minister of energy and power development.

Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, national chairman of the governing ZANU-PF party, was reappointed as the defence minister.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had last month announced that the 80-year-old politician, who contested under the ruling ZANU-PF, had been re-elected after his main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, who leads the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party, secured 44% of the presidential vote.

Mnangagwa, after announcing the new cabinet, had no opposition officials in it. He defended his decision not to appoint opposition members amid speculations on a possible unity government. “I have a huge majority and I think the opposition would enjoy being in actual opposition rather than in government”, he said.

The country is currently faced with a huge economic burden. According to the World Bank, Zimbabwe’s economic development continues to be hampered by price and exchange rate instability, misallocation of productive resources, high informality, low investment, and limited structural transformation.

More than half of Zimbabwe’s export revenue comes from mining, and Mnangagwa has declared that the industry, which is luring investors into the lithium mining industry, will underpin future economic growth.

Related Topics:Emmerson Mnangagwa Featured Zimbabwe

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.