President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister Winston Chitando and replaced him with Polite Kambamura in a surprise cabinet shake‑up announced late Monday.
An official statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet confirmed Chitando’s removal but gave no immediate reasons.
Kambamura, who served as Chitando’s deputy, was sworn in immediately to take charge of the portfolio.
He is expected to oversee ongoing reforms, regulatory adjustments and expansion projects aimed at boosting Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in the global mining industry.
Chitando, a former mining executive, had led the ministry since 2017, presiding over efforts to attract investment and formalise artisanal mining.
His dismissal marks one of the most significant changes in Mnangagwa’s cabinet this year, underscoring the strategic importance of the mining sector to Zimbabwe’s economic recovery agenda.
The move comes as Zimbabwe’s mineral sector faces heightened global interest, particularly in lithium and platinum, which are central to the country’s economic growth and foreign currency earnings.
JN/APA