Robert Mugabe will get a house, a fleet of private cars and guaranteed first class air travel as part of a retirement package funded by the Zimbabwean government.

Mr Mugabe, who was deposed in a coup last month after 37 years as president of Zimbabwe, will also maintain at least 20 staff including security guards at tax payer expense, state media reported.

The generous retirement package was laid out in list of benefits for former presidents of Zimbabwe published by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced Mr Mugabe as head of state following the coup.

It came as Mr Mnangagwa rewarded the general who orchestrated the coup by installing him in one of the country's most powerful positions.

Constantino Chiwenga, who as head of the Zimbabwean armed forces sent troops into Harare and oversaw the arrest of Mr Mugabe in November, was sworn in as one of two vice-presidents in a ceremony in Harare yesterday/Thursday.

"I will discharge my duties with all my strength and to the best of my knowledge and ability," Mr Chiwenga, who has since retired from the military, said at the ceremony.