Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed as one of his deputies in the ruling party the leader of the military takeover that led to ex-president Robert Mugabe’s overthrow.<\/p>\n
Constantino Chiwenga recently retired as army chief, prompting speculation that he would receive a political post.<\/p>\n
The appointment is seen as a first step towards becoming vice-president.<\/p>\n
Mr Chiwenga retired this week, more than a month after the army intervened in a row over Mr Mugabe’s succession.<\/p>\n
The other deputy Zanu-PF leader is Kembo Mohadi, who was state security minister under the former president.<\/p>\n
The 15 November takeover came days after Mr Mnangagwa, then deputy president, was fired by Mr Mugabe and left the country.<\/p>\n
That move was seen as an attempt to install Mr Mugabe’s wife Grace as his successor instead of Mr Mnangagwa.<\/p>\n
But Mr Mnangagwa had strong ties to the military, and following the intervention he was appointed president and inaugurated on 24 November.<\/p>\n
Like Mr Mnangagwa, Mr Chiwenga used to be one of Mr Mugabe’s right-hand men, playing a central role in the seizure of white-owned farms and a brutal crackdown on the opposition after elections in 2008.<\/p>\n
But he is said to be committed to rescuing Zimbabwe’s economy, which he believes is in such a dire state that it threatens national security.<\/p>\n
Mr Mnangagwa has already appointed two former military men as ministers.<\/p>\n
On 30 November former general Sibusiso Moyo, who played a prominent role in the takeover, was made foreign minister and former air force chief Perence Shiri was named minister of agriculture and land affairs.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed as one of his deputies in the ruling party the leader of the military takeover that led to ex-president Robert Mugabe’s overthrow. Constantino Chiwenga recently retired as army chief, prompting speculation that he would receive a political post. The appointment is seen as a first step towards becoming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":385850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[15650,14779,563],"yoast_head":"\n