Other key appointments announced at a briefing in Harare, the capital, on Monday include:

• Soda Zhemu as mines minister.
• Anxious Masuka was reappointed as agriculture minister.
• Oppah Muchinguri was retained as defense minister

Read More: Zimbabwe Leader Sworn In for Second Term After Disputed Vote 

A former University of Oxford professor, Ncube was tasked with reviving an economy that fell into disarray during Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule — a brief he has struggled to fulfill. While he oversaw the re-introduction of the local currency in 2019 and initiated talks with Western creditors over the restructuring of the nation’s $18 billion debt, his efforts to raise living standards, create jobs and foster investment have born little fruit.

Speaking after he was sworn in for his second term on Sept. 4, Mnangagwa pledged to revive the manufacturing industry, ensure the country derives more benefit from its mineral wealth, prop up the Zimbabwean dollar and expand an infrastructure development program — priorities Ncube and his fellow ministers will be expected to champion.

Mnangagwa’s legitimacy remains in question, with international observers finding that the Aug. 23-24 election was deeply flawed and the CCC describing the process as a sham and calling for a rerun. The president and the ruling party have rejected the criticism.

Western-based creditors including the World Bank and European Investment Bank said they expect to resume debt restructuring talks with the country despite the disputed vote.