Zimbabwe's president fires mines minister in rare Cabinet shake-up

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa removed Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando from office Monday.

He replaced Chitando with his deputy, Polite Kambamura, hours after he chaired a strategic planning workshop for his ministry in Masvingo city, located 292 kilometers (181 miles) south of the nation's capital Harare.

"His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa has in terms of section 340, subsection (1f) as read with section 108, subsection (1a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, removed Winston Chitando as Cabinet minister with immediate effect," said a statement issued by Martin Rushwaya, chief secretary to the president and Cabinet of Zimbabwe.

In another statement, Rushwaya announced that Mnangagwa had replaced Chitando with Kambamura.

Chitando was first appointed to the post in 2017 and served until 2023, when he was fired before being reappointed to the same portfolio in 2024.

He is a member of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and was a member of parliament for Gutu Central in Masvingo.