Mugabe Branded Him “Devil Incarnate” Last Year, Appoints Moyo Into Cabinet

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Monday moved his information minister, who he branded a “devil incarnate” last year, to an education department role in his second cabinet reshuffle since December.

Former Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo, whom Mugabe says appointed opposition sympathisers as editors of state-owned newspapers, is now minister of higher and tertiary education, the secretary to the president and cabinet, told reporters.

Mugabe last year complained bitterly about Moyo’s activities in the party and government, claiming the minister was working to destroy Zanu PF from within.

“”Don’t plant seeds of division!.

“We now have weevils in our midst. Zanu PF has weevils within its ranks,” the Zanu PF leader raged at the funeral of party stalwart and former cabinet minister Nathan Shamuyarira.

Allies of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa were also understood to be pressing for Moyo’s complete ouster from cabinet or, failing that, his removal from the information ministry which controls the state media.

The Mnangagwa camp felt Moyo was using the state media to undermine the vice president’s chances of taking over from the 91-year-old Mugabe while making the case for the so-called G-40 camp in the ruling party.

Following Mnangagwa’s elevation to the vice presidency, excitable surrogates claimed their man had effectively been anointed Mugabe’s successor only to be called to order by Moyo in a forthright “interview” he gave to the Sunday Mail.

Recently, Moyo also gave an interview to the BBC in which he caused even more annoyance in the Mnangagwa camp by not only reiterating that Mnangagwa was not Mugabe’s anointed successor but also making clear that the VP was a mere assistant to the president.

On Monday, Moyo refused to speak about his new portfolio, according to the State-owned Herald newspaper.

Cabinet secretary Misheck Sibanda, did not give a reason for the changes, but said Mugabe had left the post of information minister vacant.

Mugabe’s seven cabinet changes included moving Kembo Mohadi, long serving minister in charge of homeland security to the national state security ministry.

Ignatius Chombo, who ran the local government ministry for 15 years, takes over the homeland security ministry.

Saviour Kasukuwere, one of the youngest ministers in Mugabe’s government, is the new minister of local government after serving at the ministry of water and environment since 2013.

Kasukuwere, nicknamed Tyson for his combative style, made his name as the enforcer of Mugabe’s black economic empowerment drive that is forcing foreign-owned companies to sell majority shares to black Zimbabweans.

In December, Mugabe fired his deputy of 10 years, Joice Mujuru, and several other ministers. by Reuters I Staff Reporter. source-newzimbabwe