ZIMBABWE'S first female vice-president, Joyce Mujuru, has taken over as acting head of state during President Robert Mugabe's year-end vacation. Officials say Mr. Mugabe left Harare late Monday to travel to Malaysia, and is expected to return early next month. | Pity he missed the earthquake. |
The state-run Herald newspaper says Vice President Mujuru will serve in his absence, becoming the first woman to hold the nation's highest office. | Bob must trust her a lot, Africa has a long tradition of changing governments while the president is out of the country. |
| What were those flight numbers again? |
Ms. Mujuru was approved as one of Zimbabwe's two vice presidents during a ruling party conference earlier this month. She had served as water minister and fought in the country's guerrilla war for independence in the 1970s. In an interview with South African television on Monday, Ms. Mujuru said she may seek Zimbabwe's presidency in 2008 elections, when Mr. Mugabe is due to retire. | If not sooner, Bob could come down with something at any time. |
Meanwhile President Mugabe's spin doctor Jonathan Moyo who was recently dropped from the ruling Zanu PF's central committee and politburo has jetted off to Kenya on a holiday with his family, New Zimbabwe.com was told. Moyo was booked into a safari lodge -- and had to deal with fears about his own security amid claims there was a plot to assassinate him while in Kenya. Ironically, media reports have said Moyo is a wanted man in Kenya where he is alleged to have defrauded the American Ford Foundation. |