HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Zanu PF senator Lovemore Matuke as state security minister, ending nearly three years of waiting to fill up the position.
The post was rendered vacant following his surprise sacking of top ally Owen Muda Ncube in January 2022 while serving his first term as president.
Now Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Ncube was sacked over what was described as “conduct inappropriate for a minister of government.”
Since his dismissal, Mnangagwa has kept the dreaded spy agency directly under his supervision.
Hatcliffe MP Agency Gumbo (CCC) told parliament this week that by keeping the position vacant, Mnangagwa was in breach of section 225 of the Zimbabwe constitution which placed an obligation on him as president to appoint a minister in charge of the country’s intelligence service.
Gumbo said it was important to have a minister in charge of the national intelligence services so that questions on national security issues could be directed to them.
“In the absence of a minister of national security in this country, there are serious national security questions. We are unable to interrogate and demand answers from the executive. This goes to the heart and core of our role of oversight,” Gumbo added.
As if to respond to the MP’s concerns, Mnangagwa on Tuesday appointed Matuke to the position.
In a statement on Tuesday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya said, “In terms of Section 104 Subsection (1) as read with Section 225 of the Constitution, His Excellency, the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has appointed Honourable Lovemore Matuke, Senator as the Minister of State for National Security with immediate effect.”
Matuke switches from his role as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet to the new post.
