MASVINGO — The Minister of State for Masvingo’s office at Benjamin Burombo House is being moved from the second to the ground floor because the new incumbent, Shuvai Mahofa, cannot climb the stairs owing to ill health and old age.
Government will incur unplanned costs to renovate the new office while civil servants will bear inconveniences as the office of the provincial administrator (PA) will now be a distance from the Minister of State’s office.
Renovations were already underway on the ground floor when a Mirror news crew visited the building on Wednesday this week.
Efforts to get a comment from Mahofa were fruitless as she kept on saying that she was in meetings.
Sources told the Mirror that that the minister had difficulty in climbing the stairs since she replaced Kudakwashe Bhasikiti in that position on February 23 this year.
Mahofa, who is 74 years old, is supported as she walks out of the official car and is also assisted as she negotiates the stairs to the office.
Inconveniences in the operations of the department will be experienced between the PA and the minister’s office as these two are supposed to operate next to each other.
The PA acts as the permanent secretary to the minister’s office.
Sources said the renovations were bringing in unbudgeted costs to the ministry.
Efforts by the Mirror to get the amount of the costs were fruitless.
“I am in a meeting right now, I cannot answer your questions,” said Mahofa.
Mahofa, who is a close ally of First Lady Grace Mugabe, was elevated to the post after Bhasikiti, who is linked to embattled former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, was booted out for allegedly planning to assassinate President Robert Mugabe. — Masvingo Mirror