Top Govt Officials Refuse To Speak Over Chiwenga's Health

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was reportedly airlifted to South African hospital as his health had deteriorated over the past week.

Newsday reports that senior government sources confirmed the development. However, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa was said to have been ignoring calls when her comment was sought while Permanent secretary in the Ministry, Ndavaningi Mangwana referred all questions to presidential spokesperson George Charamba. Said Mangwana:

Kindly talk to the presidential spokesperson Cde George Charamba on all issues relating to the presidency. I can only answer to questions that involve government business, not the presidency.

Both Charamba and deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi did not respond to questions sent to their mobile phones regarding Chiwenga’s health when Newsday sought for their comments.

Sometime in 2018, Chiwenga spoke about his health where he revealed that he had a skin disease. Chiwenga said then:

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 [Phillip Valerio] Sibanda and many others. They are brave men, indeed.

We also informed vaMatanga [Godwin,) then Deputy Commissioner-General of Police, but now Commissioner-General] about the plan; it was during that time that I fell ill. I had this skin disease [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.

Related:

• Chiwenga Airlifted To South Africa In ‘Medical Emergency’

More: Newsday