ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT RESHUFFLES CABINET

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002364 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/11 TAGS: PGOV PINR ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT RESHUFFLES CABINET CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD FAULK FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 02364 091346Z ¶1. (U) INDEPENDENT PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THAT PRESIDENT MUGABE HAS RESHUFFLED HIS CABINET TO FILL THREE POSITIONS LEFT VACANT BY THE DEATHS OF TWO MINISTERS AND THE RESIGNATION OF ANOTHER. THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE ON STATE RADIO TODAY (AUGUST 9) AFTER THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY AT STATE HOUSE. ¶2. (U) BELOW ARE THE NEW MINISTRY CHIEFS: -- DEFENSE: MINES AND ENERGY MINISTER SYDNEY SEKERAMAYI REPLACES ACTING DEFENSE MINISTER JOYCE MUJURU AND PERMANENTLY FILLS THE POST LEFT VACANT BY THE DEATH OF MOVEN MAHACHI. -- MINES AND ENERGY: DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT MINISTER EDWARD CHINDORI-CHININGA REPLACES SEKERAMAYI. -- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, GENDER AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION: NEWLY ELECTED BINDURA MP AND FORMER MASHONALAND CENTRAL GOVERNOR ELLIOT MANYIKA FILLS THE MINISTERIAL POSITION LEFT OPEN BY THE DEATH OF BORDER GEZI. -- INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE: ACTING INDUSTRY MINISTER AND FORMER HIGHER EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTER HERBERT MURERWA OFFICIALLY FILLS THE MINISTERIAL SLOT VACATED BY NKOSANA MOYO, WHO RESIGNED IN MARCH. -- HIGHER EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY: FORMER EDUCATION MINISTER SAMUEL MUMBENGEGWI REPLACES MURERWA. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 02364 091346Z -- EDUCATION, SPORTS AND CULTURE: DEPUTY EDUCATION MINISTER AENEAS CHIGWEDERE MOVES INTO THE TOP POST, REPLACING MUMBENGEGWI. ¶3. (U) AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ABEDINICO NCUBE, THE ZANU-PF DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP IN PARLIAMENT, MOVES INTO THE NEWLY RECONSTITUTED POST OF DEPUTY FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: PRESIDENT MUGABE HAD APPARENTLY WAITED TO MAKE SURE ELLIOT MANYIKA WAS ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT BEFORE ANNOUNCING HIS LONG-OVERDUE CABINET RESHUFFLE. IT LOOKS LIKE MANYIKA IS ON THE FAST-TRACK TO IMPORTANT THINGS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE RULING PARTY, FOLLOWING IN LOCK-STEP THE METEORIC RISE OF BORDER GEZI. THE ONLY BIG SURPRISE IN THE RESHUFFLE IS THE APPOINTMENT OF SEKERAMAYI AS DEFENSE MINISTER. SEKERAMAYI IS AN OLD RIVAL OF PRESIDENTIAL HEIR APPARENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, AND AT ONE POINT HIS POLITICAL FUTURE APPEARED DIM. HE WAS SIDELINED AT MINES AND ENERGY TO MAKE WAY FOR MNANGAGWA. THE DEFENSE MINISTRY IS A SMALL STEP UP FOR SEKERAMAYI, AND SINCE HE IS A FRIEND OF THE UNHAPPY POWERBROKER SOLOMON MUJURU, SEKERAMAYI'S APPOINTMENT MAY INDICATE THAT MUGABE SEES A NEED TO PLACATE THE OLD BARON. END COMMENT. HOOKS CONFIDENTIAL >