LONG before President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s first ever Cabinet was announced on November 30 2017, it had already been dismissed by anti-Zimbabwe apparatchiks whose agenda is not so hidden.
We had, as a country, been subjected to all political skulduggery, outright blackmail and sometimes bizarre manipulation, all aimed at creating openings for those who wanted to be part of this new administration.
That is not surprising, given that it came from sources whose political careers are on the verge of extinction.
The idea from this end was, to create an impression of a ZANU PF and a new Presidency in dire need of what former US Ambassador Christopher Dell described as ‘massive handholding’ when talking about MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
We were subjected to all sorts of high-sounding but hollow words such as ‘new faces’, ‘technocrats’, ‘innovative’, to mention but a few.
These, it was said, would transform the country from its current economic malaise.
What this writer found astounding was that, the so-called new faces or innovative potential Ministers are nowhere near the category that they were placing themselves in.
It was a self-serving exercise meant to extricate the faltering political careers from the abyss.
For instance, if Tendai Biti was to bounce back, would he not be among the ones who would have been ‘recycled’, an accusation being feverishly levelled against President Mnangagwa’s new Cabinet.
If Morgan Tsvangirai, who and with all due respect, did not add any value to the Inclusive Government, was to be named as Vice-President or given whatever position, would he be a new face?
The same goes for Nelson Chamisa, that young politician who has been touted among some of the country’s finest brains.
Would he be not among the recycled Cabinet material?
We were told, the country required what was called a transitional government, something that Ibbo Mandaza and his Southern African Political Economic Series (SAPES) Trust have been itching for.
That did not work.
President Mnangagwa on the other hand, was taking a step further in his reform agenda programme by coming up with a Cabinet that has a blend of experience, competence and new skills in critical areas.
When it was eventually unveiled on November 30, the same critics were not surprisingly up their arms, calling the Cabinet all sorts of names.
But from a discerning political eye, none among the critics has taken time to do a sober analysis of the Cabinet in question, especially in the context of the thrust that President Mnangagwa said his administration would be pursuing.
Not many have thought that this is a Cabinet meant to revive the country’s economy through employment creation and taking Zimbabwe back to the ‘league of nations’ after many years of unwarranted isolation.
Few have grasped the fact that in this Cabinet, we have all the tools to make this economy work again and relive the Zimbabwean dream.
This is a Cabinet that will surprise many given the characters that are involved in its make and shape.
This is why in a few months time, we will be writing about the many successes of the new Cabinet.
President Mnangagwa in his inauguration speech on November 24 2017, outlined the thrust of his Government where he said the country’s economic revival would be anchored on his highly successfully Command Agriculture Programme.
And the man who was instrumental in the success of that programme, former Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander, Air Marshal Perrance Shiri has been thrust into the ministry responsible for agriculture.
As new Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Air Marshal Shiri will have oversight of the continued upward trend of the country’s agriculture sector, while at the same time expanding the country’s raw material base.
This will be ably supported by Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development, Dr Mike Bimha’s interventions last year, where he came up with policies aimed at protecting the local market.
Just like Minister Bimha, Patrick Chinamasa continues with austerity measures and re-engagement efforts with international creditors in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
This is where newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Major-General Sibusiso Moyo comes in handy, as normalisation of relations with the West continue.
Despite the misplaced outcry over the appointment of Air Marshal Shiri and Major-General Moyo which has been described as ‘militarisation’ of Government, this writer is yet to see anyone who has had time to take stock of the academic qualifications of these two gentlemen.
Major- General Moyo is an International Relations expert, and as such, he aptly fits the bill of what is needed to be done at his new Ministry.
These decorated military officers have with out doubt worked their way to where they are now due to their academic prowess and surely there is nothing wrong with their appointments.
What is needed is for the new Cabinet to raise the bar and take Zimbabwe forward.
This Cabinet must, and will work.
Let those with ears listen.