US embassy cable - 05HARARE604

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000604 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR DAS T. WOODS 
AF/S FOR B. NEULING 
OVP FOR NULAND 
NSC FOR DNSA ABRAMS, SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ZI 
SUBJECT: MORE OF THE SAME IN NEW GOZ CABINET 
 
REF: HARARE 575 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Eric T. Schultz under Section 1.4 
 b/d 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) President Mugabe on April 15 announced a new, expanded 
cabinet, which he said was geared to &turn around8 
Zimbabwe,s economy.  However, most members of the new 
Cabinet are holdovers from the previous one, including on the 
economic front, although some Ministers have shifted 
portfolios.  The few new faces previously held other 
positions in the GOZ.  We do not expect to see any new policy 
initiatives, either foreign or domestic, from this cabinet, 
most of whom appear to have been chosen for their lock-step 
loyalty to Mugabe.  End Summary. 
 
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Priority on Patronage, Loyalty 
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2. (SBU) The addition of four new ministries and eight new 
deputy minister slots represents an expansion of Mugabe's 
patronage system, this despite severe budget constraints. 
Some of the new ministries will exist mostly on paper; the 
Ministry of Anti-Monopolies and Anti-Corruption and the 
Ministry of Policy Implementation created in last year's 
cabinet reshuffle, for example, still have no substantial 
staff or budget.  Many appointees are non-constituency MPS 
who had lost recent parliamentary races ) an apparent 
violation of Mugabe's pledge last year that only elected MPs 
could "earn" cabinet slots. 
 
3. (C) The new appointments reinforce the view that lock-step 
loyalty to Mugabe remains the principal criterion for job 
security and advancement in the GOZ.  Like the recently named 
governors and non-constituency MPs (reftel), the "new" 
ministers are drawn largely from the ZANU-PF "Old Guard" or 
Mugabe,s Zezuru ethnic group; new faces among the deputy 
ministers are not independent minded.  The Young Turks and 
the Karanga ethnic group, the losers in last December,s 
ZANU-PF power struggle, were handed few bones in the 
appointments and their disaffection will likely continue. 
 
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Some &New8 Appointments; But Policy Changes Unlikely 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
4. (C) Among the more worrisome appointments is Nicholas 
Goche, former Minister of State for National Security, who 
takes over as Minister of Public Service, a position from 
which he is expected to increase pressure on Zimbabwe,s 
civil society and especially its independent labor union, 
ZCTU.  Less clear is the impact of Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, 
former Ambassador to the U.K., as the new Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and former UN Permrep Tichaona Jokonya  as the new 
Minister of Information and Publicity.  Mumbengegwi and 
Jokonya may present a softer public edge, especially to the 
West and especially in comparison to their voluble 
predecessors, but neither is expected to pursue any new 
initiatives in their domains. 
 
5. (C) The expanded economic "team" is a particularly 
disappointing lot.  Acting Minister of Finance (and former 
Minister of Education) Herbert Murerwa was finally, 
officially (and unfortunately) appointed to the Finance post. 
 The academic Murerwa has never exhibited any initiative or 
creativity in his earlier stints as Finance Minister and will 
clearly continue to play second fiddle to Reserve Bank 
Governor Gideon Gono.  Controversial Agricultural Minister 
Made (a principal architect of land reform) held his position 
despite rumors that he would be sacked.  We do not expect to 
see any liberalization of the economy in the short-term. 
(N.B. Gono had scheduled a press conference for today to 
announce a devaluation of the Zim dollar, but postponed the 
announcement, reportedly because he is having trouble getting 
agreement from Mugabe on the extent of the devaluation.) 
 
6. (C) Among the other more notable appointments was 
sidelined former Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa as 
Minister for Rural Housing and Social Amenities, one of four 
new cabinet ministerial positions.  The appointment appears 
to be further evidence of Mnangagwa,s fall from grace.  It 
is a very small consolation prize for someone considered 
Mugabe,s likely heir apparent up until December. 
 
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Cabinet List 
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7. (U) The following is the full list of the new cabinet: 
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs - Simbarashe Mumbengwgwi 
 
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education ) Stan Mudenge 
 
Minister of Information and Publicity ) Tichaona Jokonya 
 
Minister of Energy and Power Development ) Michael Nyambuya 
 
Minister of Industry and International Trade ) Obert Mpofu 
 
Minister of State for Water Resources and Infrastructural 
Development ) Munacho Mutezo 
 
Minister of Rural Housing and Social Amenities (New Ministry) 
) Emmerson Mnangagwa 
 
Minister of Women Affairs, Gender, and Community Development 
) Oppah Muchinguri 
 
Minister of State for National Security ) Didymus Mutasa 
 
Minister of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare ) 
Nicholas Goche 
 
Minister of State Enterprises, Anti-Monopolies, and 
Anti-Corruption ) Paul Mangwana 
 
Minister of Economic Development (New Ministry) ) Rugare 
Gumbo 
 
Minister of Finance ) Herbert Murerwa 
 
Minister of State for Special Affairs Responsible for Land 
and Resettlement Program ) Flora Bhuka 
 
Minister of Defense ) Sydney Sekeramayi 
 
Minister of Education, Sports, and Culture ) Aeneas 
Chigwedere 
 
Minister of Agriculture ) Joseph Made 
 
Minister of Home Affairs ) Kembo Mohadi 
 
Minister of Environment and Tourism ) Francis Nhema 
 
Minister of Local Government, Public Works, and Urban 
Development ) Ignatius Chombo 
 
Minister of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs ) 
Patrick Chinamasa 
 
Minister of Transport and Communications ) Chris Mushohwe 
 
Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development ) 
Sithembiso Nyoni 
 
Minister without Portfolio ) Elliot Manyika 
 
Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation ) 
Ambrose Mutinhiri 
 
Minister of Health and Child Welfare ) David Parirenyatwa 
 
Minister of Science and Technology ) Olivia Muchena 
Minister of Policy Implementation ) Webster Shamu 
 
Minister of Indigenization and Empowerment ) Josiah 
Tungamirai 
 
Deputy Minister of Information & Publicity - Bright Matonga 
 
Deputy Minister of Agriculture - Sylvester Nguni 
 
Deputy Minister Rural Housing & Social Amenities - Joel 
Biggie Matiza 
 
Deputy Minister of Industry & International Trade - Phineas 
Chihota 
Deputy Minister of Health & Child Welfare - Dr Edwin Muguti 
 
Deputy Minister of Economic Development - Dr Samuel Undenge 
 
Deputy Minister of Finance - David Chapfika 
 
Deputy Minister of Education, Sports & Culture - Isaiah Shumba 
 
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs - Rueben Marumahoko 
 
Deputy Minister of Environment & Tourism - Andrew Langa 
 
Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works & Urban 
Development - Morris Sakabuya 
 
Deputy Minister of Transport & Communications -Hubert 
Nyanhongo 
 
Deputy Minister of Small & Medium Enterprises Development - 
      Kenneth Mutiwekuziva 
 
Deputy Minister of Youth Development & Employment Creation - 
      Saviour Kasukuwere 
 
Deputy Minister of Mines & Mining - Tinos Rusere 
 
Deputy Minister of Science & Technology - Patrick Zhuwao 
 
Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender & Community 
Development - Abigail Damasane 
SCHULTZ