By Takudzwa Changadeya
Harare – President Emmerson Mnangagwa interrupted his annual leave to announce a mini-cabinet reshuffle, redeploying two ministers and appointing a new head of the country’s intelligence agency.
The changes were announced on Friday in a statement by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, who said the reassignments were “effective immediately.”
July Moyo, previously the Minister of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.
Edgar Moyo, formerly Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, will now head the Public Service Ministry.
“In terms of Subsection 1 of Section 104 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, His Excellency the President, Cde. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has reassigned the under-listed Ministers as follows:
“Hon. J.G. Moyo, M.P. Minister of Energy and Power Development. Hon. E. Moyo, Μ.Ρ. : Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare,” reads a statement by Rushwaya, chief secretary to the president and cabinet.
In another key development, Mnangagwa appointed Fulton Mangwanya as the new Director General of the President’s Department, succeeding Isaac Moyo, who has been removed from the post.
No reasons were provided for the reshuffle or the leadership change within the intelligence agency.
July Moyo, a close ally of President Mnangagwa, returns to a familiar role, having previously served as Minister of Energy and Power Development from July 2000 to February 2004 under then-President Robert Mugabe.
His reassignment comes at a time when Zimbabwe faces mounting challenges in the energy sector, including recurring power outages and limited investment in sustainable energy solutions.
Edgar Moyo, who joined the cabinet in September 2023, will now lead the Public Service Ministry amid criticism of government inefficiency and growing calls for public sector reform.
The removal of Isaac Moyo as intelligence chief raises questions, as the President’s Department plays a crucial role in national security.
Fulton Mangwanya, the incoming director, is expected to steer the agency through a politically and economically challenging period.
Mnangagwa’s reshuffle has drawn mixed reactions.
Critics argue that recycling the same ministers does little to address the root causes of governance failures.
Zimbabweans have repeatedly voiced concerns about the government’s inability to implement policies that improve living standards in a nation grappling with an economic crisis.
