Mugabe allocates new VPs roles

President Mugabe has reportedly allocated newly-appointed Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko specific ministries to superintend as Government moves a gear up towards accelerated implementation of Zim-Asset.

Already former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, nine ministers and six deputies - who were accused of performance below the expected standard as they expended time on factional activities within the governing zanu-pf - have been fired from Government to pave the way for a team that can deliver in line with the dictates of the results-based Zim-Asset.

Mnangagwa, who is the Acting President, told captains of industry who visited him at his farm in Kwekwe at the weekend that soon after their appointments as VPs, President Mugabe outlined their duties and the specific areas they should direct.

Ministries that fall under Mnangagwa's purview include Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development; Health and Child Care; Lands and Rural Resettlement; Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Mines and Mining Development; Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development; Sport, Arts and Culture and Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development.

This effectively means that VP Mphoko, who is also responsible for national healing, would be in charge of all the security ministries that include Home Affairs, Defence and Presidential Affairs.

He would also oversee the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development; Foreign Affairs; Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment; Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development; Energy and Power Development; Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development; Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services.

"There are two new Vice Presidents and we have been allocated responsibilities," Acting President Mnangagwa said.

"I am not really new in Government. I have been around for a bit since 1980 and I have moved around a bit. So, on the average I understand how Government works."

Going into the New Year, Mnagagwa said Government would commit its energy towards resuscitation of industry.

"Overall we want to grow our economy. We want to improve the lot our people. We want to create employment, to grow our industry, our mining sector and our manufacturing sector.

Mnangagwa said Government was dependent on captains of industry to know what challenges are inhibiting growth of the economy.

He said Government was more focused on projects with quick results and restore hope in the generality of Zimbabweans.

"There are areas which can quickly show results and there are others which require longer gestation to realise the benefits," he said.

"Because of what has happened in this country we would want to prioritise these issues and see things that can quickly bring about creation of employment, bring about development, bring about hope in our people and this will depend on yourselves telling us from where you work to say in our area these are things we want you to address."

Mnangagwa said he would soon invite the captains of industry sector by sector to discuss challenges and opportunities presenting in their areas.