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ZIMBABWE: Disappointment as Mnangagwa appoints top military officials into new cabinet

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11 Mugabe allies fired from parliament

Many Zimbabweans were left disappointed after a number of senior military officials were appointed into the cabinet of President Emmerson Mnangagwa in what is seen as a reward for the army’s role in the removal of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

The major appointments were Major-General Sibusiso Moyo who was appointed foreign minister and Air Marshal Perrance Shiri who was named land portfolio minister.

Moyo is remembered by most Zimbabweans as the khaki-clad general who went on state television in the early hours of Nov. 15 to announce the military takeover that ended Mugabe’s 37-year rule.

Read also: ZIMBABWE: Ex-VP to be sworn-in as president on Thursday

Moments after the appointments, London-based political analyst Alex Magaisa wrote on Twitter saying; “For most observers, this looks like a reward for the military – or more specifically like the military asserting its authority.”

Reports say the appointments has brought worry to most Zimbabweans who feel nothing will change.

“The worry is that nothing is going to change. There are a lot of people from the old guard, a lot of people who were in government when Robert Mugabe was still president,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Haru Mutasa, reporting from Harare.

Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe’s former vice president) who was sworn in as Zimbabwe president after more than two weeks on exile abroad also dropped allies of Mugabe’s wife, Grace, but brought back many Mugabe loyalists from the ruling ZANU-PF party, disappointing those who had been expecting a break with the past.

 

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