A blundering President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been forced to reverse his appointment of John Paradza and Nokuthula Matsikenyere into his new cabinet after realising he had exceeded the number of non-constituency ministers he can appoint.
Paradza had been appointed Deputy Minister of Environment and Matsikenyere had been made Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Manicaland.
The Constitution in Zimbabwe allows the president to appoint a maximum of seven Ministers and Deputy Ministers from outside Parliament “chosen for their professional skills and competence”.
Other members of his cabinet (Ministers and Deputy Ministers) according to the law must be Members of Parliament (Senators or members of National Assembly).
Paradza and Matsikenyere were conspicuous by their absence when the other ministers took their oath of office at State House on Tuesday.