Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
FOUR Deputy Ministers who were appointed recently have been sworn-in at State House in Harare this Thursday.
The four, who took their oaths of office before President Emmerson Mnangagwa, are Honourable Sleiman Timios Kwidini (Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care), Honourable Omphile Marupi (Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services), Honourable Sheillah Chikomo (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade) as well as Honourable Benjamin Kabikira (Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works).
Honourable Marupi says he is ready to run with the Second Republic’s vision of national development, while Honourable Chikomo is upbeat about her role in the country’s engagement and re-engagement drive.
“I would like to embrace this appointment. It’s an honour to be appointed deputy minister and be given the responsibility to run with the President’s mantra of uplifting people and developing our economy. By being in this ministry, I believe we have to cut across Zimbabwe’s different groups,” said Hon Marupi.
“This is a big role. Hands on the plough now. We are looking into bilateral relations. As the President always says, “Zimbabwe is open for business”, I’m willing to play my part in the engagement and re-engagement drive,” noted Honourable Chikomo.
In the health sector, the new Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Honourable Sleiman Kwidini says he will play his part in improving health service delivery, while his counterpart in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Benjamin Kabikira spoke on the need upscale road rehabilitation and service delivery in local authorities.
“We have a chokehold of cholera, but I think it’s now going down because of the vaccine which is being rolled out in the country. The cancer treatment issue is also an area to look at,” he said.
“My contribution will be from a professional background. We are having bursting of sever system. We have our road network systems that are bad, will use my expertise to assist that we come up with a road network system that is durable,” said the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon Benjamin Kabikira.
This comes after President Emmerson Mnangagwa reminded cabinet ministers and government officials on their role to deliver according to the needs and expectations of the citizenry.
