The new Cabinet announced on Monday has its work cut out and should prioritise the improvement of livelihoods of the generality of the population in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of achieving an upper middle-income society by 2030.
Apart from working towards the achievement of the President’s vision, members of the public and analysts that spoke to The Herald yesterday also called on the ministers not to use their positions for personal gain but for every Zimbabwean.
Speaking during interviews in Harare, Zimbabweans said the new Cabinet must address corruption and other forms of unethical conduct in private and public sectors, and that the Cabinet should steer the economy forward by spearheading and implementing policies that will transform the lives of ordinary people.
Mr Rangis Chimbangu welcomed the mix of the Cabinet between the old guard and the new generation and said there was need to step-up the fight against drugs and substance abuse by youths.
“We commend the President for also appointing young people into Cabinet and we hope they will work towards employment creation and double efforts in the fight against drugs and substance abuse,” he said.
Another Harare resident who preferred to be identified as Mr Nyakamha said he was hopeful that the new Cabinet will work to the best of their abilities for the benefit of the country.
“I hope the Cabinet will be people-oriented and also resist and fight corruption as it is a scourge that is one of the obstacles retarding the country’s development and social transformation,” he said.
Mrs Tsitsi Machingune applauded President Mnangagwa for his ministerial appointments and urged not to pursue self-enriching agendas, but those guided by the need to promote the well-being of ordinary Zimbabweans.
“In the past there have been some ministers who have used their official positions as platforms to boost their own personal fortunes and we hope the new appointments will be people of integrity that will steer the country forward, “she said.
Mr John Mutandavana echoed similar sentiments adding that the Cabinet should also focus on community empowerment.
“The interests of every Zimbabwean must be considered by the newly appointed who must not be motivated by sectoral interests. To guarantee that people have access to their wealth and better livelihoods, the new Cabinet should also make sure that initiatives like the indigenisation and empowerment programmes are fully executed,” Mr Mutandavana said.
Political analyst, Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said the new Cabinet was balanced in various facets.
“The new Cabinet is a balanced one. The presidium old guard have retained their posts to maintain stability at the top. Previous occupants of other key ministries like Home Affairs, Foreign affairs, Finance and the high-scoring Agriculture minister also return to enhance continuity.
“On the other hand, some have been shifted, based on the discretion of the President based on his evaluation of the previous term with the view of needed quicker economic recovery, increased productivity and speedy development in keeping with Vision 2030. As expected, some deputy ministers were promoted and youthful new comers have been appointed to enable regeneration and dynamism. Inclusion of more women is commendable, so is regional and ethnic balance,” Mr Mureriwa said.
Ms Miriam Mashonganyika said the new Cabinet must ensure that the indigenisation and empowerment programme benefits all Zimbabweans especially those in grassroots communities.
“The new Cabinet should make every effort to guarantee that the indigenisation programme is successful for everyone’’s benefit. It should actively try to empower marginalised groups like women and young people and should not tolerate corruption,” she said.
Herald
Positive Eye News
