President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed war veteran and former opposition National Patriotic Front (NPF) leader Ambrose Mutinhiri as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Russia.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda announced Mutinhiri’s appointment alongside three other diplomats in an extraordinary government gazette published yesterday.
Stewart Nyakoto will be the country’s Ambassador to Japan, Meshack Kitchen will head to Brazil and Bright Kupemba will represent Zimbabwe in Iran.
“It is hereby notified that His Excellency, the President has, in terms of section 110(2) (1) as read with 204 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act, 2013 appointed Brigadier (Rtd) Ambrose Mutinhiri as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russian Federation,” Sibanda said.
The Zanu-PF government enjoys good relations with Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin whose country is currently at war with Ukraine.
Mnangagwa has also made it clear that his administration would remain neutral in the conflict. This week, Zimbabwe voted against a United Nations General Assembly Resolution to pay compensation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mutinhiri also served as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Yugoslavia.
He resigned from Zanu PF in 2018 and stood as a candidate for NPF in the presidential elections.
The appointment of Mutinhiri adds to the list of former opposition members who Mnangagwa has also appointed to diplomatic posts including former (MDC) opposition Members of Parliament, Priscilla Misihairabwi and James Maridadi.
