News / National
Mphoko an absolute disgrace- Magaisa
08 Jan 2016 at 05:54hrs | Views
A political commentator Alex Magaisa has described the Acting Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko as an absolute disgrace to the nation by staying at the hotel for more than a year squandering the state funds in hotel bills at the time when the country faces serious economic challenges.
"This gentleman is called Phelekezela Mphoko. He is presently the Acting President of Zimbabwe, in the absence of his boss, President Mugabe, who is vacationing somewhere in the Far East. He has lived in the presidential suite of the Rainbow Towers, a major hotel in Harare, since December 14 2014, when he was elevated to become the Vice President," said Magaisa.
"The overall cost is upwards of $500 a night or somewhere near or around that figure. This for nearly 400 nights and counting. Government has struggled to pay civil servants their wages, let alone their bonuses."
He said they had to wait until after Christmas to receive wages, some after the New Year.
"Things are generally not well in the country. Hospitals are suffering and infrastructure is deteriorating. Government is broke. There is no money. Yet, this man and his family and aides all live in a hotel, at taxpayers' expense," he said.
"When the Chinese President visited Harare early December, he had to vacate the presidential suite to make way for the important visitor. The indignity of it all, but he doesn't care. After the important guest left he moved straight back in. When a group of people tried in December to demonstrate against this profligacy, they were arrested and detained."
Magaisa said as one of the country's two VPs, this man has a 50 per cent chance of stepping into the Office of the President should, for whatever reason, a vacancy suddenly arise.
"That is what the constitution says. In other words, this man who has lived in a hotel room at taxpayers' expense for nearly 400 days might well be Zimbabwe's President one day, at least for up to 90 days, should a vacancy arise. Should a vacancy arise today, because he is the Acting President, he would rule Zimbabwe for up to 90 days, from Rainbow Towers! Perhaps more! It's a farce, I know," he said.
"How did we end up with such a farcical situation? Whom among the gods of politics did we offend to deserve such characters for leaders? Leaders without care; without heart? Is there anyone in Zanu PF who understands or supports this behaviour? They might favour us with an opinion. I would be pleased to know. How does he command respect even among his compatriots and subordinates in Zanu PF? There are a lot of absurd things that go on within this regime but this surely takes the biscuit!"
The political commentator said Mphoko has the temerity to say let us pray for rain.
"No, Mr Mphoko, we pray that you find reason and check out of that presidential suite and start behaving like a responsible leader. That prayer doesn't even need God's intervention. He has bigger issues to attend to. It simply requires an exercise of common sense and reason. It's an absolute disgrace," he said.
"This gentleman is called Phelekezela Mphoko. He is presently the Acting President of Zimbabwe, in the absence of his boss, President Mugabe, who is vacationing somewhere in the Far East. He has lived in the presidential suite of the Rainbow Towers, a major hotel in Harare, since December 14 2014, when he was elevated to become the Vice President," said Magaisa.
"The overall cost is upwards of $500 a night or somewhere near or around that figure. This for nearly 400 nights and counting. Government has struggled to pay civil servants their wages, let alone their bonuses."
He said they had to wait until after Christmas to receive wages, some after the New Year.
"Things are generally not well in the country. Hospitals are suffering and infrastructure is deteriorating. Government is broke. There is no money. Yet, this man and his family and aides all live in a hotel, at taxpayers' expense," he said.
Magaisa said as one of the country's two VPs, this man has a 50 per cent chance of stepping into the Office of the President should, for whatever reason, a vacancy suddenly arise.
"That is what the constitution says. In other words, this man who has lived in a hotel room at taxpayers' expense for nearly 400 days might well be Zimbabwe's President one day, at least for up to 90 days, should a vacancy arise. Should a vacancy arise today, because he is the Acting President, he would rule Zimbabwe for up to 90 days, from Rainbow Towers! Perhaps more! It's a farce, I know," he said.
"How did we end up with such a farcical situation? Whom among the gods of politics did we offend to deserve such characters for leaders? Leaders without care; without heart? Is there anyone in Zanu PF who understands or supports this behaviour? They might favour us with an opinion. I would be pleased to know. How does he command respect even among his compatriots and subordinates in Zanu PF? There are a lot of absurd things that go on within this regime but this surely takes the biscuit!"
The political commentator said Mphoko has the temerity to say let us pray for rain.
"No, Mr Mphoko, we pray that you find reason and check out of that presidential suite and start behaving like a responsible leader. That prayer doesn't even need God's intervention. He has bigger issues to attend to. It simply requires an exercise of common sense and reason. It's an absolute disgrace," he said.
Source - Byo24News
