The World - News from Jan. 3, 1988

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe appointed a new 27-member Cabinet, dropping several old colleagues and giving key posts to former foes, including former opposition leader Joshua Nkomo. Nkomo was named as one of three senior ministers charged with supervising rural development. Mugabe retained his sole white minister, Chris Andersen, as minister of public service. Mugabe, 63, formerly prime minister, was installed as the country’s first executive head of state on New Year’s Eve. He said the broad-based government will establish within three years a one-party socialist state in what is now one of Africa’s few Western-style democracies.