Most cabinet ministers are Mugabe loyalists

Wilf Mbanga, a Zimbabwean journalist who lives in exile in South Africa, says the majority of the news cabinet are loyalists to former leader Robert Mugabe.

But he told the BBC's Newsday programme that he was impressed with some of the appointments, including Winston Chitando, the new minister for mines.

"He's a technocrat he's been managing director of mining companies in Zimbabwe – he's good news."

He also gave the thumbs up to Christopher Mutsvangwa, who as a leader of the war veterans' association had been expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party last year for leading opposition to Mr Mugabe.

He's been appointed as information minister.

"He's also good news… he's a former information officer… He's well known to journalists; he's very friendly and progressive."

He said he was most disappointed to see Lazarus Dokora back in cabinet as minister of education, given that he had faced criticism in the past from President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

"He is a disaster – even the new president has even said so. Why has been reappointed? I don't understand."

Mr Mbanga added that Perence Shiri, the commander of the air force, who has the ministry of agriculture, was "not known for his love of democracy".

"He is the man who was in charge of Fifth Brigade, which was responsible for the massacres in Matabeleland, known as Gukurahundi."

Little was known about Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, the new foreign minister, who announced the military takeover on television in November, Mr Mbanga said.

But the editor of The Zimbabwean newspaper felt it was payback for the risks taken in the events that led to Mr Mugabe's resignation last week.

"He is a professional soldier. I think this is just a reward for making that announcement.

"He was brave enough to go on television to make the announcement. If things had gone wrong he would have been the first to be hanged."