PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa appears to have significantly clipped close ally Kudakwashe Tagwirei's power in his new ministerial role, barely a month after elevating the businessman to Cabinet.
Tagwirei, who is widely seen as Mnangagwa's siccessor, has been enjoying a meteoric rise in Zimbabwean politics, having been fasttracked into Senate, Zanu PF's Central Committee and Politburo from the terraces.
He was appointed Minister of Economic Development and Investment Promotion a month ago and his deputy Clemence Chiduwa recently.
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The development raises questions about the scope of Tagwirei's new ministerial responsibilities, particularly after the creation of a standalone portfolio was presented as a move to give economic development and investment promotion greater attention.
While Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube retains key instruments through which Government manages the national purse and financial system, Tagwirei's statutory responsibilities have been considerably narrowed.
According to Statutory Instrument 181 of 2026, announced on Thursday, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube will oversee 58 Acts with Tagwirei only responsible for two, the Competition Act and the Census and Statistics Act.
"IT is hereby notified that His Excellency the President, in terms of section 104(1) of the Constitution as read with section 37(2) of the Interpretation Act [Chapter 1:01], has assigned to the Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion, the administration of the Acts set out in the Schedule and the functions conferred on the Minister of Economic Development and Investment Promotion by any Act, save to the extent that those functions have been assigned to some other Minister," reads the SI.
With Tagwirei involved in Mnangagwa's finance ministry, critics have queried whether his presence on America's sanctions list might not affect the very development he is supposed to lead.
Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.
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