Mugabe moves "devil incarnate" information minister in reshuffle

July 7, 2015 8:22 AM

Misheck Sibanda, did not give a reason for the changes, but said Mugabe had left the post of information minister vacant.

Former Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo makes a victory signs after casting his vote in a file photo. REUTERS/Juda Ngwenya

President Robert Mugabe on Monday moved Zimbabwe's information minister, who he branded a "devil incarnate" last year, to an education department role in his second cabinet reshuffle since December.

Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo, whom Mugabe says appointed opposition sympathisers as editors of state-owned newspapers, was to be Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, the secretary to the president and cabinet, told reporters.

Mugabe's seven cabinet changes included moving Kembo Mohadi, longtime minister in charge of homeland security to the national state security ministry.

Ignatius Chombo, who ran the local government ministry for 15 years, takes over the homeland security ministry.

Savior Kasukuwere, one of the youngest ministers in Mugabe's government, is the new minister of local government after serving at the ministry of water and environment since 2013.

Kasukuwere, nicknamed Tyson for his combative style, made his name as the enforcer of Mugabe's black economic empowerment drive that is forcing foreign-owned companies to sell majority shares to black Zimbabweans.

In December, Mugabe fired his deputy of ten years, Joice Mujuru, and several other ministers.