Zimbabwe's second vice-president Kembo Mohadi has resigned. The move comes barely a week after he dismissed reports that went viral accusing him of immoral relations involving married subordinates.
In tendering his resignation, the state-run Herald Newspaper said VP Mohadi maintained his innocence saying he is a victim of “information distortion, voice cloning, and sponsored spooking and political sabotage.”
“Following the recurring dis-information and virilisation of my alleged immoral unions, dispensed through awkward slacktivism, I am stepping down as the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in terms of Section 96(2) of the constitution of Zimbabwe (No.20) Act, 2013 with immediate effect.”
Last week in his rebuttal, the VP distanced himself from what he called "imagined immoral unions by detractors angling to tarnish his political career as well as his standing as a national leader."
He was speaking for the first time after a local online news outlet released the purported communication with the said women, the 71-year-old said he was a victim of political machinations peddled through voice cloning.
“Following the recent social media hype about my alleged illicit relationships with two married women, I have decided to come open and respond to the allegations being peddled by my detractors,” he said.
“Despite growing impatience because of days of weird character assassination, I wish to categorically state that the allegations being levelled against me are not only false, but well-choreographed to demean, condescend and soil my image as a national leader and patriot.”
“I am innocent and a victim of political machinations being peddled through hacking and voice cloning," he added.
In a series of phone calls published by local media, a man is heard arranging for sex including in his government office and a hotel.
A rights group, the Women’s Coalition, has called for a probe into possible illicit relations with subordinates and sexual harassment within the office of the vice-president.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum voiced concern about the allegations and a culture of abuse of office and power by a public official for sexual advantage whiles the main opposition called for Mohadi to resign.
He is the southern African country's second vice president. The first is former army chief Constantino Chiwenga, who led the 2017overthrow of Robert Mugabe. President Mnangagwa was installed president and he subsequently won the first post-Mugabe polls in 2019.
With Additional Files from The Herald Newspaper and BBC
