Mugabe's newly appointed VP in danger

Unknown assailants yesterday stormed Zanu-pf and Zimbabwe’s Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party office and laced a deadly poisonous substance that left his deputy struggling for her life in the Intensive Care Unit at a private hospital in Harare. No visitors are allowed as her condition is bad.

The assassination bid was revealed by President Robert Mugabe at the Zanu PF extraordinary Central Committee meeting in Harare on Wednesday where Mnangagwa was confirmed as the country’s first vice president.

Insiders privy to the developments said cyanide had been used in the bid to eliminate Mnangagwa who has, for long, battled former vice president Joice Mujuru to be in pole position to succeed Mugabe. It was claimed that the poison was sprayed in the justice minister office overnight Tuesday in the hope he would walk in Wednesday morning and inhale the substance.

However, the minister’s personal assistant got into the office first and is now battling for her life at Harare’s Parirenyatwa Hospital.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the incident, saying investigations were underway.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police has received a report to the effect that some poisonous substance was thrown into the honourable Vice President and Second Secretary of zanu-pf Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa's office at the zanu-pf Headquarters last night," said police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba.