Chiwenga speaks on Mnangagwa's Cabinet

President Mnangagwa has not delayed the appointing of new ministers as the law requires that those who make it in the new Cabinet should first take oath as Members of Parliament, Acting President Constantino Chiwenga has said.

The Acting President said this yesterday in Kanyemba during a briefing before holding a development strategic meeting.

Acting President Chiwenga said he was compelled to make the clarification following a litany of falsehoods regarding the appointment of the new Cabinet.

Some faceless social media characters last week went overdrive, fabricating stories insinuating that there had been a tussle on the appointment of new ministers between President Mnangagwa and his deputy Chiwenga.

"The Government is being set up and I was hearing even from some who do not know the law saying it has been delayed," said the Acting President.

"The President cannot set a new Cabinet before MPs are sworn in. It is so simple, but you see some writing useless things and we say just leave them like that. Kuda kungotsvaga nyaya yekutaura chete. Kana dare ragadzwa neParliament, ndomunozosarudzwa maministers. Asi iko zvino tinavo nekuti vachiripo. Ndangoti ndingotsanangura ipapo vamwe vanoti zvino zvanonokerei.

"Government has three arms that is the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature. Hapana anoita basa risiri rake. Umwe neumwe ane basa rake." Newly-elected National Assembly members and senators will take their oaths of office tomorrow.

Last week, the two Vice Presidents — Dr Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi — took oaths of office at State before Chief Justice Luke Malaba. Acting President Chiwenga, who was accompanied by several Cabinet ministers most of whom are serving zanu-pf Politburo members, said his visit to Kanyemba sought to steer development in the area. He said his visit to the area followed similar trips by the First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa, who was also undertaking developmental projects. Acting President Chiwenga said Government was augmenting Amai Mnangagwa's work in Kanyemba at a larger scale.

"Paye takati kana tapedza sarudzo tochiuya kuno," he said.

"The reason why we have come here is to see how we can develop this area. The development that we want to do here should also benefit the country at large.

"Let us unite as a community and work together to develop our country. There are lot of things that we want to do here. Once we have finished some of the projects we want here, there will be quite a lot of development, especially in agriculture. The people here are going to benefit a lot. At least 200 hectares of land should be under irrigation using centre pivots."

Acting President Chiwenga later addressed Zanu-PF supporters at Kanyemba Business Centre.

In his address, he said time for politicking was over.

"Campaigning can take time, but voting is just one day," he said.

"All that is now behind us and we should now focus on delivering what we promised during the campaign period." Acting President Chiwenga donated 60 tonnes of maize to the Kanyemba community. He said he was sent by President Mnangagwa to deliver the grain.