Categories: Stories

Mangwana, wrong name or wrong origin?

Profile of the one-hour minister. That is how the Sunday Mail teaser on the profile of Kadoma lawyer Paul Mangwana read. Mangwana had risen from nowhere to Minister of Transport and Communications when President Robert Mugabe announced his new cabinet.

The decision was reversed hours later and he was demoted to deputy minister. The demotion was taken lightly as a mistake. But was it a mistake? Whispers doing the rounds in Harare say that Mangwana’s appointment was not a mistake.

It was part of President Mugabe’s tactic to allocate cabinet posts according to provinces but in doing so, he had not looked at Mangwana’s CV properly. Though representing Kadoma, the traditional seat of Enos Chikowore the former Minister of Transport, Mangwana was not from the right group, the Zezuru.

He was a Karanga from Chivi. These whispers say President Mugabe was forced to revise his appointment when this was pointed out to him, hence his replacement by Swithun Mombeshora.

An analysis of Mugabe’s cabinet seems to confirm this view. Although ZANU-PF did not do well in Manicaland and performed dismally in Matebeleland, they were allocated more cabinet posts than other provinces.

Manicaland where ZANU-PF obtained fewer seats than the Movement for Democratic Change got four posts. Masvingo got three, Mashonaland East got two while Mashonaland Central, the star performer got three.

The Midlands walked away with two and Matebeleland with four when it only secured two seats out of the 23 contested seats.

Mashonaland West got two but had Mangwana been appointed, the people of Mashonaland West would have felt they only had one true representative.

So much about tying to crush tribalism.

 

(71 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Will Mnangagwa go against the trend in the region?

Plans by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to push President Emmerson Mnangagwa to…

October 22, 2024

The Zimbabwe government and not saboteurs sabotaging ZiG

The Zimbabwe government’s insatiable demand for money to satisfy its own needs, which has exceeded…

October 20, 2024

The Zimbabwe Gold will regain its value if the government does this…

Economist Eddie Cross says the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) will regain its value if the government…

October 16, 2024

Is Harare the least democratic province in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, which is a metropolitan province, is the least democratic province in the…

October 11, 2024

Zimbabweans against extension of presidential term in office

Nearly 80% of Zimbabweans are against the extension of the president’s term in office, according…

October 11, 2024

Zimbabwe government biggest loser when there is a discrepancy in the exchange rate

The government is the biggest loser when there is a discrepancy between the official exchange…

October 10, 2024