VICE-PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko has reportedly clocked 287 days in a five-star hotel since his appointment as one of President Robert Mugabe’s two deputies last December, as he has not yet secured suitable State accommodation in the capital.
BY STAFF REPORTERS
Mphoko checked into the executive suite of the five-star Rainbow Towers Hotel on December 14, 2014, and has remained holed there, costing government at least $120 000 on bed and breakfast as of today.
Efforts to contact director of State residences Innocent Tizora were fruitless on Friday.
Mphoko’s mobile also went unanswered when NewsDay sought his comment.
Our sister paper,NewsDay last night called the hotel to confirm whether Mphoko was still residing there and were put through to his room.
However, the person who answered the phone said the VP was not in at that moment.
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Mphoko’s continued stay at the hotel comes as the government claims it wants to cut costs and is already carrying out staff and pensioner audits.
The Vice-President’s wife, Laurinda, has reportedly not made life easy for officials seeking a house for the Vice-President, after she reportedly rejected three houses, among them a $3 million mansion in the leafy suburb of Ballantyne Park, because “it is too small for a person of the VP’s stature”.
She reportedly also rejected a house left vacant following the death of former VP Joseph Msika in the upmarket suburb of Mandara.
In April, government insiders said they had secured a house for him in Gunhill, where his neighbours were reportedly going to be moved for his security.
Mphoko, investigations this week indicated, is currently staying in an executive suite on the 17th Floor of the Rainbow Towers Hotel, which costs $403 inclusive of bed and breakfast for two per day.
Lunch and dinner cost $15 each and Mphoko is reportedly staying with his grandchild in the suite, which significantly increase the cost.
The hotel charges additional $130 for an extra bedroom in the same suite for two kids.
Mphoko reportedly checked into the Rainbow Towers Hotel on December 14, suggesting he has been at the hotel for 287 days. Of these, 205 are weekdays, while 82 are weekends.
