‘VP Emmerson & Auxillia Mnangagwa With Mugabe’s In Far East’

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe and his top brass — including Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and several Cabinet ministers — took time off to spend lavishly and make merry in various resorts in Africa and the Far East over the just-ended festive season while the economy continued to sneeze.

As per his tradition, Mugabe and his family travelled to the Far East last month for the President’s annual recess.

According to pictures circulating on social media platforms, the First Family was last week joined by Mnangagwa and his wife Auxillia in some resort place believed to be in the Far East.

Mnangagwa later flew back to take over as Acting President yesterday and apparently allow Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, who has since gobbled US$250 000 in hotel stay since his appointment in 2014, to take leave.

It was not clear yesterday whether Mphoko would as well join Mugabe in the Far East.

Contacted over Mnangagwa’s merry-making against the background of a comatose economy, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba last Friday said: “What is the newsworthiness of a VP going on leave?”

But political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said it was a shame that government leaders chose to flee domestic problems back home to wine and dine on foreign soil at a time most civil servants had not yet received their December salaries.

“The pictures speak for themselves. They go to other countries to celebrate somewhere other than their country, where they have left hell,” Mandaza said. By Moses Matenga. Source-newsday