Misunderstandings between the two Zimbabwe Vice Presidents escalade after one accuses the other of lying in a bid to stimulate political instability in the country and undermining the President’s power.
Phelekezele Mphoko, Zimbabwe’s second Vice President was on Tuesday reported saying that his counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s doctors had informed that he was not poisoned as he claimed to have been.
VP Mphoko informed in the Tuesday press conference that Mnangagwa’s lying move was aimed at his personal interests of undermining President Robert Mugabe’s power.
VP Mnangagwa, who fell ill at President Robert Mugabe’s youth rally in Gandwa and later diagnosed in South Africa to have been poisoned – as sources indicated, has come up to clear his honor regarding the accusations.
Addressing journalists in a press conference, Mnangagwa informed that there was a misinterpretation of his words by his counterpart.
Mnangagwa clarified that he never said he got poisoned at Gandwa during the rally, but however, he was truly poisoned.
According to Mnangagwa’s long time doctors, he said, they only ruled out food poisoning but not being poisoned.
“I never said that I was poisoned in Gwanda, but that I fell ill in Gwanda. I was airlifted to Gweru then to Harare before subsequently being airlifted to South Africa,” he explained.
The VP was said to have fallen ill immediately after taking an ice cream, which was supposedly to have had poison in it. However, Mnagagwa has expressed that this statement is aimed at creating hatred between him and the first family since the ice cream was got from their farm (Gushungo Diary).
“During the briefing with His Excellency, the President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the medical doctors who attended to me ruled out food poisoning, but confirmed that indeed poisoning had occurred and that investigations were still in progress,” Mnangagwa, the VP said.
“It is quite absurd that my counterpart, my colleague, VP Phelekezele Philoba would misunderstand, misinterpret and misrepresent the statements made by the President and myself!” he added.
Mnangagwa went ahead to remind his counterpart and the Zimbabwe community at large of his outstanding loyalty, love and support of the First family. He so informed that he has no desire in motivating political insecurity in the country.
“I have an impeccable history of unflinching loyalty to the party, and His Excellency the President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe and have never acted in a manner that undermines his authority or the stability of Zimbabwe.” – a local newspaper in Zimbabwe, reported Mnangagwa’s words.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu
