Dr Zhemu Soda, the new Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
By Dickson Bandera
HARARE – President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has effected a Cabinet reshuffle, reassigning three senior ministers with immediate effect in a move that reshapes key portfolios central to government communication, skills development and housing delivery.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Martin Rushwaya, said the changes were made in terms of Section 104(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which empowers the President to appoint and assign functions to Cabinet ministers.
Under the new configuration, Hon. Dr. Zhemu Soda has been appointed Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. Hon. Dr. Jenfan Muswere has been redeployed to head the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, while Hon. Prof. Paul Mavima assumes leadership of the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.
Dr. Soda’s appointment to the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services places him at the centre of government’s communication architecture at a time when information management, digital transformation and media regulation remain highly contested policy arenas.
The ministry is responsible for coordinating government communication strategy, overseeing public broadcasters such as the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), administering media policy frameworks, and implementing legislation including the Freedom of Information Act and aspects of the Cyber and Data Protection Act.
His tenure is expected to focus on strengthening government messaging and public engagement, enhancing the visibility of development programmes under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), navigating the evolving digital and social media space, and managing relations between government and private media players. He will also oversee broadcasting reforms and licensing processes through the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), a critical function as the sector continues to liberalise.
The portfolio has increasingly become pivotal in shaping public perception, countering misinformation, and projecting Zimbabwe’s image both regionally and internationally. Observers will be watching closely to see whether the new minister advances media reform, improves access to information, and fosters a more open operating environment for journalists.
Dr. Soda takes over from Dr. Muswere, whose tenure was marked by ongoing debates around media freedoms, accreditation processes and the role of state media in a competitive information landscape.
Dr. Muswere now heads the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, a strategic portfolio aligned with Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and economic transformation agenda. The ministry plays a critical role in conducting national skills audits, mapping workforce competencies, aligning education and training systems with labour market demands, and supporting the Vision 2030 agenda of becoming an upper-middle-income economy.
The Ministry has seen renewed push to address skills mismatches, youth unemployment and the need to recalibrate technical and vocational education to meet the demands of key sectors such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing and emerging digital industries.
Meanwhile, Prof. Paul Mavima assumes control of the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, a portfolio facing mounting pressure over urban housing backlogs, informal settlements and deteriorating social infrastructure. With Zimbabwe experiencing steady urbanisation, housing delivery has become both a social and political priority.
Mavima is expected to strengthen policy coordination and administrative oversight in housing schemes, regularisation programmes and the rehabilitation of public amenities, particularly in high-density suburbs.
The reshuffle takes effect immediately.
