VICE president Emerson Mnangagwa has come out in the open for the first time to speak about his alleged poisoning at the 6th Presidential Interface Youth Rally in Gwanda last month.

According to the VP, the statement that he ate an Alpha and Omega ice cream from Gushungo Dairy owned by the First Family is mischievous.

Reports have been going around that, while in Gwanda, Mnangagwa suffered relentless vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming ice cream.

The VP was to be taken to Gweru hospital in a helicopter before he was airlifted to a South African hospital where he recuperated.

While in South Africa media reports said that doctors performed a minor surgery and “detected traces of palladium poison which had partly damaged a part of his liver” which would require a system flush out over the next two months.

But in a statement Thursday, Mnangagwa said nothing like that ever happened.

“I would like to put it on record straight regarding my alleged consumption of ice cream from Gushungo Dairy at the High Table on the occasion of the Youth Interface Rally at Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda, in Matebeleland South Province on Saturday 12th August 2017” said Mnangagwa in a statement.

“No such thing ever occurred.”

He added, “The insinuation that I partook ice cream from the said dairy is false and mischievous, and being peddled by unscrupulous elements with a sinister agenda of creating a rift between me and the first family and lower market confidence in the products from the dairy and cause unnecessary alarm and despondency among peace loving Zimbabweans,” he said.

The poisoning allegations had seen the two factions within the ruling Zanu PF at each other’s throat with Team Lacoste linked to the VP accusing the rival faction G40 of attempting to kill their leader.

Mnangagwa’s statement comes after G40 members gathered for a solidarity rally at the party’s HQ in Harare where outspoken Manicaland Provincial Minister Mandi Chimene said the Team Lacoste leader must stop blaming people for his eating behaviour.

Without mentioning names Wednesday but clearly referring to Mnangagwa, Chimene mocked the VP saying if you “eat raw fruits and vomit” don’t blame anyone.

“You will have a stomach ache and vomit, if you eat raw guavas, but it’s wrong to blame someone saying they have bewitched you,” said Chimene to derisive laughter from the gathering crowd.