Mugabe Cabinet list seeks unity

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Robert Mugabe has announed a Cabinet designed to bring together both wings of the Patriotic Front alliance, reassure this country's white minority, and foster unity within his Zimbabwe African National Union Party, Monitor correspondent Gary Thatcher reports.

Mr. Mugabe retained the defense portfolio for himself but made two key appointments to reassure whites. David Smith of the all-white Rhodesian Front was named secretary of commerce and industry, and another white, Denis Norman, has been named agriculture minister. He is expected to keep the commercial agricultural economy prosperous while redistributing some acreage to land-hungry African peasants.

Joshua Nkomo will have increased powers over the country's police forces as home affairs minister. His Zimbabwe African Peoples Union party was given four posts in the 23-member Cabinet.

Only one woman, Teurai Nhongo, was given a full Cabinet post, as minister of youth, sport, and recreation. Two other women were named deputy ministers.

Easily the mose controversial appointment is that of ZANU official Enos Nkala as minister of finance, seen as an effort to promote party unity.

Supporters of Mr. Mugabe's ZANU party were allocated 16 Cabinet seats; none went to Bishop Abel Muzorewa's minority United African National Council, and Ian Smith, Rhodesian prime minister for over a decade, was also pointedly left out. Although Mr. Mugabe did not name his choice for president, speculation has centered on the Rev. Canaan Banana, a veteran nationalist.