Garikai Fadzi
HARARE – Vice Presidents, Kembo Mohadi and General Constantino Chiwenga (rtd) who were sworn in today by Chief Justice Luke Malaba have vowed to put their shoulders to the wheel in a bid to turn around the country’s economy.
The duo was sworn in at State House after ZANU PF romped to victory in the July 31st plebiscite where its leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa won with 50.67 percent. His nemesis, Advocate Nelson Chamisa who came second got 44.4 percent of the vote.
Vice President Mohadi said the new mandate, which ZANU PF got from the masses, should be honoured through an economic thrust, which appeals to the masses.
“We will be guided by our manifesto, which is the agenda we will be following.” He added the time for politicking is behind; “the time for politics is now behind us, we now have to create employment. The next sixty months are critical.”
His counterpart, General Chiwenga (rtd) says the economic agenda has to be expedited.
“Yes, the elections are behind us, what remains is to implement with speed what we told the electorate when we went around the country. This time we have to implement our plans; in terms of our economy and the social aspects of improving the living standards of our people” he said.
This is the first time where Vice Presidents were sworn in by the Chief Justice under the new constitution. The two have been Zimbabwe’s Vice Presidents since the birth of the new dispensation last November.
The Vice Presidents had to be sworn in ahead of the new Cabinet’s announcement as the President will be travelling to People’s Republic of China for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is due to be held from 3rd to the 4th of next month.
Under the constitution, there should be an Acting President whenever he is out of the country, incapacitated or dies.
