By-Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has taken over from President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has gone on annual leave.

Chiwenga will be the acting President until the end of January when Mnangagwa returns.

The state media cited Acting Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba.

 He is quoted as saying:

Just to inform the nation that His Excellency, President Mnangagwa started his by annual leave yesterday the 23rd of December which will run until the end of January, he has no intention of leaving the country he will spend his entire leave in the country, most probably between the capital and his farm. You know he’s a big farmer, he is behind the agriculture transformation that he has always called for, and he decided to lead by example. And my hunch is that he will be tending to his crops as well as his animals. Vice President Chiwenga will be the Acting President for the entire period the President is on leave.

The President traditionally takes his annual leave in January. 

Unlike his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe who would fly to the Far East during his annual vacations, Mnangagwa has previously spent month-long vacations in the country.