Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa takes 24-day vacation

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has proceeded on a 24-day break, starting Thursday, January 13.

His vice, Constantine Chiwenga, will assume the President’s role in acting capacity, presidential communications deputy secretary, George Charamba, said in a press statement on Friday, January 14.

Charamba stated that Mnangagwa will remain in the country throughout his three-week “vacation”.

This marks the second year in a row that the Head of State temporarily surrenders power to his deputy as he proceeds on leave.

Last year, he started his leave on January 9.

Mnangagwa, 79, rose to presidency after former President Robert Mugabe (now late) was ousted in a coup on November 14, 2017.

Mnangagwa would go ahead to win the July 30, 2018 presidential election, which was disputed by his closest and fiercest challenger Nelson Chamisa.

The president got 50.8 per cent of the votes against Chamisa’s 44.3 per cent.