Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed his son as deputy finance minister as he battles to revive the country's dying economy.
The 80-year-old leader is pressured to reconstruct an economy battered by a dearth of foreign investment, soaring inflation, and a local currency falling 80% this year.
Mnangagwa was re-elected in a disputed vote last month, which the opposition called a "gigantic fraud" and criticized by observers who said the election failed to meet regional and international norms.
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Ncube, an ex-banker, has been under fire for his economic policies, which have failed to generate growth and have resulted in a failure to repay a $17 billion foreign debt.
As part of the parliament's young quota, Mnangagwa selected his son, David Mnangagwa, as Ncube's deputy while naming Soda Zhemu to head the mining ministry.
Zhemu took over as Mines Minister from Winston Chitando, who had led the ministry since November 2017. Since 2020, he has served as the Minister of Energy and Power Development.
Mining accounts for more than half of Zimbabwe's foreign export revenues, and Mnangagwa has stated that the sector attracting lithium mining investors would anchor future economic growth.
Mnangagwa is forming his government despite the opposition disputing the elections and calling for fresh polls.
Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) party's 45-year-old leader, Nelson Chamisa, demanded a new election after his group claimed the poll was "flawed" but chose not to contest the outcome in court, paving the way for Mnangagwa's inauguration.
"We cannot accept the results," he told AFP, adding that the party would declare its future steps shortly.
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