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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Acting President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday opened up on the illness that attacked him when Operation Restore Legacy was launched and changed his complexion.

Speaking at the burial of his sister Margaret Machekabuwe at Machekabuwe Farm yesterday, Acting President Chiwenga said the illness caused the lightening of his skin prompting some sections of the media to speculate that he was applying skin lightening creams.

“Today we want to set the record straight on one issue now that journalists are here.

“When we did our operation to normalise things in the country, I was with General (Philip Valerio) Sibanda and many others, they are brave men indeed.

“We also informed vaMatanga (then Deputy Commissioner-General of Police) about the plan,” Acting President Chiwenga said.

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He said it was during that time that he fell ill.

“It was during that time that I fell ill. I had this skin sickness (nhuta) that affected my whole body from beneath my feet to my back and the journalists started saying I was using skin lightening creams, but that was not the case. I was sick.

Acting President Chiwenga said some samples were taken to South Africa, but they could not provide medication for the disease.

“I have decided to talk about it because that is what you see, but you should know that everything that happens comes with a price,” he said.

“We then sent everything to South Africa to find out what was causing the sickness, but they failed to treat it.

“It was then that my (late) sister Margaret approached Sister Redemptor (Roman Catholic nun) and was given herbs that I began taking until I was healed. But before I took the medication they also prayed for me.

“This is what had affected me and had also affected my wife,” said Acting President Chiwenga.