Zimbabwe’s new president Mnangagwa names 68-year-old as Youth Minister

The buzzword in Zimbabwe since the swearing-in of Emmerson Mnangagwa as new president has been ‘change’.

Mnangagwa described his seminal inauguration as Zimbabwe’s ‘second birth’ following the ouster of long-time leader Robert Mugabe, as a wave of optimism swept across the country.

But the belief in a new post-Mugabe Zimbabwe wavered on Thursday with the naming of cabinet by Mnangagwa. A mainstay of the Mugabe administration, Mnangagwa, nicknamed the ‘Crocodile’ as a result of his ruthless cunning, reverted to ZANU-PF bigwigs and top military officials for major cabinet roles to the disappointment of many.

While outrage greeted his decision to keep a sizeable number of ministers from Mugabe’s former cabinet – many Zimbabweans were left incredulous with the choice of Youth Minister – 68-year-old Sithembiso Nyoni. The irony of appointing Nyoni to the Youth Ministry wasn’t lost on Zimbabweans, who now think their dream of change has fast become a nightmare.

It also comes as Mnangagwa called for dynamism to governance and management of the public sector if the country is to survive in a competitive world.

For some, the idea of a 68-year-old Youth Minister was ludicrous, while others felt age is of little consequence when assigning ministerial portfolio.

Of course, there are cynics who think it’s a little too much to expect change from Mnangagwa – a product of the Mugabe school.

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

Many Zimbabweans were left disappointing 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.

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.