Long story short, weeks ago, the president had to fire his Minister of Health and Childcare, Dr Obadiah Moyo following a Covid-19 procurement scandal. The ministry was left without a permanent secretary or a minister in charge of it as a result. The president then appointed a soldier to be the permanent secretary before announcing late yesterday that the Vice President (Rtd) General C Chiwenga would now be the Minister of Health. Social media reacted!

The appointment is illegal?

So he’s not the Minister of Health? Is he the “Vice President” or is he the Minister of Health? He cannot be both. I’m sure you can read. Section 103 of the Constitution is clear. That appointment must be set aside on an urgent basis. It is illegal.

Fadzai Mahere on Twitter

You’re mistaken. Section 99 is clear. It doesn’t permit the appointment of a VP as a substantive Minister. The terms “assist” in the “administration of a Ministry” mean that at most a VP can be acting at best not that he can hold 2 roles at once. That’s unconstitutional per s103.

On this issue the Constitutional court has already ruled that it’s possible for a Vice President to be a minister. The ruling made back in 2014 says section 99 and 103 of the constitution must be read together. However some questioned the wisdom of burdening a Vice President with another appointment when there are plenty of MPs without cabinet positions that the president could have chosen.

Other reactions

VP Chiwenga once fired all hospitals Nurses and doctors for demanding better working conditions. He gets his medical treatment in China , his now the Minister of Health and Child Care the same guy who said doctors are an occupation not a profession
Wellence Mujuru on Twitter