ZANU PF second secretary Kembo Mohadi, who resigned from the government as the country’s co-Vice President in shame two years ago, amid allegations he was using his office for sexual encounters with married women — including aides — has bounced bounce back as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s second Deputy President, as first reported by The NewsHawks.
BERNARD MPOFU
Mohadi resigned in shame following allegations he was using his office for sexual encounters with married women, including subordinates.
However, he retained his position as Zanu PF vice-president and second secretary after his resignation and was re-appointed to the post at the Zanu PF congress last year.
Constantino Chiwenga and Mohadi on Friday took the oath of office at State House before Chief Justice Luke Malaba and President Mnangagwa.
Also in attendance was the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda and other senior government officials.
Last November, Zanu PF and senior government officials told TheNewsHawks that Mohadi was almost guaranteed to be named Vice-President in the next cabinet should Mnangagwa win the elections.
Despite the damaging scandal Mohadi has been tasked with carrying out crucial national duties which usually assigned to sitting members of the executive.
After his resignation, Mohadi traversed the length and breadth of the country doing Zanu PF political and electoral duties with security personnel on the public service payroll in tow, in what critics said was a clear demonstration of the excesses of party-state conflation in Zimbabwe.
Mohadi has also been using the motorcade he had during his tenure as vice-president, and has been enjoying protection by the Presidential Guard, a military unit that protects members of the executive as well as the secret service.
Before his recent appointment Mohadi continued to have VVIP privileges, including a motorcade and beefed-up residential security at his upmarket Glen Lorne home in Harare at taxpayers’ expense, years after he was forced to resign in ignominy.
A Zanu PF central committee report, presented during congress, revealed that Mohadi was also being funded by the party. His tours were allocated ZW$31 059 700.
“These are nationwide travel costs for the VP Mohadi engaging provincial and district coordinating committees,” read the report.
During congress, Mnangagwa sang praises of Mohadi, jokingly describing him as a naughty but honest person.
In what was seen as a jab at Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga who harbours presidential ambitions and was mounting a challenge to become president before losing steam ahead of congress, Mnangagwa said Mohadi is honest about his ambitions.
Unlike the other past vice-presidents, Joice Mujuru and Phelekezela Mphoko, whose security was whittled down after they left government un the aftermath of Robert Mugabe’s ouster, Mohadi retained vast privileges as he remained Zanu PF co-deputy leader, a reminder of how the ruling party corruptly siphons public resources for its benefit and to sustain its stay in power.
This gave Mohadi an opportunity to rehabilitate himself and bounce back after Mnangagwa retained power after the disputed 23 August elections.
