President Emmerson Mnangagwa has with immediate effect fired Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi and replaced him with little known Soda Zhamu.
On the second of August, Chasi twittered that his days were numbered :
“In terms of Section 104 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment (No.20) Act of 2013, His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Hon. Soda Zhemu, Member of Parliament for Muzarabani North, as Minister of Energy and Power Development in place of the current Minister, Hon. Advocate Fortune Chasi,” According to Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, Chasi.
Sibanda said Chasi’s Government business was not matching with the President’s expectations
APPOINTMENT OF HONOURABLE SODA ZHEMU AS MINISTER OF ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT TO REPLACE HONOURABLE ADVOCATE FORTUNE CHASI
In terms of Section 104 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment (No.20) 201 Act of 2013, His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has appointed Hon. Soda Zhemu, Member of Parliament for Muzarabani North, as Minister of Energy and Power Development in place of the current minister, Hon. Advocate Fortune Chas.
The latter has been relieved of his ministerial post in terms of Section 108(1a) of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment (No. 20) Act of 2013, as his conduct of Government business had become incompatible with the President’s expectations.
The appointment of Hon Soda Zhemu and the removal, of Hon. Fortune Chasi, respectively, are with immediate effect.
Dr Misheck J.M Sibanda
CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET
Chasi was appointed to the volatile Ministry in May 2019 replacing Joram Gumbo who was appointed Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring following a turbulent tenure.
Last month Obadiah Moyo was fired as Minister of Health and Child for “conduct inappropriate for a Government minister” after he was implicated in a coronavirus equipment procurement scandal.
Curiously, of the three, Chasi is the only to be fired without any scandals or corruption allegations hovering around him.