Former Vice President Mphoko dies aged 84, declared national hero

By Leopold Munhende

DISGRACED former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko (84) has died.

Mphoko, a high-ranking delegate at the 1979 Lancaster House Conference that confirmed Zimbabwe’s independence was hounded out of office during the November 2017 military-led coup.

He had been a close ally of late President Robert Mugabe whom he deputised from 2014 to 2017.

Well-calculated moves to discard him coincided with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s coup and dethronment of Mugabe.

He had been relegated to ordinary life, having to deal with a nagging court which periodically demanded that he avail himself at the Harare Magistrate Courts.

His rise was as meteoric as his fall.

In a condolence message, Mnangagwa said Mphoko who died after a long illness has been declared a national hero.

“I learnt this afternoon with a deep sense of grief and sadness of the passing on of our former Vice President, Ambassador Report Phelekezela Mphoko, after a long illness. A veteran of our Liberation Struggle, Cde Mphoko’s political and military history coincides with the early days of militant nationalism against white settler colonialism which later morphed into the armed Liberation Struggle of which he was among its early architects, brave fighters and crop of formative and outstanding commanders. With his sad departure, our Nation has lost yet another stalwart of the Liberation Struggle whose contribution to our hard-won Independence can hardly be overstated,” he said.

Added Mnangagwa, “In recognition of his meritorious role of service to his country, both before and after Independence, the Zanu PF Politburo has unanimously decided and agreed to celebrate and immortalize his life of sacrifice by according him the Status of National Hero”.