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Mutinhiri appointed VP viral message dismissed
18 hrs ago | Views
The Zimbabwean government has rubbished a viral social media statement falsely claiming that Ambassador and retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri has been appointed as the country's new Vice President.
The statement, which circulated widely online, alleged that Mutinhiri was replacing Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who was supposedly stepping down due to ill health. However, government spokesperson Nick Mangwana swiftly dismissed the claims, labelling the announcement as fabricated and misleading.
Taking to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Mangwana exposed the glaring errors in the statement, mocking its credibility and calling on Zimbabweans to verify information before accepting it as truth. He highlighted a major constitutional blunder in the fake press release - the invocation of Section 205(1) of the Constitution, which in fact relates to Permanent Secretaries, not the appointment of Vice Presidents.
"SPOT THE FAKE Learn to check out things. Inga makafunda wani. The information is a fingertip away. Section 205(1) of the Constitution is about Permanent Secretaries," Mangwana wrote.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba also weighed in, taking a much sterner tone. In a fiery post on social media, Charamba slammed those behind the forgery and warned that such reckless misuse of social media would not go unpunished.
"WHEN A FULL GROWN-UP HUMAN BEING SPENDS TIME COMPOSING SUCH COUNTERFEIT MESSAGE, THEY HOPE TO ACHIEVE WHAT???? THIS FRAUDULENT MISUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO PEDDLE LIES ATTRACTS CONSEQUENCES. TAMEDZERERA ZVAKWANA!!!!!" he fumed.
The fake statement, complete with official-sounding language and an embellished summary of Mutinhiri's career, attempted to pass as an authentic government communiqué. It claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had made the appointment in recognition of Mutinhiri's loyalty to the ruling ZANU-PF party.
However, authorities insist there has been no change in the country's vice presidency, and Kembo Mohadi remains in office.
Officials are warning the public to remain vigilant against misinformation and to rely only on official government communication channels for announcements of national significance.
The statement, which circulated widely online, alleged that Mutinhiri was replacing Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who was supposedly stepping down due to ill health. However, government spokesperson Nick Mangwana swiftly dismissed the claims, labelling the announcement as fabricated and misleading.
Taking to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Mangwana exposed the glaring errors in the statement, mocking its credibility and calling on Zimbabweans to verify information before accepting it as truth. He highlighted a major constitutional blunder in the fake press release - the invocation of Section 205(1) of the Constitution, which in fact relates to Permanent Secretaries, not the appointment of Vice Presidents.
"SPOT THE FAKE Learn to check out things. Inga makafunda wani. The information is a fingertip away. Section 205(1) of the Constitution is about Permanent Secretaries," Mangwana wrote.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba also weighed in, taking a much sterner tone. In a fiery post on social media, Charamba slammed those behind the forgery and warned that such reckless misuse of social media would not go unpunished.
"WHEN A FULL GROWN-UP HUMAN BEING SPENDS TIME COMPOSING SUCH COUNTERFEIT MESSAGE, THEY HOPE TO ACHIEVE WHAT???? THIS FRAUDULENT MISUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO PEDDLE LIES ATTRACTS CONSEQUENCES. TAMEDZERERA ZVAKWANA!!!!!" he fumed.
The fake statement, complete with official-sounding language and an embellished summary of Mutinhiri's career, attempted to pass as an authentic government communiqué. It claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had made the appointment in recognition of Mutinhiri's loyalty to the ruling ZANU-PF party.
However, authorities insist there has been no change in the country's vice presidency, and Kembo Mohadi remains in office.
Officials are warning the public to remain vigilant against misinformation and to rely only on official government communication channels for announcements of national significance.
Source - online
