Former Zimbabwe army chief sworn in as vice president

Zimbabwe's recently retired army chief Constantino Chiwenga, who led a military takeover that helped end Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, was sworn in, in the capital Harare on Thursday as one of the country's two vice presidents.

The former army commander – whose appearance on state television on November 15 preceded armed soldiers taking to the streets, paving the way for Emmerson Mnangagwa to become president – is the latest in a string of military leaders to be elevated to government positions in Zimbabwe. 

Chiwenga, 61, took the oath of office in Harare, pledging to be "faithful" to Zimbabwe and to "obey, uphold and defend the constitution," said an AFP journalist who witnessed the ceremony.

"I will discharge my duties with all my strength and to the best of my knowledge and ability," the new vice president said.

Chiwenga retired from the military last week, just over a month after his troops temporarily took control of the country on November 15, in the first move of a series of steps backing Mnangagwa that would culminate in Mugabe's resignation six days later.

Mnangagwa, who had a few weeks earlier been sacked from his job as vice president by Mugabe, was sworn in as president on November 24.

Mugabe, 93, was ousted as feuding and factionalism escalated in the governing ZANU PF party over who would succeed him.

Kembo Mohadi, a veteran politician and long-serving state security minister, was also sworn in on Thursday as a vice president.