Rushwaya appointed chief secretary ahead of imminent perm sec reshuffle

Harare- PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration and Finance Martin Rushwaya as chief secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet replacing Misheck Sibanda who has retired.

He made the announcement before commencement of the first cabinet meeting of the Second Republic ‘s second cabinet on Tuesday.

“Before we begin, I would like to make a small announcement.

“Our Chief Secretary Dr Misheck Sibanda has retired. In his place I have appointed Dr Martin Rushwaya as the new Chief Secretary,” President Mnangagwa said.

Rushwaya has a decorated track record in the civil service.

He has served as the Midlands Provincial Administrator before he was appointed as the Principal Director under the office of the Minister without Portfolio in the office of the President and Cabinet in 2005.

In 2007, he was reassigned as the Principal Director for Anti-Corruption and Anti-Monopolies.

In that same year he was appointed into the Grain Marketing Board, which had been operating without a board three years prior.

His appointment comes ahead of speculative reports of an imminent reshuffle of permanent secretaries.

Sources told Express Mail Zim that Mnangagwa will this week reshuffle permanent secretaries.

“President Mnangagwa will this week announce new permanent secretaries.

“Those who have served for at least five years will be retired and some will be redeployed and pave way for new energy as you know those are the most powerful civil servants in any ministry,” said our source.

The source added that Presidential spokesperson George Charamba is likely on the verge of exit and might retire paving way for new blood.

Nick Mangwana’s fate also hangs in the balance as decibels of his unpopularity within the ruling party has been amplified on social media.

Several names of young turks have been touted as possible replacements.