Simon Khaya-Moyo to become 2nd Vice President of Zimbabwe - report

Father Zimbabwe, the late Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo's former aide and, now ruling Zanu PF's information and publicity secretary, Simon Khaya-Moyo, is reportedly poised to become one of the two vice presidents of the country, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa, might name this week to give life to the State's presidium, Spotlight Zimbabwe reported.

Authoritative diplomatic sources and one minister inside Mnangagwa's new cabinet in the capital have confirmed the shock disclosure. Khaya- Moyo's name has not been anywhere near the new political dispensation radar, ever since 2014 when he miraculously survived being purged from Zanu PF, for allegedly siding with former VP Joice Mujuru's faction, which was accused of planning to unseat former president, Robert Mugabe.

Zanu PF is holding a congress on Friday, to endorse Mnangagwa as the party's presidential candidate for 2018, and it is at the former vice president's discretion to name his two new deputies during or after the much anticipated congress.

Spotlight Zimbabwe, has also been told that Mnangagwa might reward Khaya-Moyo with the VP post, after the long serving politician and diplomat together with Zimbabwe's former Ambassador to South Africa, Isaac Moyo, allegedly orchestrated a crucial role in facilitating the escape route for Mnangagwa into South African hiding and exile, when he was fired from government last month.

Mnangagwa has already appointed Isaac Moyo as the new boss, of the dreaded spy outfit, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), as its director general, replacing Happyton Bonyongwe, for providing a "safe house" in Pretoria for Mnangagwa, in careful coordination with Khaya-Moyo, who was ironically also the country's former diplomat to South Africa between 2007-2011 our sources said.

A safe house is an apartment used by an intelligence agency or underground organization as a refuge or hiding place. Safe houses are often used by spies, criminals, or the police.

"The true heroes in Mnangagwa's escape where Simon Khaya-Moyo and Isaac Moyo," said one Asian diplomat who also intimated that China is also comfortable with Khaya-Moyo in the presidium, as he had very close ties with their envoy in Harare, Huang Ping.

"They (China) know him well and have worked with him at their party level, when he was Zanu PF chairman. Furthermore he has always been a closet Mnangagwa ally, which is why the new president's factional supporters withdrew a bid to do away with the Unity Accord signed in 1987 between Nkomo and Mugabe, three years ago. You already know better than me, that under the Accord PF-Zapu members traditionally have the second vice presidency slot reserved for them."

Huang Ping paid the Zanu PF spokesman a courtesy call at his government offices in October, when Mugabe had oppointed him information minister, during his last cabinet resuffle.

"SK (Khaya-Moyo) has a very good chance this time around to be appointed into the presidium as the second vice president," said the minister who was also in Mugabe's dissolved cabinet. "The theory and thinking is that if Kembo Mohadi remains as defence minister, which is an equally powerful post, Khaya-Moyo will likely be General Constantino Chiwenga's counterpart, as he might be appointed first vice president."

This publication has accurately reported that Mnangagwa was going to be president, despite having at the time been fired from Zanu PF and government. We also reported recently, that the country's military chiefs had agreed to a Mnangagwa presidential takeover. Furthermore Spotlight Zimbabwe was the first online publication in Zimbabwe to report that, Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) boss Chiwenga is likely to become the first VP on 18 March 2016.