Zimbabwe's Mugabe names two VPs

HARARE

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday appointed two deputies, barely 24 hours after sacking vice president Joyce Mujuru.

Mugabe named Emerson Mnangagwa, a liberation war veteran, as first vice-president and Phekezela Mphoko as second.

The president said the two deputies would also rotate as national chairman of the ruling ZANU-PF, further bolstering the authority of the two new appointments.  

Mugabe made the announcement at the party's headquarters soon after an emergency meeting of the ZANU-PF's central committee.

President Mugabe on Tuesday sacked Mujuru and eight cabinet ministers said to be close to her – the first such measure to be seen in Zimbabwe since 1980.

Mujuru was removed from the party's central committee during an elective congress that convened last week.

She has recently been accused of corruption and plotting to kill the 90-year-old Mugabe, who is currently serving out a seventh five-year presidential term.

Many observers believe Mugabe's wife, Grace, is behind the sacking of Mujuru, who was seen as a possible successor to Mugabe – especially given that the first lady had openly attacked Mujuru and accused her of trying to topple the regime.

Grace, who was elected head of the ruling party's women's wing last week, is now widely seen as a possible successor to her husband, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

Insiders here say Mnangagwa, the newly-appointed first vice-president, secured his appointment to the post by aligning himself with the first lady ahead of the recent elective congress.

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