Zimbabwe: Fired State Security Minister Ncube Bounces Back as Top Bureaucrat - Spy Ministry Scrapped

11 September 2023
New Zimbabwe (London)

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has given his henchman, Owen 'Mudha' Ncube, another lease of life as a top government bureaucrat following his dismissal in January 2022, this time returning to his first ministerial posting as Midlands Provincial Affairs minister.

Mnangagwa fired Ncube for conduct unbefitting a minister after he allegedly intimidated people attending a Zanu PF provincial meeting to confirm winners of provincial party elections.

In a statement then, Misheck Sibanda, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, said Mnangagwa removed Ncube "with immediate effect for conduct inappropriate for a minister of government."

Sibanda did not disclose the reasons for Ncube's removal from office.

From the configuration of the 26 ministry Cabinet announced Monday, it seems Mnangagwa has effectively scrapped picking a State Security minister amid murmurs the 80-year-old Zanu PF leader had centralised Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operations in his office and was its day-to-day overseer due to mistrust.

Since Ncube's expulsion from office last year, he was not replaced.

Ncube was allegedly linked to a violent mob known in the Midlands province as Al Shabaab before his appointment as Midlands Provincial Affairs minister, the defacto governor.

He is on the U.S. State Department's sanctions list for his links to human rights abuses related to political repression in Zimbabwe.

Ncube was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13469, which reinforces the Department of State's previous designations in 2019 under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2019 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programmes Appropriations Act.

As a result of this action, all assets, property, and interests of property of Ncube "that are, or come within, U.S. jurisdiction, or the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them."

Others appointed to lead provinces include the following;

Bulawayo - Judith Ncube

Harare - Charles Tavengwa

Masvingo - Ezra Chadzamira

Manicaland - Nokuthula Matsikenyeri

Mas East - Apollonia Munzverengi

Mash West - Marian Chombo

Mash Central- Christopher Magomo

Mat North -Richard Moyo

Mat South - Evelyn Ndlovu

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