Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa Appoints Son, Nephew As Deputy Finance and Tourism Ministers

• Emmerson Mnangagwa's decision to appoint his family members to his cabinet was discussed on social media
• The head of state placed his son and nephew as deputies of finance and tourism respectfully, hitting back against critics
• Netizens believed that if they are qualified, it's no issue, while some called him out for nepotism

Netizens fiercely debated the announcement that Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed family members to his new cabinet.

After another controversial election, Mnangagwa, re-elected Zimbabwe's head of state, clapped back against people who criticised his choice of cabinet ministers.

Some social media users are disappointed in the news, while others support Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa claps back after being slammed for appointing family

Mnangagwa made headlines after he appointed his son, Kudakwashe David Mnangagwa, as the deputy finance minister following Zanu PF's victory in the 2023 Zimbabwe elections.

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He also appointed his nephew Tongai Mnangagwa as the deputy minister of tourism and retailed former Olympic gold medallist Kirsty Coventry as the sports, arts and culture minister.

Mnangagwa was asked why he kept Coventry even though Zimbabwean sportspeople have performed terribly since she began her tenure as minister. Mnangagwa responded curtly and told them that whoever was not happy with his appointment would have to appoint their own ministers if they get to be president.

Twitter user @Africa_Archives sparked a discussion about the controversial announcement.

Netizens respond differently to the Mnangagwa announcement

While you might expect the Zimbabwean president to be slammed, netizens responding to the tweet were of different opinions. Some condemned him for nepotism while others don't mind his choice.

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Cliff Butagira said:

“The question should be if he is qualified for that job. If he has the credentials, it’s okay, as the son is a citizen and should have rights like any other. Being a son or daughter of a head of state should not be restrictive.”

Bewithus Mayakayaka remarked:

“Not so long ago, President Kagame appointed his daughter and he got praise all around. The underlying argument was that the young lady possesses the qualifications.”

Buck disagreed.

“Conflict of interest. This is considered unethical. Even the appearance of being unethical is considered unethical.”

Dr Martin wrote:

“It’s a disgrace. He named his nephew deputy minister of tourism. Last week he gave his wife an honorary doctorate at the University of Zimbabwe. She now holds four PhDs from local universities.”

Don Mayo remarked:

“Generational wealth.”

Zimbabweans vow to protest election results

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that Zimbabweans living in Mzansi vowed to protest Emmerson Mnangagwa's re-election.

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This was after 'The Crocodile' won the 2023 Zimbabwe elections in what oppositions called a controversial election.

South Africans were perplexed as to why Zimbabweans would protest in Mzansi and not in Zimbabwe.

Source: Briefly News