On Wednesday, Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko was reportedly pushed out of his presidential suite at the upmarket Rainbow Towers Hotel where he has been staying for over 555 days ever since he was appointed the country’s Vice-President in December 2014, to pave way for visiting Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma.
NewsDay Comment
This is the second time that Mphoko has been displaced in as many months after he was again forced to the ordinary hotel suites when China’s President Xi Jinping visited the country late last year. The mere action of relegating him each time a foreign dignitary visits the country should speak volumes to Mphoko that if he really knew his worth or respected himself, Zimbabweans and cared for his Zanu PF party, he would have moved out of the hotel a long time ago without any incident.
But, what is happening each time a foreign dignitary visits the country shows that Zimbabwe has a complete moron in a Vice-President who unfortunately over-rates himself.
If Mphoko is not ashamed of himself, then Zanu PF should be worried as his actions will cost the party come election time. What is disheartening is the fact that Mphoko insists he has the right to continue staying at the hotel, as it is government-owned, until additional renovations to his State mansion are completed.
But this is a business, Cde Mphoko! Besides, government is a minority shareholder, with dividends and this holding does not merit free occupation of any of Rainbow Tourism Group’s hotels, as it exhibits corporate governance decadence.
What kind of security additions to his government-issued mansion does the VP want, besides him abusing his privileged position for selfish ends?
The fact that various groups are against Mphoko’s continued stay at the hotel shows that Zimbabweans are somewhat distraught, deeply concerned and, indeed, saddened by the level of insensitivity, selfishness and shamelessness that the Vice-President has exhibited this far.
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His apparent love for living life on the fast lane is a monumental embarassment not only to Zimbabweans, but also to himself. Mphoko’s lavish lifestyle at the hotel at the expense of the majority at a time government has failed to pay its workers should raise alarm to President Robert Mugabe and other leaders of the ruling Zanu PF party. There is need to urgently rein in Mphoko’s wayward behaviour.
We also urge Mphoko to respect the wishes of the people by moving out of the upmarket hotel whatever the costs in honour of the poor majority especially government workers who have not yet been paid their dues.
Is it not an indictment on the part of the government that they have resorted to paying the so-called $100 advancement to civil servants yet the party leadership is wasteful especially in the case of Mphoko?
Austerity measures should apply to every worker in government including its leaders and not what is obtaining at the moment. It is time government cut on excessive luxuries for Cabinet ministers such as their staff, trips, salaries and number of vehicles for each one of them to save money for more pressing issues.
Indeed, the obtaining situation is disturbing to say the least given the extent of the suffering across the country.
With the kind of leaders such as Mphoko at the helm of the country, Zimbabwe is definitely not going anywhere as the situation can only get worse and worse.
We wonder how long Mphoko will continue to demean himself like this.
