HARARE
–
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
has
removed
Frederick
Shava
as
Foreign
and
International
Trade
Minister,
swapping
him
Tuesday
with
Higher
and
Tertiary
Education
Minister
Amon
Murwira.
The
strange
development
was
announced
by
Chief
Secretary
to
the
President
and
Cabinet
Martin
Rushwaya
who
said,
“the
reassignments
are
with
immediate
effect”.
Just
like
in
previous
cabinet
reshuffles,
Rushwaya
did
not
state
any
reasons
behind
the
move.
Shava,
a
veteran
politician
and
diplomat,
was
transferred
from
New
York
where
he
was
Zimbabwe’s
representative
to
the
United
Nations,
to
assume
the
powerful
foreign
affairs
ministry
in
2021.
The
75-year-old
replaced
the
late
Sibusiso
Moyo
in
both
the
Senate
and
as
foreign
minister.
Mnangagwa,
whose
government
had
introduced
an
ambitious
reengagement
drive
with
a
hostile
West,
hoped
Shava
would
use
his
links
within
the
broader
diplomatic
community
to
advance
the
cause.
What
has
followed
is
further
ostracization
for
the
Zanu
PF
led
administration
which
remains
accused
of
poll
theft,
rights
abuses
and
economic
mismanagement.
Murwira,
on
his
part,
has
also
acted
as
Foreign
Affairs
Minister
before.