Critical areas on cabinet appointments

One thing I like about the new President is that he listened to the public outcry so people like us will continue providing checks and balance to the current affairs of this country.

It is important for the civic society to play such a critical role on matters of arise. I think it is not good to criticize the President left, right and center we also need to look into things why he has done so.

Let's give him 100 days in office then we can begin to talk. It's ideal for him to reshuffle his advisory council, if he wants to last with the POVO mentality I for see him having head on with people.

My suggestion is let us give him time to work and we see progress as time goes on. We need to consider that he has not been a President before and I think he has simply started the journey to State House, so we expect maturity. I'm happy that on Saturday morning the President made some adjustments prior to his appointments.

If you look at Youth ministry I think HE also should look into that, there is a serious outcry because Sithembiso Nyoni is over 70 years and what can she really address on our current generation? Even the women part, ED was supposed to have appointed someone who is more relevant to women and young people.

If you check my previous articles you would find that the President is currently addressing some of the things I raised earlier on.

What people want Mr President is a person who accommodates other people's views and be able to have a considerable plan, and give room for criticism. I think there are critical areas that need to be addressed urgently.

We have to look into the youth ministry I would suggest that it is never late to give it to WadyaJena or Temba Mliswa both are members of the august house they can help on that one. I see Mayor Wadyajena to be a more relevant guy who can bring input to the new ministry which has been merged with women affairs.

Sithembiso is old and she has some challenges and why would the President consider such a person on that big portfolio? Remember youths and women play a critical role in economic development.

I guess the information ministry needs a more diplomatic person and a person who can be easily approached so that we can have sufficient relations with the international community.

Our relations with the outside world during Mugabe's era of politics was hostile so it is high time the President should consider someone who can be more diplomatic, who understand the nature of our politics and be able to give good advice to the President.

I don't think Mutsvangwa should get this one, this post can be given to George Charamba or Supa Mandiwanzira who did some bit of Journalism or even Mzembi with his experience in the tourism sector, and he can do better.

We need people who can deliver, and who can market our country.

I suggest Mzembi can go to information then Mutsvangwa can be moved to foreign Affairs or WAR Vets because there it is ideal for him.

I think the President should also re-look into his advisory team we can also recommend who can come on board if he is comfortable; we also need young people who can play significant role in national building.

There is too much old age in that cabinet.

I think it was a positive move to make the cabinet more sound and leaner but I suggest HE can also trim the cabinet to 15 people to cut expenditure which is burdening the fiscus.

We have external debts that need to be worked on, we have internal projects that have been stopped due to lack of funding, we have civil servants who are expecting bonuses by mid-December, and we also have new ministers who are expecting perks such as 3 vehicles, allowances, houses and VIP security facilities.

My question is where we can get the money to fund such things when we have critical areas such as tourism, mining, agriculture and infrastructure development.

We have the Harare- Chirundu road which was estimated at 1.2 billion and I think HE can review that project I don't think it is worthy that amount.

We have Mupfumira who has just been appointed as the Minister of Tourism, my question is this is the same woman who was moved from different ministries because of under-performance, and do you expect her to do a better job? I suggest that the President should introduce the quarter system appraisal reporting for ministers, and all those ministers who fail to meet the requirements should be send packing.

We need performance based ministers who should work on targets and whop can deliver best results.

In the previous arrangement ministers used to sleep in parliament, and they used to withdraw excessive allowances and they used to get a lot of perks when majority are languishing in poverty.

Unverified reports say that HE ED has reduced perks from 3 vehicles to 2 vehicles, whether this is true or not we applaud such a move to cut expenditure and promote re-direction of expenditure.

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the Head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research – SIPAR TRUST, which is responsible for policy Analysis and Research. He is also an academic and researcher. He holds a BA, M.A from Solusi University, and he also holds a Masters of Development Studies from University of Lusaka, Zambia. He is currently enrolled at University of Kwazulu Natal University in South Africa (PHD in Development Studies). He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com