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Gen Sibanda

Felex Share Senior Reporter
Newly appointed Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi are tried and tested cadres capable of executing their mandates diligently, liberation war stalwarts have said.

The two VPs were sworn-in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba yesterday at a ceremony witnessed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Newly appointed Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda said the new VPs were industrious.

Gen Sibanda succeeded VP Chiwenga as ZDF Commander and the pair has worked together for many years.

“I think they will do well for our country,” Gen Sibanda said. “They are both good men and hard workers. They are team players and will do as expected.”

Zanu-PF national chairperson and Environment, Water and Climate Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the two VPs had been consistent since the liberation struggle.

“These are people who have been consistent, principled and also these are gallant sons who fought hard in the forefront during the struggle,” she said.

“They were soldiers and provincial commanders who understood very well our party ideology because that was the guiding principle that we believed in.”

She added: “We needed to address the challenges of the land and we are now way ahead in terms of utilising our land to our benefit. You may as well appreciate the Command Agriculture programme where the soldiers themselves are at the forefront. What they fought for is what they are continuing with. While in the struggle they also fought hard to ensure schools were put in place so that our young people who were not ready for military training would continue with their education. What they will be implementing is something which they started while in the bush.”

Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri

Turning to the ruling party, Zanu-PF, Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said the two VPs would help instil discipline among cadres. She said the G40 cabal, whose members were expelled from Zanu-PF recently, had created chaos, firing people willy-nilly from the revolutionary party.

“In terms of discipline, they (the two VPs) were again at the forefront,” she said. “This is ideal when it comes to the party itself considering what has been happening, the infighting. They are bringing in new skills. They will instil discipline within the rank and file of the party. We are excited that the military element is joining us.”

Gen Chiwenga (Rtd) and Cde Mohadi are also Zanu-PF Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries.

Zanu-PF national political commissar Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje (Rtd) said the country had been put in the hands of capable revolutionaries.

“I want to take this opportunity as the national political commissar to welcome and congratulate the two Vice Presidents who have been elevated to take up these posts,” he said.

“They are capable and well-tried cadres of the revolution. If you look at Gen Chiwenga, he joined the liberation struggle way back in 1973 and he rose through the ranks to become deputy political commissar in the Zanla forces. As for Cde Mohadi, he also joined in the 1960s and was trained and rose to become a high ranking official within the Zipra forces. He has also served in Government since independence up to present day.”

Zanu-PF provinces have also endorsed the decision by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to appoint the two VPs.

They said the appointments were in line with the party’s time-honoured practice of abiding by the 1987 Unity Accord signed between the former President Robert Mugabe and late national hero Dr Joshua Nkomo.