Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is set to induct a new 31-member cabinet Friday to complete the formation of a new unity government with long-time adversary, President Robert Mugabe, media reports say.
The formation of the new ministry came a day after the 70-year-old Mugabe swore in arch rival and Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC-T) leader Tsvangirai as the country's prime minister Wednesday.
Mugabe's Zanu-PF will have 15 posts and the two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 16 in the unity cabinet. The formation of the ministry is going ahead despite MDC's concern about the future of its jailed activists.
The MDC will control finance and health, while Zanu-PF retains its hold on defense, foreign affairs and agriculture. The home affairs ministry, which is responsible for the police, will be split between the two parties.
Mugabe has yet to announce the names of ministers for the 15 portfolios reserved for his Zanu-PF party under the unity agreement, which is hoped to end the nearly a year of political turmoil.
As the power-sharing deal takes effect, Tsvangirai faces the daunting task of pulling the country from an economic collapse driven by rampant inflation, a cholera epidemic and unemployment of more than 90%.
Also, nearly seven million Zimbabweans need food aid; up to three million have fled the country; and only 20 per cent of children are attending to school. Public hospitals are closed, even though 1.3 million persons are suffering from HIV. And, a cholera epidemic is sweeping the country, hitting about 70,000 persons and killing 3,400 since August.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.